If remembering life before the internet revolutionized communication proves difficult, then remembering life before Adobe Photoshop revolutionized images proves harder still. As Adobe celebrates the 20th anniversary of Photoshop's launch, one can recognize and reflect upon the extensive impact of this image altering tool. This impact effects not only graphic designers and photographers, but anyone who sees images anywhere.
Providing the masses with the ability to manipulate images digitally, Photoshop offers both effects never possible before as well as the effects only previously possible to create if one were an expert photographer in a photo lab. The ubiquitous use of Photoshop permanently changed photography and design, digitizing the industry and redefining our perceptions of photographs, as anything now seems possible.
Adobe's recently posted short documentary, "Startup Memories," features an interesting conversation between Photoshop founders John and Thomas Knoll, Russell Brown, and Steve Guttman. They discuss the early beginnings and the development of Photoshop as well as Photoshop's transformative impact on everything from culture to the economy.
This short documentary is available to view at: http://tv.adobe.com/watch/photoshop-20th-anniversary/startup-memories/
Recently, on February 18th, Adobe and the National Association of Photoshop Professionals gathered in San Francisco to celebrate the 20th anniversary, streaming the event live as a webcast. The local Los Angeles Adobe User Group LAdobe even held a live screening of the event at Calumet in Hollywood that night.
The entire event is available to view at: www.photoshopuser.com/photoshop20th
This celebration captured and highlighted significant technical advancements in Photoshop that occured through the years. Adobe's Russell Brown provided an especially quirky presentation, abstractly portraying Photoshop's evolution. In addition, Adobe revealed the exciting in process development of their "content aware fill," which will be able to recompose images to fill in gaps. Twenty years later, the possibilities for the future appear limitless.
Comments
I don't know whether I find it hard to believe that Photoshop is only 20 because it seems as if it's always been around or hard to believe that it's been that long! Photoshop changed everything--and something has really arrived when its name is used as a verb.
Thanks for this update; I'll certainly be checking out those links!
Wonderful article! I agree with ESE. And it'll be fascinating to see what the future brings.
I'm a subscriber Lauren!! :) Click, click, click...
Me to Annandale and that is true for both your great column and for Lauren's incredible articles as well!
Just to elaborate briefly on my response to Annandale (March 13th) on March 16 and to ESE (March 3), whom I also agree with about the "so quick, so slow" duality of time, especially in the context of photography. I believe the ability to bring out the historical, sociological, & current context of events is something you do share and that ability is a great gift. Anyway, Awesome!
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