Foreword

John Nack

Principal Product Manager, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Systems

Is Photoshop for photographers? And do photographers really need Photoshop? A couple of years ago, these questions might have seemed a little silly. No professional photographer would seriously consider foregoing Photoshop's image-manipulation power, whether to apply subtle color corrections or to make radical image alterations. Now, however, new workflowcentric applications like Adobe Lightroom have come into the market. With these tools focusing purely on photographers' needs, how relevant does Photoshop remain?

To me the situation is a bit like what I've found with photography: yes, you can start out and sometimes get by with a limited set of equipment, but the more you know, the more you value specialized tools that can make the difference in critical scenarios. It's quite true that many photographers will spend more time in Bridge/Camera Raw, Lightroom, and the like and less in Photoshop proper, but for many demanding shots, only the full power of Photoshop will do.

Martin is in a unique position to explain the new balance of power – when to use a raw converter/image manager, and when to use the imaging tools in Photoshop itself. Throughout his long and intimate relationship with both the Photoshop and Lightroom development teams, he's helped shape today's digital imaging world.

You know the old cliché ‘Those who can't do, teach,’ right? No one says that about Martin Evening. He earns his knowledge the hard way, making a living as a highly regarded fashion photographer. His workflow advice comes not from theory, but from the practice of keeping a business in motion.

I came to work on Photoshop only after logging many years earning a living with the product day in and day out, and I greatly value the insights that come only from those who really practice their craft. Martin is one of the best examples of those teacher-practitioners. I could not have been more honored than to have stood beside him as we were both inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame in 2008.

When it's all said and done, tools – whether hardware or software – are just tools, and it's your ideas and images that matter. You'll find that Martin knows both sides of the equation and never lets the techniques distract from the vision. I think you'll find his perspective and experience invaluable.