Learning Things

- rnmeyer

Last week, I had the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles to attend the Adobe MAX conference. Even though I use Adobe products every day (Illustrator and Photoshop, usually), I knew that there were features in the software that I didn’t know about that would allow me to work faster.

*NOTE: Adobe has no idea who I am and this is not meant to be an endorsement for them. I just happen to use their products.

After flight delays and sitting next to the most annoying woman on the planet for six hours (seriously – she kept leaning on the armrest, which cranked the volume up in my headphones and then pretended that she didn’t know she was doing it…8 times), I had finally arrived in L.A. at 10:30pm. When I told the cab driver where to drop me off, he promptly told me, “I don’t like going there at night. There are too many bums and there is violence!”. Neat! Just what a girl from NNY wants to hear – that her cab driver may potentially throw the door open when I arrive and advise me to tuck & roll.

I made it to the hotel without getting murdered and was still awake enough to take in the beautiful architecture of the place.

02_hotel
Some people I met at the conference the next day told me that “Ghostbusters” and a lot of other movies have been shot here.

I was completely blown away when I got to the conference the next day. It was so amazing to be around thousands of creative people. Design was everywhere and I have never felt so at home.

This wall was set up as you walked into the main pavilion. Every morning, the wall was blank again.
This wall was set up as you walked into the main pavilion. Every morning, the wall was blank again.
This was a room in the main pavilion. You could write in the floors, walls & furniture.
This was a room in the main pavilion. You could write in the floors, walls & furniture.
This was on display with other items that were created using Photoshop and a 3D printer. The capabilities that these programs have now is INSANE!
This was on display with other items that were created using Photoshop and a 3D printer. The capabilities that these programs have now is INSANE!
Did you know that boxed water is a thing? Me either.
Did you know that boxed water is a thing? Me either.

Aside from learning a crazy amount of information about the software I use every day, all attendees were given one of these:

01_camera

It’s a Fujifilm X-T10 and I’m in love with it! I’ve been in the market for a new camera for some time, but found it difficult to drop a grand or more on one. This camera could not have come at a better time. My old DSLR is large and clunky and isn’t that great to carry around. This camera is small enough for me to take everywhere without it getting in the way. I can’t wait to see what I can do with this thing!

There was much talk about Adobe’s mobile apps at this conference as well. I have one project in mind that I’ve been stuck on for some time. I’m hoping that Photoshop Sketch on the iPad will help me get this piece where I want it to be.