What I learned at PhotoShop World

The most important things I'm taking back with me from PhotoShop World. The list varies from things not so new and so new they're hot.

1. The new context scaling is great. You pick out what you want to emphasize and then enlarge or reduce everything else. How many times have I pulled the important item out of a scene and then had to clone, heal, etc. to get the background just right behind it. This new tools does a brilliant job of changing the background without the hassle.

2. You can make a selection and then use clone, blur, etc. within the selection. The selection won't let you go out of it.

3. Curves is more user intuitive with the simple addition of a button. I can't tell you how many times I go into curves and spend the first minute or two trying to remember how to use it. As time goes by I use curves less and less, when curves should be used over all the other adjustment layers.

4. OnOne software - Mask Pro- you can group your keep/delete colors. Hold down the alt or option button when using the keep eyedropper and you'll get an average color. No, this software's tutorials don't cover it all. Fantastic software, lousy documentation.

5. HDR and panoramas are not just for whooped up photos. There's a lot to be gained for everyday commercial use. HDR should be done, 3 shoots each, and used to bring in highlights or details not available in just one shot's exposure.

6. Smart Objects, I know last year's show jammed it down my throat and I didn't listen, maybe this year.

7. Video and Photoshop, all of a sudden I'm feeling my mini videos are doable.

8. Site Grinder - gotta get. Forget Dreamweaver.

9. Puppet tool - it may be the feature that gets me into After Effects.

10. When there's no tripod around, shoot over your shoulder. Maybe I can finally get sharp photos of fruit in the cooler.

11. Dodge and burn tools have always seemed heavy handed. A little knowledge of the color wheel goes a long way in acheiving the same things with some masking and painting brushing. Is an area too bright, on a new layer paintbrush with white and play with opacity and blend modes (color, luminosity and hue) to get it just right. Too much yellow in a photo, paint with cyan on a new layer. Yellow being on the opposite side of the color wheel as cyan.

12. Go the next step with Bridge. I use Bridge to find artwork but don't use the keywords/metadata capabilities. A couple of seconds on each image and I'd be set. Sounds like a New Year's resolution.