1) Photoshop Training:

a) Classes are specifically tailored to fit the needs of either groups or individuals. The curriculum can be designed to accommodate any level of experience, from entry level to professional level.

At the higher levels of Photoshop instruction, the emphasis is more on improved workflow, efficiency, and quality, refining the student's skills to improve the created product from start to finish. You can always learn something new in Photoshop!

For those who want to improve their photography skills, the classes emphasize composition, light, and getting the highest quality imagery from the start. This includes how to "see" digitally, and how to create quality images that, with a bit of Photoshop, will result in stunning photos that you never would have thought possible.

Entry level Photoshop student's will quickly learn their way around Photoshop, and not only learn how to, but why. They will become familiar with the workspace, Bridge, Camera Raw, the tools, making quick and accurate selections ( the most important technique in Photoshop), layers, adjustments ( including non-destructive methods), filters, efficient workflow, quality output, and more.

b) Classes include a comprehensive textbook (by Michael Brown) written to simplify the complex Photoshop software.

This textbook cuts directly to the core, emphasizing what you need to do to get the job done, and the most efficient ways to accomplish the tasks. This book is a perfect reference for each step along the way. Photoshop is a complex piece of creative software, and can be quite confusing. With my textbook, everything I teach is right there, clearly defined, so that you can easily go back and refresh exactly what you have studied in class. The book is printed in full color, with examples for each lesson.

Also included with the textbook is a DVD with more than 3 hours of video tutorials that follow along with the textbook, plus additional tutorials for several cool effects and techniques.

c) Classes are available either at M. B. Productions in Redondo Beach, or I can come to you.

d) Flexible individual or group rates. Contact M. B. Productions for details.

e) My credentials:

• Adobe Certified Photoshop Expert
• Adobe Certified Photoshop Instructor
• CompTIA Certified Technical Trainer
• Prepmasters Certified Train the Trainer
• 3 years of teaching Photoshop & photography in college and privately
• Written an extensive textbook for my classes
• 17 years of hi-end commercial digital imaging experience
• More than 25 years of commercial photography experience


f) My teaching philosophy:

My forte is being able to teach a complex subject in an easy to understand manner. This is a result of my extensive real world experience plus my classroom training experience. The key is to understand "why" something works. Once you understand "why", "how" becomes very easy.

My students come away with a broad understanding of how to easily create quality imagery from start to finish. My mantra is "Garbage in - Garbage out!". If you start with less than top quality, you will finish with less than top quality. Always start with and maintain the best quality possible at all stages of the creative process.

2) Commercial Photography:

25 years of experience with location and studio work. Extensive experience with shooting for digital imaging and digital reproduction. I am fully equipped to not only shoot digitally, but process and do preliminary digital work on the spot. Teamed with my colleague Elde Stewart, who has 25 years of photographic experience as well, we can shoot and do imaging simultaneously, improving creativity, quality, and productivity.

3) Digital Imaging:

17 years of experience in high-end digital compositing, for print and for internet. More than 750 high-end automotive composites for advertising and several thousand photos and composites prepared for the internet.

Efficiency and attention to detail are the prime prerequisites here. Working with automotive advertising agencies that require the utmost in quality with extremely tight deadlines has honed my digital skills to a fine edge.

4) Retouching:

17 years of retouching work, both in automotive and glamour. Extensive
experience in color matching for both print and for the internet. Each requires different approaches and techniques for maximum clarity, reproduction, and appearance.

Retouching automotive sheet metal is one of the most difficult techniques to master, because the lighting and form variations in the body shapes are not evenly lit, and there are often reflections of background items to contend with. The gradations are 3-dimensional, and any imperfection shows up instantly. I have retouched well over 1000 automobiles and trucks.

Skin is somewhat different than sheet metal. Skin has both smoothness and texture that must be carefully managed. I have retouched several thousand photos of people - retouching skin, hair, eyes, reconstructing different body parts, shaving and shaping. The important thing here is to maintain the integrity of the original photo.

Print work ( reflective art ) requires matching color for a particular lithographer or digital printer. Each requires different setups for a particular press. 25 years of experience with matching for print.

Web work must be matched to either tube monitors or flat screen monitors, as well as matching to different browsers and operating systems. I have 8 years of web image preparation experience.

5) Print & Collateral:

In addition to photography and digital imaging, I have designed and produced many different print items, from promotional pieces to brochures, ads, & POP packaging.

Understanding what the photos you are shooting will be used for and working with the original layouts for many years has honed my own vision and design philosophy.

In advertising the 4 second rule is always applicable. You must catch the viewers interest and attention in 4 seconds, or you lose them. That leads directly to simple, clean, eye-catching designs that make you want to look. This holds true with packaging and brochure design as well.

It is really very easy - K.I.S.S. ( Keep It Slick and Simple )!

6) Internet:

I have spent 8 years producing photographic materials that will not only be used for advertising and promotion, but also will appear on the internet as well.

Photos and graphics for the internet need to be detailed and of a high enough resolution for quality viewing, yet they need to be as small a file size as possible for quick page loading. I have optimized many thousands of images for the web.

In preparing a website to operate with the 4 second rule, the site needs to be optimized for quick loading of pages. It also must have easy to understand and use navigation, and high quality, quick loading photos and graphics. Again, clean and simple are my design rules.

It is also very important to do Search Engine Optimization for your site, in order to get high rankings on the search engines. The search engines are your principal source of traffic on the web. I have applied these methods with excellent success.

Once again - K.I.S.S.