Some days I think I could live without it. Somedays I know and do live without it. But then there are the days that I know I’m going to use it, and I’m going to enjoy the utility it provides. Photoshop is officially 20 years old!

Just think of all the terrain this revolutionary software application has seen in the past two decades! Think of all the controversy it has caused (or perhaps we should say the user has caused), how many people should be thankful for its inception, all the images that get processed on a daily basis using this single application. The list could go on! Above is a short documentary that unites the creators and earliest Adobe adopters in a conversation about Photoshop!

Although long for Internet video standards, it’s worth a watch. No matter how you feel about Photoshop, this is fairly insightful, and if you walk away with anything from it, just imagine how amazing it is that this software is the root of many, many things (minute 15:00 of the video states this fact in more eloquent terms). It is useless to beg the question, “What would it be like if it had not been created?” because it would have inevitably happened, potentially later and under a different moniker. The question to ask is “What are we using it for now, and why, and how?”

After you watch the documentary, visit PhotoshopUserTV for live coverage of an event held in honor of the software package that changed and created a lot of what the technical end, as well as the conceptual and perceptual ends, of photography has, in some ways, transformed in to.

***DISCLAIMER: No matter where you’re at in terms of photographic/philosophical/ethical perspective on the very existence of Photoshop, this is just part of the conversation that will continue to take place in the arena of images, photographic or other. I think my first few sentences pretty much sum up my satisfaction AND frustration with the software, feelings I think we as photographers all experience!

This morning, Canon USA announced the unveiling of several new additions to the PowerShot lineup, including the new flagship G-model, the G11. In my opinion, it’s a little too early to tell how well this new camera will perform, but with the history behind it, I’m sure it will please consumers who feel it will fit their needs. I’m in favor of the smaller resolution and lower noise, for sure!

Canon also announced the rebirth of the S series with the S90, a sleek looking camera with a great deal of control and a very nice LCD. The SX20 IS is sure to see popularity with the addition of 720p HD video capability!

You can find the official press release for the announcement, as well as any spec sheets for the individual cameras, on Canon USA’s Web site.

HOLY COW!!! Annie, you did what? Your rights to your images? Some of the most famous images of all time? Now, in all respect toward Leibowitz, we can’t be sure unless you hear it from her as to the very specifics of why she did this and what she has in the future to pay the loans off. That’s not my business, and who’s to say you or I wouldn’t do the same thing if we deemed it necessary. But, whoa!

I didn’t find this on my own of course. Thanks to the power of Twitter (I can be found @jerodfoster), and Rob Haggart’s wonderfully resourceful blog, A Photo Editor, the story came to my attention. This story just makes my skin crawl (like the scary movie kind)! Annie, I hope everything goes well for you, because we all want to see your name next to your images for as long as we can.

—

On a more happy note, check out Joe McNally’s blog to get the most up-to-date information on his upcoming publication, The Hot Shoe Diaries: Big Light From Small Flashes. I own his first book, The Moment It Clicks, and the guy just does a bang-up job of writing about his experiences as a daily to big assignment photographer, with some technical jargon to spice it up enough, that if you are a serious photographer, or aspiring to be one, you just have to have it! The stories remind me so much about sitting down with Wyman Meinzer, as I still do often, and just talk about photo “war” stories (I can share a few of mine now with Wyman)!

The Moment It Clicks can be found here, and even though you might be a technology junkie and want to go straight for The Hot Shoe Diaries, read his first publication with as much fervor. He really ties together, in that particular book, what it is characteristically that describes his success, and that is ultimately the meaning in each shot, lights or no. This doesn’t mean I’m not excited about the new book, because I am, and anyone that I have ever photographed has seen some McNally influence in the way that I shoot!

—

On a personal photographic interest, take the time to skip over to Andy Biggs’s blog, The Global Photographer. I really enjoy reading this classy looking blog about Andy’s experiences around the globe on his photo safaris. Definitely check out his post about his special collection of photographs from the Dark Continent! These images really are outstanding, and the man knows his stuff about printing and showcasing a body of work!

Also, while there, be sure to check out the link to Andy’s other venture, Gura Gear. This bag has me so interested it’s crazy, I just haven’t found the time to buy one yet! I read and hear nothing but good things about this gear bag, and if you are into bags, like many photographers are, you can see why. The bag weights approximately four pounds unloaded, and it is made out of sail cloth for crying out loud! That beat’s the hoohaa out of toating around a 10-pound (dry weight) shoulder bag all day long, especially when loaded with gear, you pack on another 25-40 pounds (believe me, six pounds can make a huge difference)! It’s a no-nonsense bag, and a no-brainer if you are the right kind of photographer that would fit the bag (wait, isn’t that supposed to go the other way around?)!

—

That’s it for today! More to come in form of portraiture soon!