Photoshop: hobby or pro

On Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:35:30 -0400, "Ulysses" wrote:

years ago I started in photoshop by editing my family pics noticed others are doing the same
want to ask this group: how many are using PS for a hobby or as a professional
So question is Hobby or Pro
join in and lets see

Hobby, because no one has offered to buy any of my photos.

—
Tony Cooper – Orlando, Florida

"Ulysses" wrote in message

years ago I started in photoshop by editing my family pics noticed others are doing the same
want to ask this group: how many are using PS for a hobby or as a professional
So question is Hobby or Pro
join in and lets see

You left out obcession LOL
And passion.
I started it, too, to resize and/or fix pictures and have fun seeing what I could come up with and do. Got more into seriously learning it, which I am still doing. Not enough time in the day or night.
So, I guess right now it’s a hobby, but also a passion and I would like to someday have it be pro. I have done some jobs for people who have asked me (like if I could resize something, lighting a picture, crop someone out) but I do it because I’m always looking for practice. Sometimes they have paid me for doing it. But I’m not set up as a business and charging people.

On Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:35:30 -0400, "Ulysses" wrote:

years ago I started in photoshop by editing my family pics noticed others are doing the same
want to ask this group: how many are using PS for a hobby or as a professional
So question is Hobby or Pro
join in and lets see

I use it as a hobby.

Years ago, I bought a sheet fed scanner that came bundled with Paintshop Pro. I’ve always liked photography, and when a co-worker bought one of these sheet fed scanners I wanted one. After using it a little, I could see that it was very limited in what it could do, so I wanted something better.
After checking around, I bought a high end flatbed scanner and it came with a full version of Photoshop. I had never heard of Photoshop, so I installed it to see what is was about. When I launched it and saw the interface, I knew it was way over my head, so I didn’t use it. Since I had been playing around with Paintshop Pro, that was what I used to work on pictures.
I came across a newsgroup that encouraged people to scan pictures from magazines, so I lurked there and found that there were some really knowledgeable people there. I decided to post there and ask for input as to how I could better edit my pictures.
The first thing they all told me was to use Photoshop. What they said was what changed my ideas about this complicated piece of software. They told me that Photoshop can be as easy or as complicated as you want it to be. If everything looks complicated, then just start out using a few basic tools, like the unsharpen mask, the cropping tool, the resize tool, etc. Once I got comfortable using those, then I could explore other filters and tools.
Over time, I learned more and more…so much so that I can’t think of using anything else but Photoshop. That first version that came bundled with my flatbed scanner was version 3.0. I’m now up to CS3 and will upgrade to CS6 when it comes out.
I doubt that there is anyone who knows how to use everything that Photoshop has to offer, but that’s what I like about it….there is always something new to learn.

Talker

wrote in message

On Wed, 29 Jun 2011 10:35:30 -0400, "Ulysses" wrote:

years ago I started in photoshop by editing my family pics noticed others are doing the same
want to ask this group: how many are using PS for a hobby or as a professional
So question is Hobby or Pro
join in and lets see

I use it as a hobby.

Years ago, I bought a sheet fed scanner that came bundled with Paintshop Pro. I’ve always liked photography, and when a co-worker bought one of these sheet fed scanners I wanted one. After using it a little, I could see that it was very limited in what it could do, so I wanted something better.
After checking around, I bought a high end flatbed scanner and it came with a full version of Photoshop. I had never heard of Photoshop, so I installed it to see what is was about. When I launched it and saw the interface, I knew it was way over my head, so I didn’t use it. Since I had been playing around with Paintshop Pro, that was what I used to work on pictures.
I came across a newsgroup that encouraged people to scan pictures from magazines, so I lurked there and found that there were some really knowledgeable people there. I decided to post there and ask for input as to how I could better edit my pictures.
The first thing they all told me was to use Photoshop. What they said was what changed my ideas about this complicated piece of software. They told me that Photoshop can be as easy or as complicated as you want it to be. If everything looks complicated, then just start out using a few basic tools, like the unsharpen mask, the cropping tool, the resize tool, etc. Once I got comfortable using those, then I could explore other filters and tools.
Over time, I learned more and more…so much so that I can’t think of using anything else but Photoshop. That first version that came bundled with my flatbed scanner was version 3.0. I’m now up to CS3 and will upgrade to CS6 when it comes out.
I doubt that there is anyone who knows how to use everything that Photoshop has to offer, but that’s what I like about it….there is always something new to learn.

Talker

I started out with PSP version 6 then 7. I had Photoshop 7, too and someone I knew who had studied graphic design in college kept telling me to use that. I thought PSP was easier. After I tried Photoshop for a few things I realized it is better (though I can’t say specifially how). Last year I tried some of the trial versions of the newer ones, I tried CS2,4 and 5 (found them still available on different websites) and like CS3 much better. the newer onew seemed different, like they had icons or tabs. I don’t remember now, I didn’t leave them in. Also, I felt I could get books and tutorialsfor it easier and less expensive because it wasn’t the newest version.
For weeks I looked on ebay, and watched auctions for CS3, there were auctions and "buy it nows" but they were all $200 or more. I finally found one (sealed never used and made in the USA) a little more affordable and bought it. I’ve had people tell me since I shouldn’t buy software on ebay, it’s probably bootleg or made in China or something, but this was in the box, sealed with the serial number. Also the "training" DVD with it (some on ebay would list this like it was something extra and worth more, but I think it comes with them all) but I didn’t find too much of use with that. I’m happy with CS3 and plan to stick with it. I does more than version 7 and at this point does everything I want or could think of wanting. I think of that saying about how people only use 10% of their brain- though of course someone would to know what 100% was in order to determine this, and I think "I only know a small percent of what PS does". I keep finding out new things.
That’s one thing that might seem like a problem, in a way. There are so many ways to do something, and it does so much, sometimes it’s confusing to know what to use or do with it.
I ended up realizing though, why people say it’s so great. I’ve also been getting into bridge, which I didn’t understand (or the value of) for quite awhile.

Other than Paint (I hate Paint) and Irfanview, it’s (PS7) the only photo editor on this PC. I’m glad I forced myself to use PS… honestly, I may know how to utilize 20% of its capability. Neither hobby or pro, but a bad ass image editor that I use at least weekly for one thing or another.