In March, I found myself on a plane, heading to Orlando, Florida to attend the PhotoshopWorld conference. For those who think PhotoshopWorld sounds like the exotic dream of a computer nerd, let me fill you in. PhotoshopWorld is the twice-annual conference hosted by the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP). NAPP has over 70,000 members worldwide and is one of the top professional organizations for the creative digital industry.

PhotoshopWorld is attended by between three and four thousand people who come to learn from the top educators in the industry. The excitement level before the opening keynote presentation was similar to what one finds at a rock concert (possibly due to Adobe's habit of announcing new products at the conference). Attendees range from amateurs to professionals, with an emphasis on visual and graphic design. For three days presentations were given by Tim Grey, Bert Monroy, Scott Kelby, Moose Peterson, and Eddie Tapp, to name a few (there were over 40 presenters in all). Material ranged from the basics (an introduction to layer) to the extremely advanced (Mr. Margulisclearly demonstrated that the use of LAB color is more complex then any biological research project I have ever undertaken).

For me, however, the highlights were Rich Harrington's and Rod Harlan's series about video in Photoshop CS3. During the past two years, my interest in video has increased dramatically and seeing the new developments in Photoshop has awakened new enthusiasm for what was already a great program (Actually, the conference focused on the whole suite of Adobe products). Additional presentations includedan introduction to smart objects, Lightroom workflow, advanced masking techniques, portrait retouching, and LAB color (translator not included, unfortunately).

At this point, you are probably asking yourself, when does nature photography enter the picture? After all, PhotoMigrations is a NATURE photography site and its monthly articles tend to (and should) focus on nature photography. Well, here is the answer. One of the presentations I attended was called "Smooch a Moose: Getting Close to Wildlife" by Moose Peterson. There you have it! All the nature photography connection you could ask for. You don't seem convinced. Ok, let me tell you four reasons that I think nature photographers should attend PhotoshopWorld, despite the fact that very few of the attendees or presenters have a nature focus.

First, despite the fervent wishes and desires of many traditional photographers, photography has gone digital. It is not a question. It is reality and we need to deal with it. In the past photographers controlled the creative process by working in thedarkroom. Brooks Institute of Photography and other top notchprograms trained photographers to be masters in the darkroom. Today, the darkroom has gone digital. Creative control is ultimately achieved through Photoshop, or similar programs. Top photographers have either developed their computer skills or hired others to run the computers for them. For those of us who aspire to produce top notch images, mastery of the digital tools is essential. Conferences like PhotoshopWorld provide an excellent opportunity to learn and develop technical skills that can be used in the creative process.

Second, as technical skills are developed, it is common to believe, "I know enough." For the past five years I have made a living teaching Photoshop to high school students, college students, and working professionals. Spending my days working with novice Photoshop users, it is easy to convince myself that I have all the answers and others should be coming to me. Attending a Photoshop conference applies a healthy dose of reality to my ego by reminding me how much I don't know. Examples are readily available. Before attending PhotoshopWorld I did not know that with just 5 seconds of work I can create a QuickTime movie that sequences hundreds of images into a high definition movie. I did not know that layer stylescould be used to create very quick and accurate composites (That tip alone will save me several hundred hours). I did not know that CS3's photomerge processor is much more advanced then the one in CS2 and can create stunning panoramic images from a variety of different camera angles. While these actual techniques will have to wait for a future article, the point I am trying to make is that there is always more to learn. It is easy to fall behind as technology progresses. PhotoshopWorld, and conferences like it, provide an excellent venue for learning and developing new skills.

The third reason for attending PhotoshopWorld deals with the art of photography. To excel in photography, it is necessary to develop a style that is your own. The ideal comes when someone looks at your images and immediately identifies it as yours. Sadly, this is a level that very few nature photographers ever reach, and it is largely our own fault. Stunning nature and wildlife imagery can be easily viewed on internet forums like PhotoMigrations, but it is hard to deny that there is usually a sameness and lack of originality in the styles presented. Successful formulas have been developed in most of the sub-specialty areas and they are generally followed blindly.

Let me provide an example. Most photographers work hard to perfect the techniques professionals use to depict birds in all of their stunning brilliance. The desired result usually involves a closeup image of a bird on an attractive perch with a smooth, unicolored background. This style of image has become so prevalent that it is referred to as "bird on a stick." Please don't get me wrong here. I am not trying to say that these types of shots are easy to get. Nor do I think they should be ignored (I certainly have taken my fair share of them and will continue to do so in the future). What I am asking you to think about is once you have developed the skills necessary to create these types of images, where do you go? Do you continue to capture images that resemble what everyone else is doing, creating images that reflect a common style, or do you do something new? To often nature photographers are satisfied with doing the same thing over and over again. If you decide to think outside the box, where do you begin?

In my experience, one of the best ways to develop as a photographer is to look at the work of other photographers. Don't, however, limit your exploration to nature photographers. See what portrait photographers are doing. What about sports, still life, fashion, car, scientific, or commercial photographers? Each of these areas are represented by thousands of highly skilled individuals that do things in very different ways than the average nature photographer. See what they are doing and ask yourself how you could apply their ideas when photographing nature.

At PhotoshopWorld, I had the pleasure of attending a presentation entitled, "The Art of Digital Photography." Unlike the earlier presentations, this talk had nothing to do with Photoshop, except that the participating photographers used the program when preparing their images. Instead, the talk focused on the photographic work of six highly skilled professional photographers. While Moose Peterson did a fine job representing nature photographers to the audience, none of the other presenters shows a single nature image. I left the presentation stunned. The quality of the work and the obvious effort that went into the creative process had a lasting impression. I was particularly impressed with Joe McNally's ballet images. Looking at that collection of images reminded me of the importance of creating an in depth body of work that focuses on a single subject. Too often we pick the easy subjects, or pursue difficult subjects only to be satisfied with one or two good images. Looking at the work of a portrait photographer, I was reminded that nature has depth and it is only through hard work and continual examination of subjects that we can produce a body of work that deserves to be remembered.

Finally, I believe that every photographer should attend PhotoshopWorld for the simple reason that it is a blast. Over the years I have attended many conferences, both scientific and photographic. I have never had as much fun at a conference as I did at PhotoshopWorld. As you consider the possibility of attending a future PhotoshopWorld conference, I hope you keep the following things in mind. Think about attending because it will help you develop your digital darkroom skills. Think about attending because it will provide you with networking opportunities that you can develop in the future. Think about attending because it will expand your photographic horizons. But in the end, think about attending because it will be a lot of fun.

Editor's Comment: Let us know what you think! Please email the Editor to let us know your thoughts.

Chris Gamel has been an active wildlife photographer for the past 15 years. The combination of his biological research and photographic interests has taken him around the world. In 2001, Chris discovered the joys of digital photography and he hasn't looked back. Chris lives with his wife and children in San Antonio where he teaches photography, digital media, filmmaking, and environmental science at The Winston School San Antonio, a high school specializing in students with learning differences.