Intuos5 and Kelby Training

The other day I was watching a video on PS editing and the instructor mentioned something to the effect that any decent PS or LR editor would have a tablet. I do have one of sorts and I use it occasionally for the really small stuff - but it is quite archaic as in 10 years old, tiny and a bit of a pain to use. It spends 99 % of it's time acting as a mouse pad.
So I visited the Wacom site - leaders in tablets -  and watched a video. I was sold on the firm belief that I needed an Intuos5 size medium!
And wouldn't you know it,  London Drugs happened to have the one I wanted on the shelf. I sent my assistant (aka accountant, sherpa and sweetheart)..... and he picked one up moments before we headed out of town. This wound be a perfect week to figure this thing out since I would be without my major distractions (SHR and grand babies) :) I love these distractions (one more then the other) but they do get in the way of my photography passion. So it was a no brainer - not only did I need one but I needed it today.

We arrived in Yorkton and I got to setting it up - very simple. Install the program and drivers off the cd... but I don't have a cd drive in my laptop (my heart skipped a beat) ..... no problem - I downloaded it off the web site and I was up and running.

Sooo what could it do? I didn't have a clue - so far it was doing what my mouse did - I was just holding a pen. And it is huge - I will need more dest space at home....hmmmm.

I watched the tutorial on the Wacom web site and it totally confused me. The fellow spoke so quickly, moved lightening fast and used terms I have no clue about. I got absolutely zero out of that 2 minute tutorial. No, I got frustration.

Enter Kelby Training. Hands down THE best photography, Lightroom and Photoshop training place I have EVER come across. And I have visited many. I own (and have actually read) several of Scott Kelby's books. This man can teach and teach well. Last month I signed up for Kelby training and started watching all their wedding tutorials since weddings were big on the agenda in July. I do believe that at my last two weddings I captured several new and fabulous shots thanks to a tutorial on posing by Jerry Ghionis. Worth every penny. I believe my lighting has improved too thanks to these tutorials.

But would they have any tutorials/classes/videos on tablets?
Well what do you know? Not only on tablets, but on Wacom tablets. And not only on Wacom tablets but on the Intuos4 - and I happen to have the 5 (hehe)

So for the past two days I have been working my way thru over 90 minutes of detailed tutorial taught by Corey Barker. I watch 5 minute and spend 30 minute in photoshop actually using the thing. I still have quite a learning curve ahead of me because this pen and tablet take editing to a whole new level.

Bottom Line: The Intuos5 and Kelby training are making me a much better photographer.

And for a break from the computer I am reading Vision Mongers: Making a Life and Living in Photography by David duChemin - another great writer (I have three of his books and I am almost finished 2 of them) He is also a Canadian out of Vancouver. His Blog Pixilated Images is worth a read.

And that is probably enough links for you today.
This is what I am doing in Yorkton... and making blueberry pie.