New Technology . . .
Monday, July 19th, 2010
A couple of months ago, a bit of new technology for editing images was announced. Adobe Photoshop CS5 was available for purchase. At the moment, I have CS4. Previously, I used CS2. I usually skip one iteration of the program to justify the expense and pain of buying and installing it. However, the newest version has something called “content aware” that, if it works as advertised, will be a great time saver and make my life easier.
I am usually able to upgrade at an affordable price, as I spent what I considered a lot of money some years ago, buying the program at full price. Adobe allows upgrades to go way back. They still even allow you to upgrade from CS2 at the same low price at which I am able to buy it. Some people look to get pirated versions of this program to get a lower price. My advice is: don’t do it. Adobe has figured out how to make the real program inoperative without legacy key numbers and a new key number to unlock the program. Buy from a reputable seller. Amazon may be reputable, but every seller on Amazon may not be.
No matter how much technology costs, we all have to deal with it to get the job done. I felt the one new feature was worth the money it cost to upgrade, as well as it having several other attributes.
One complaint by professionals on a retouching forum on the ‘net is basically, “There goes the neighborhood,” about the relative ease the new program adds to retouching, allowing amateurs to retouch with aplomb. Don’t be too dismayed. There still is a barrier to entry. The cost for the full program at Adobe is close to $700.00 USD. Even if somebody can afford to buy the program, it doesn’t make them a Photoshop expert and know how to get the most out of it. Many who have it don’t know how to really use it. However, these people tend to give the work away, and it affects the price true pros can charge for their work.
Frequently, I am told, “I need it yesterday.” Clients seem to wait until the last possible minute before contacting a photographer. I therefore want to make it so I can turn the work out faster and easier to meet that challenge.
So, if you want to call yourself a professional, you have to buy into it. It may mean doing without something else in order to stay current. Less lattes can mean more Photoshop or more computer memory. I am not talking about some secret weapon that will let you get a jump on the competition, but to stay even. It may be fun, but more often, it is a business decision needed to get the work out.
-Gary Silverstein
