teaching

Embracing the Dummie in Me

â€œWhy would we need you? There are no dummies here.â€

The year is 2006 and I had just wrapped for the day presenting at a conference, recording interviews for a client, and giving a seminar on the potential of podcasting. One of the things I had talked about at length was the podcasting community â€” really cool people who loved talking shop, meeting other podcasters, and making connections.

Then I met the charming fellow quoted at the beginning of this blogpost.

What had caught my eye was a sandwich board pointing to a podcasting class being taught at a different event in the conference center. I was always excited to connect with others and see what their approach to podcasting was, so I swung by the classroom to make a quick introduction.

My introduction did not go well. At all.

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Stranger on a Train XXIX

Four days of Photoshop. Eight lessons with a few bonus skills added into the mix. I have to work a bit on Day One of Level 2; but once I took a lesson from Kacy Catanzaro and took a steadier pace, Day Two more than made up for my stumble.

Did you see this woman rock the American Ninja course? #MightyKacy indeed.

I’m digging Photoshop CC a lot. Good program. Now I need to take a serious look at Lightroom. I’d like to see if we (that’s Mike Witherall and I) can turn it into a class. I don’t see why not.

So the people behind Snowpiercer‘s Facebook page put that image online this morning. It’s a stitch, especially when you consider the film. Lot of “in” jokes here, so kudos to the fan who created it. Inspired works like that just remind me of how incredibly talented people are everywhere, and I’m lucky enough to get to share my stories. I’m gearing up to do it again, too. The edits for The Diamond Conspiracy arrived today, so it’s time to level up and work on the next adventure of Books & Braun. We are dealing with a lot in this one, so I look forward to returning to that world…

…Monday.

First, I need a nap. A really big one. Photoshop is a demanding mistress.

Stranger on a Train: XXVIII

Knocked it out of the fucking park.

No, I don’t like to brag. Not my thing. Too many times when I’ve been kicked in the teeth by those in Corporate America, but today I’m shouting it from the rainy rooftops: The kid’s still got it!

It’s been a long time since I’ve taught Photoshop and this time it was CC. New territory, but damn, I love Photoshop. Still, I needed to bone up on my Photography Fu. I don’t know when I’ll be asked to teach it again, but I had a blast. I even did PJ Schnyder and Kreg Steppe proud and gave a talk about shooting in RAW.

Not the same as shooting in THE RAW. Totally different thing.

Glowing reviews, and one student even got approval to stick around for Level 2. So one down, one to go. I think I got enough to teach an intermediate level PS CC course. If not, I’ll make something happen. Giving them the “Oh, cool!” moment makes the commute worth it.

Got caught in the bad weather on the way to the train. Not much else to do but sing “A Little Fall of Rain” and keep walking. It wasn’t too bad of a stroll, not like the rain could hurt me now. Beside â€” the rain will make the flowers grow….

Team Valjean, bitches. FTW.