Thursday, April 9, 2009

I finally went there


I avoided it for a good long time but it was on sale so I figured it was now or never. If you haven't noticed (and I don't know how you couldn't) I don't do anything to the pictures I post. It's not because I don't want to, it's more a lazy point. I'll take pictures, I used to even download the pictures. Now I just pass the camera to the hubby and have him upload them to his Photobucket account so I can access them on any computer in the house. I.E. I can sit on the couch with the laptop like the lazy ass I am and post from the reclining position. I know, it's bad.

The laptop I use is a wee little 15" Dell from, 2002? It's old. It has no memory, like 512 maybe? Not enough to put Adobe on, too big. The poor thing is going to kick off and die at any moment. It's battery doesn't last 5 minutes when unplugged so it's a laptop but it's permanently plugged in so not very 'portable'. Kinda sad excuse for a laptop but it's my fav. I love it to death and I will cry when it dies. Trust me, you'll hear it from whatever far reaches you are at when the time comes.

So Costco had a coupon last week, $30 off Adobe Elements. I have always known I need to eventually make the big leap form no picture modification whatsoever to whatever the hell it is people do to make their pictures look pretty. OK not really but damn it everyone else is doing it right? I actually mentioned to the hubby, not 1 day before I saw the coupon, that I would like to get it for my birthday (it's in May, one must plan ahead if one wants to get prezzies that one likes). When I saw the coupon it was like, oh hell just get it now because damn, $30 off? Hell yeah! I'm a girl, it was a sale, it had to be.

I've owned it for a week now. It's still in it's box, downstairs even. I told you I'm lazy. There is a reason though, I can't figure out what computer I want to put it on. We have 2 desktops upstairs. "Mine" and "His" and they each serve their own purposes. Mine was hand built by me, it has no speakers so no one uses it. The kid and the hubby play games and that requires sound so they use his Dell. I use the laptop. My desktop is mainly there for storage of photos because that's where I used to download them all. I should really just get a 1T or 2T portable hard drive and download all of those pics huh? You'd think I'd just go with installing it on that computer but there's a catch. The hubby wants a newer computer to run the newer computer games that his Dell is too old and slow to support. I will then transfer all of those photos to the Dell.

See the dilemma? If I put the Photoshop on the Dell I won't have much access to it until the hubby moves up to a nicer pooter. He doesn't get one of those until he gets a new job with a 'real' paycheck.

I tell you what. When I get this thing on a computer I'll let ya'll know. Then you can totally make fun of me for having a Photoshop 3 versions out of date. Deal? Yup, this is me, get used to it.

2 comments:

Stephanie Harsh said...

Welcome to the madness, my friend. (Insert evil laugh here.) Now get that poor thing out of the box and get to work! You will love it!

Definitely get an external hard drive for your photos. They even have small, light, portable ones that you can take it with you to the sofa. ;)

Here's one recommendation (because you said it best- Photoshop is rocket science), if you have the time and money, Kelby Training is fantastic for teaching you what you need to know. It seriously feels like there is someone in the room with you telling you what to do. Personally, that's how I learn best. It's $20/month, but even if you only use it for one month, you'll get a lot out of it.

www.kelbytraining.com

I tried learning from a book and wanted to shoot myself in the head. But you're smart, so you'll probably be just fine.

Okay, when you become this big Photoshop hot shot, will you come teach me??? God, there's still so much I don't know.

MichelleSG said...

Thanks for the link, I'll look into it! Once I open the box...
I have an 'in' though that I'm going to try first. I will try and go it on my own, buy an external drive, and then if I need to I'm going to reach out for the HELP that I know I'll eventually need. My hubby frequents some odd forums, one of them is a gun forum that a gentleman by the name of Ken Lund frequents. His photos alone would make NEED Photoshop. It's a gun forum and he reviews guns (on his own, non-sponsored) and then takes a stream of photos of said guns. It is the only photography I know of that makes an object that isn't female look like pure sex. His photos of hand guns are AMAZING and you know who Ken works for? Adobe. Yup, I may be asking him for some help.