Creative Suite 5.5 Overview

As promised, I will occasionally bring product reviews related to areas of marketing, photography, advertising, web development, and graphic design. I told myself that I would never have any use for upgrading my software from CS3 to CS5. However, after going in depth with CS5 for the past several months, I am awed at how incredibly powerful Adobe has made this suite.

©2011 www.heliosimaging.com
All Rights Reserved

CS3 to CS5.5 is like a different program altogether. The toolbar is reminiscent of its former self but the tools are incredible and more powerful than ever. Adobe has really out done themselves. Now a moderate user can turn print design or a basic document into powerful media rich web applications in a few short clicks. I say moderate user but if you don't interface with the software on a daily or weekly basis you're gonna find yourself intimidated. Now it will not make you a better designer but the tools and shortcuts are beyond ordinary.

Now you Indesign users out there can build rich animations inside without ever stepping outside of the application itself. This streamlines the entire building, editing, and publishing process thus saving time and money by improving workflow. For me a simpler workflow means fewer mistakes, fewer re-edits and higher output. I can't speak for everyone but my productivity soared. Designing booklets that are interactive with live content in PDF files has been around awhile but Adobe has added animation tools that can be carried directly into web applications from Indesign.

I've spent several months developing the infrastructure for a digital magazine only to discover I need not worry about all the complex coding anymore. Embedding still proves to be a task but developing the GUI is a snap as I design print projects and web projects simultaneously.

In regards to Photoshop the dazzling continues; particularly the new Refine Edge feature I picked up from guru Terry White. This has vastly improved image editing and compositing. We all know how selecting soft and hard edges on a single image can be. Tried compositing hair or making fine color corrections on CS3 or earlier lately? Compare to CS5 right now. The editing apps are starting to keep pace with the improvements in digital imaging technology. Those images I may have tossed out two years ago look like they were shot near perfect straight from the camera (image above); noticeable only by the most advanced or frequent image editor.

©2011 www.heliosimaging.com
All Rights Reserved

This composite was a perfect candidate for the new Refined Edge feature. This may have taken several hours. Possibly a full work day of time took about an hour and a half. I could have spent a few more minutes on edging but either way you count it that's progress.

What hasn't changed is the price tag on this wonderful software. I haven't been able to ignore the price tag and bite the bullet. Yet, I am convinced that the productivity it has brought will justify the price in the long stretch. The downside is the long stretch with anything technology based means that when you're able to afford it or even get acclimated to the program a new one comes out and the kicking yourself starts anew.

Are you maximizing your Acrobat software?

You don't have to be a techie to understand this post despite my getting a bit too professorial and technical at times. This is about software you likely already own but may be unaware of its hidden potential. That application is Adobe Acrobat.

Since I've made the move to CS5 which includes the updated version of Acrobat Professional, it has taught me just how wonderful I had it using CS3 with Acrobat 8 Professional. Is Acrobat 9 & 10 that much better? Not really. It was only until CS5 did I started to appreciate the feature rich set of tools that Acrobat has. I had most of those features as far back as CS3 and didn't even know it.

One of the best things about Adobe's Creative Suite is how well integrated each application is. But now that I've begun to experiment and develop more with Acrobat Professional I can appreciate that integration even more. With Acrobat Professional I've recently created interactive slideshows, embedded video links into documents, designed live interactive invoices and order forms, added multiple layers using forms and fields for print control etc etc. It is simply incredible what Acrobat can do relative to other applications. So while most people are simply using PDF's as their standard professional document distribution format, I'm digging even deeper into Acrobats more hidden gems; using it as a traceable distribution means for surveys and as a marketing feedback mechanism. Can Acrobat Pro do that? Yes it can. You can distribute your documents, gather, organize and document your metrics all with the most advanced document development tools on the planet.

Time permitting I'll bring some examples to the blog.

Green Product Ad

Creating a product ad is something we do all the time. However, creating a "Green" product ad is definitely something we can get behind. Not only did we take a strong liking to the product, but we also have a strong affinity for the cause. Additionally, this project was one where product photography, nature photography, and graphic design merged seamlessly.

Each day in our offices and in our homes we look for new ways to save energy, minimize waste, and use more energy efficient equipment. It's not a task we have to do, it's a privilege that we want to do because we know with every step we improve the quality of life not only for ourselves but for our environment.

Upon first viewing this brand, we immediately knew which image and product we wanted to start with. As this promotion evolves, we will include a more comprehensive promotional package and expand the graphical content. In the meantime, we're just pleased to be able to promote a product that we believe in for a cause where everybody wins. 

Registration, copyright, and Risks: Protecting your Work

Registration insures that you have independently verified ownership and authorship of your work. Copyright alone does not insure clear proof of ownership and can often be litigated. Should litigation occur, all things being equal registration entitles you to damages inclusive of any associated losses including court and legal fees.

Understanding your rights is critical in days where information flows digitally with near instantaneous speeds from server to server. Knowing how to protect your authorship is key to understanding and protecting your privacy. Yes, Privacy!!

Consider this. This scenario was posed a few years ago by me in an ethics course. The main subject was privacy and authorship of published works in the digital age. An unsettling scenario was proposed where a child's online photos were downloaded and re-published by a large corporation that featured the child's image in a very aggressive advertising campaign. The child's in immediate shock recognized her child instantly despite having the image surface several years after her immediate posting. A mother always knows her child right?

What are the mother's rights? Because the picture is clearly of her child and the image was used without permission is the company incontestably liable for damages? Are you sure? What is public domain and was the mother even aware of what that means? Are you sure about what images you're floating about in cyberspace and how they may be violated later on?

While I understand this is a frightening and worse case scenario, the likelihood is not only possible but highly plausible; a greedy corporation getting wealthy without consent of use or a model released image found online.

It's very scary stuff but the real underlying story is knowing your rights and being aware of what information, images, works of art, or casual picture you published, particularly online. Be aware of what your privacy rights are and what course of protection you have should your images or works of art be essentially hacked and violated without your consent.

Remember this subject is not limited to photography; it pertains to music, multimedia works, web design, logos, etc.

Visit US Copyright Title 17 for more information on copyright law. Other subject to look into if you have anything published online or wish to protect a work of art or creation is Trademarking.

Sircus Magazine Cover Design Concept by heliosimaging

Eco-Friendly Photography & Design: When Being Green is Better

I believe that eco-responsibility is something that extends to all of us. Unfortunately I still don't hear photographers, graphic designers, and general business owners talk about it enough. Or talk is all they do. We all share the same planet, breath the same air, and these commonalities bond all of us. We are all ecological neighbors on this world. As a photographer and graphic designer I have wondered about things I can do to decrease my carbon footprint and try to become more eco conscience.

Print design has the potential to use large amounts of paper; particularly during the proofing process. Despite having monitors, print designers often have to see how each image or each layout might look on different media. We experiment with textures of media, weights, colors, acidities, and varying opacities. We have to be more conscience of our waste. We have to start exercising a higher degree of mental retention and write and record what works and what doesn’t instead of increasing the size of our landfills. We have to think about the amount of ink we use and try to reduce our use of inks with toxins that can harm the environment such as lead based inks. The recycling of empty ink cartridges is a start and disposing of them in the proper way is extremely beneficial. Email more proofs instead of using paper. 

Consistency is important in this business and our responsibility to give our clients a perfectly repeatable image and message is tied to our success as designers and photographers. There is a high degree of variance that can come with proofing from monitors and different printers but we can limit our paper proofing a little until we’re near the final designs, where color is consistency becomes more critical. Buying a series of printers with a recognized standardization on color is a beginning to reducing paper waste. Using energy efficient equipment and turning off our monitors and computers when they’re not in continued use is a start. Requesting recycled paper when possible for our large less critical print jobs is a huge bonus. 

Even as a web developer I’ve searched for different things and I discovered a web host that harnesses wind power to run their servers while others are utilizing solar energy. I had never heard of such an ingenious solution being applied to such high technology and I have plans to use these hosts for upcoming web projects when plausible. 

We have a great responsibility but also a wonderful opportunity to do some amazing things.

Branding Yourself

It's amazing if you sit briefly and think about how surrounded we are by visual communications. Billboards, flyers, posters, logos, websites, product packaging and labeling. Even fashion and industrial design is all a summation of studies of consumer psychology, trend watching, and determining what will appeal to mass audiences and/or specific markets. While it may be argued that we're on the cusp of information and visual overload, it's incontrovertible that we all have a need for graphic design and photographic services.

Visual imagery is one of the defining characteristics that we use to separate and distinguish one product from another. Product packaging and branding helps organizations build brand identity and grow market share. Corporations spend millions trying to determine which color might incite an interests or pleasant responsiveness to their products and services. While even more money is spent attempting to ascertain what shape a product should be or how much is too much on a website design. You may not have known that certain colors on products aren't received well in other countries. Companies have had to shift or alter their visual identity to permeate new and foreign markets. Ideally, the goal is to create a perception of value; a perception that separates one organization from another, one product or service from another and passing those perceptive benefits down to you, the end user.

But what does this have to do with you personally? EVERYTHING!! You, like everything else around, is a brand; an identity that you have the ultimate control over. Your look, your reputation, and your general first impression. If you're an executive your corporate picture is important. Your online professional profile is representative of who you are as a person. It shows your work ethic and your attentiveness to detail and precision. If you're a real estate agent you have to stand out. You need to create a persona of professionalism and success at your job.

In today's job market your identity has to be strong. Create an image and historical profile of yourself that represents you positively that helps you to stand out. Create an online presence that identifies you as someone to be trusted and able to accept responsibility.

So branding and identity is not just about products, it's also about you and me. Imagery translates across media and bridges over context. Make sure your context is appropriate and applicable. Make sure you're saying everything you want to say about you is visible and accurate. Who says a business card has to be for people that own or work for a business? We all have to market ourselves today more than ever. Do you have a business card? If so, what identity are you conveying? Think about giving yourself an edge.

Get help working on a profile picture or get help designing a web site to promote yourself or your business. Consult with a marketing specialist on how you start creating a brand identity for yourself and your small business idea. If you're seeking employment, consider starting an at home business and find out what it takes to market your services and what resources it takes to start branding. If you have plans to work for an organization, consider how much stronger your identity will be if a prospective employer can find positive information about you.

Can Graphic Design and Photography be Eco-friendly?

I believe that eco-responsibility is something that extends to all of us. We all share the same planet, breath the same air, and these commonalities bond all of us. We are all ecological neighbors on this world. As a photographer and graphic designer I have wondered about things I can do to decrease my carbon footprint and try to become more eco conscience.

Print design has the potential to use large amounts of paper; particularly during the proofing process. Despite having monitors, print designers often have to see how each image or each layout might look on different media. We experiment with textures of media, weights, colors, acidities, and varying opacities. We have to be more conscience of our waste. We have to start exercising a higher degree of mental retention and write and record what works and what doesn’t instead of increasing the size of our landfills. We have to think about the amount of ink we use and try to reduce our use of inks with toxins that can harm the environment such as lead based inks. The recycling of empty ink cartridges is a start and disposing of them in the proper way is extremely beneficial. Email more proofs instead of using paper.

Consistency is important in this business and our responsibility to give our clients a perfectly repeatable image and message is tied to our success as designers and photographers. There is a high degree of variance that can come with proofing from monitors and different printers but we can limit our paper proofing a little until we’re near the final designs, where color is consistency becomes more critical. Buying a series of printers with a recognized standardization on color is a beginning to reducing paper waste. Using energy efficient equipment and turning off our monitors and computers when they’re not in continued use is a start. Requesting recycled paper when possible for our large less critical print jobs is a huge bonus.

Even as a web developer I’ve searched for different things and I discovered a web host that harnesses wind power to run their servers while others are utilizing solar energy. I had never heard of such an ingenious solution being applied to such high technology and I have plans to use these hosts for upcoming web projects when plausible.

We have a great responsibility but also a wonderful opportunity to do some amazing things.

Thanks.

Wil