As we go more and more with digital as the primary means of capture, isn't it odd that Photoshop has become so much a part of the work flow its become a verb. One comment that drives me nuts is "I can fix it in Photoshop." Well that implies you didn't do your job right at capture, (which for me is more often than I would like admit but getting better each time out) and a good capture with digital is just as important if not more so than it is with film. When I hear "fix it in Photoshop" I immediately correct a student. No you won't fix it in Photoshop. You will enhance it in Photoshop.
I find it interesting that most things you can do in Photoshop, you can do in a wet darkroom as well if the time, money and expertise is there. Remember before the clone tool what it took to get rid of zits? It took a talented artist. How bout layers, anyone ever stack chromes or expose a sheet of photo paper twice with a different negative each time? For many things the way to do it was always there, the money time and desire were not because it wasn't easy. It also tended to make it more unique when you did see it done.
Now its much easier, and far far easier to control. That control is very important. With the flick of a slider, you can see what it would have taken a great deal of time to do in the wet darkroom. The output is often closer to the artist vision of what they were trying to create. That tends to be encouraging rather than the wet darkrooms habit of spending a half hour to get something that only tells you what you need to do the next time to get it closers frustrations. Persistence though was and is a key word in both.
Finally the new Photoshop Express has me thinking about one thing. In case anyone didn't hear, when uploading an image to Adobes new service, you are granting Adobe complete usage rights, and they buried it in the terms of service. Now I wonder just how many people who have uploaded photo know that. It angered enough people that apparently Adobe was working on a change in the terms of service, (be sure to read these before you sign up)but that method of treating a customer had me ask something. Good companies with a good product don't need to do business that way.
How long will it be before someone comes out with an image editor that is clearly superior to Photoshop? Photoshop has been the gold standard for a long time, but assuming that it will stay that way is like assuming Windows will always be around. That can change overnight. Will it still be photoshopping when photoshop isn't around?
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