Adobe Software Updates – Camera RAW 5.6 & Lightroom 2.6

Adobe released updates for both Camera RAW 5.6 & Lightroom 2.6 yesterday. Lightroom users, you did install the Camera RAW update right? The following link to the camera raw support page provides the appropriate download links for both Mac & PC computers. Here are some additional tips when updating your software:

Camera RAW 5.6 – This update applies if you run Photoshop CS4, or Photoshop Elements 7 or 8. You’ll want to install this update if you also use Lightroom to ensure file compatibility.

Lightroom 2.6 – This update simply installs on top of your current version of Lightroom. There is no need to use your installation CDs UNLESS you’re upgrading from version 1 (but then where have you been?)

The latest camera support has been added to these updates, and a full list is available on the camera raw support page.

Known Issues According to the Read Me file:

  • Burning exported images to disc is not available for the Lightroom 64-bit Windows application.
  • Upgrading a Lightroom 1 catalog during a catalog import can create multiple temporary copies of the catalog while upgrading.
  • Lightroom performance can be impacted when the Window’s Recycle Bin contains thousands of files.
  • Lightroom may not automatically launch an import dialog when a memory card is attached to a Windows Vista computer. Please select the Import button in the Library and select the attached card reader to begin the import.
  • Lightroom 2.6 will not automatically migrate plug-ins located in the following directory: C:Program
  • FilesAdobeAdobe Photoshop Lightroom 2Modules. Any plug-ins in this folder should be moved to: XP: C:/Documents and Settings/{your_username}/Application Data/Adobe/Lightroom/Modules/ | Vista: C:/Users/{your_username}/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Lightroom/Modules/

The Lightroom 2.6 update fixes known issues with Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) including visual artifacts in the Develop module, edit errors when handing files off to Photoshop, and the dreaded PowerPC problem that affected folks using LR 2.5.

In Twitter Years… I’m Dead…

Good evening & good day.

It’s been two months since my last blog post, a decade in blog time, and the last recorded tweet has me dead by the standards of social media. As a seasoned blogger I’m not all that concerned, back in the day the “blogging break” was all the rage, but as Shama Kabani says, “…social media marketing – it isn’t the first thing you do. It’s the last.”

For the loyal readers & inquiring minds, yours truly has been busy busy busy doing what he does best – teaching. I’m also working feverishly behind the scenes hoping to do a relaunch of this website, and launch new projects come 2010. I’ll be announcing a few contests shortly and I hope the faithful will help me get the word out. You can get a jump start on the contests by becoming Facebook fans of my work and my company.

Until then, keep your camera with you, and your lens cap in your pocket.

Adobe Releases Lightroom 3 Public Beta

If you haven’t heard by now then you must be sleeping… Adobe released the public beta for Lightroom 3. While this is one AWESOME moment for photographers and photo enthusiasts everywhere, let me repeat the mantra used by many of my colleagues today:

This is BETA software!

This is BETA software!

This is BETA software!

While I’m all for being on the cutting edge of technology, I’m not looking to get knicked anytime soon either. If you want to be the envy of all your buddies at least take a few precautions before firing up LR3. Use copies of images for the LR3 catalog. Keep in mind any changes may not work with the final release. Be prepared for wonky behavior on your computer while using BETA software.

Lightroom 3 is going to be a great release, Adobe having improved areas at customer request, e.g., noise reduction, file importing, printing, and added new features such as the Publish Services & Watermarking for improved workflows. You can check out Gene McCullagh’s blog for a quick summary of features or watch some videos over at NAPP’s Lightroom 3 Learning Center.

Photoshop Questions? Just Ask A.J.

It’s a quick hit Thursday. I’d say I was recovering from my Photoshop World experience (which was AWESOME), but we both know I’ve been knee deep in work since coming back from Vegas. Plenty of things on my plate, but had to take a moment to announce some cool stuff:

1. Ask A.J. (brought to you by Tip Squirrel) – This new column launched this week. Head over to the Tip Squirrel blog and ask me those nagging Photoshop questions, you know, the ones that keep you stirring about in your chair, scraping your nails against your Wacom tablet. I’ll be answering as many questions as I can each week, and if you behave, I might even thrown in some video responses.

2. Lightroom Core Series – due to the popularity of this seminar, I’m repeating the classes this month. Part 1 – Get Organized kicks off next week on Oct 14th, followed by the Part 2 – Develop It on Oct 21st, and we’ll wrap up with Part 3 – Output/Export on Oct 28th. Advanced registration is $25, or $40 at the door.

Finally had a chance to work on a few photos from my Photoshop World trip. Might post some HDR stuff later, but you’ll enjoy the hazing I took during the Photoshop Challenge EXTREME. Alright, that’s it for now, back to work people.

Photoshop World – Midnight Madness

Good morning dear readers. If you haven’t been watching the #PSW hashtag then you might not have seen the announcement that I won the “Photoshop Challenge EXTREME” last night at Midnight Madness here in Vegas at Photoshop World. What a crazy night. I wanted to thank @NAPP_News for calling me out as a contestant, and @JohnPoz who also encouraged me to throwdown a Photoshop tip in public. I also have to thank @JohnPoz for taking photos of the contest so there would be public record of the hazing I took as a proud member of NAPP. (I couldn’t have gotten through without that final kiss of encouragement from @LayersTV_RCOMG LOL!!!)

Finally, a shout out to @JustinSeeleyPatrick LaMontagne, @DawnMHSH, @TKRPhoto, @TigerBright, @RomyYoung, @MattKloskowski, @JanineSmith, @Edpflager, @Vanelli, @ScottKelby and all the Twitter peeps I finally met in person here in Las Vegas. It’s cool when the bond created through social media extends offline.

Checkout some of the pictures @JohnPoz took last night:

I’ll be posting more of John’s pics on my Flickr page later today.