I just wrapped up my Fresh Start 2022 program this week and had over 10,000 people participate. And during this process, I learned something really valuable. The value of Focus. Not camera focus, but focussing your attention.
NOTE: The video with some Photoshop tutorials in it is at the bottom… but I also encourage you to read through first…
Matt… You Needed More Focus?
Thankfully to many of you that follow me, and MUCH to my wife’s detriment, focus is not an issue for me – in some ways probably to a fault. I bet my wife wishes sometimes I would just chill out and lose focus a bit ?
But we all have things we’re good at and one of those silly little things I think I can do is read a room. I guess because my job has always been to stand in front of a room and present in front of people. And in reading a room, you also learn to read a “virtual” room – and I can spot a lot of trends when I see comments on a video or topic I read online.
Back to Fresh Start 2022, one of the first projects in Fresh Start was to gather your favorite photos from the last year (or 10 years if that was easier) and put them together in to a gallery. And in reading the comments (there were over 2000 of them on this particular thread), I realized that A LOT of people were not motivated. And some people, sadly, seemed flat out depressed. Over and over again, I read the same things. It was heartbreaking at one point.
But… A Transformation Happened
As Fresh Start went on, I saw the comments move from talking about what had held people back over the last two years, to being excited about doing something. More and more, people stopped writing about the negative stuff, and started getting excited… and doing things.
SO WHAT CHANGED?
I think I can sum the change up in one word… Focus. They committed to the Fresh Start program and were focussed and actually doing something. Just by focussing their efforts on these two videos each week, it helped people start moving ahead again.
And you know what happens when you do something cool, fun or interesting in some way? WE WANT MORE. Naturally you seek out how to continue that feeling because it felt good.
So What is “More”?
As I wrapped up the Fresh Start program I needed to leave people with something. I had given them a lot of ideas and tips for getting motivated in photography and shooting as well as managing their photo life. But the one thing I hadn’t given them was a game plan for moving ahead with photo editing.
Something they could really FOCUS on (there’s that word again).
And I understand it’s nearly impossible to give 10,000 people one thing to focus on. Obviously it’s different for everyone. But I’ve been doing this long enough that I did see a pattern and something that could help.
That’s where this video comes in. I hope it’ll help you focus. Remember, when you try to learn everything, you don’t get good at anything.
Remember that Perfection leads to procrastination. Perfect is the enemy of good – and good is good enough for nearly everyone reading this. Perfection can manifest itself in your desire to learn EVERY feature of EVERY program perfectly. And I don’t think that’s the right path as you’ll see in this video. Enjoy!
Quick side note here… on a somewhat coincidental and self-serving note – my Photoshop System course just went through a major overhaul to bring it up to 2022. It’s read and live on the site. I hope you’ll stop by and take a look at the course page.
I love teaching and photography... In that order. I feel that enjoying photography, and photo editing can get WAY too complicated. So my personal mission (and favorite thing to do), is to create education that simplifies the process of taking great photos, and how to edit them to get the results you’ve always wanted.
Good Morning Matt
I purchased the Photoshop System in January 2022. Is this Úpdated for 2022′ included in this this. It is the Online Course. Thanking you Anne
Hi. It has not been updated since January of 2022 (there isn’t anything to update) 🙂
OK Matt I see where you are coming from and great tips for staying focused utilising PS to improve the impact of my images. Now I’ve seen the latest version of Sky replacement tools in PS 2022 I’ve got to purchase another HDD to back up my Apple Mac then download Monterey and then update the PS software.
All straight forward I hope because I need to get out creating the baseline (images) for enhancement to create stunning images….
Thanks and keep up the good work…..
PS Should i cancel my KelbyOne subscription just seems a shame after all these years being entertained by Scott and your good self !!!!
Thanks Bob. Glad to help.
As for Kelby, that would be your call. I haven’t done a course for them since 2014, and do not plan to do any courses or shows with them in the future. Best!
Thanks for simplifying PS to five keys areas. I’ll work on them.
BTW, the box on which your monitor sits is interesting. Did you have that made or can you buy something similar somewhere?
Bought Photoshop System 2022. I really enjoy the way Matt has laid out the entire program. I now understand how to use Photoshop to improve my photos. Thanks Matt
Hi Matt, this has taken the handcuffs off, I almost quit Photoshop because of how
difficult it was to even get a photo loaded up for processing, the more I tried to work
with the program the worse it became a problem, finally would just exit the program, without
getting much done! I have listened and watched a lot of various TEACHERS with no results,
Thank you for your insight, know I’ve started to move ahead learning Photoshop.
easy question – you would give up Lightroom
Matt – you are a great teacher. I always learn something from your presentations. Thank you ever so much.
The updated version 2022 just does not appear. Something I probably do wrong. Can you help? Or give me a hint on how to go about it. Do I have to delete the 2020 version?
Thanks
Hans
As many others have said, I have several of your courses and they are excellent!
Thank you for your Fresh Start program and all the work and thought you put into it. Great way to start the new year with FOCUS!
My focus this year is to spend time and money on things/classes I will use – to watch and use the courses I have. Practice, practice and more practice. I also chose to spend my time on the things I want to do and learn. Thanks again Matt!
Thank you Matt
For me, Fresh Start took the stick out of the weal. “Focus” is what I need because I am all over.
Really enjoyed the videos and advice over the past 3 weeks. Going to change the way I do things due to the suggestions and hopefully make my photography more as I would like it.
Thanks Matt. Great job.
Your Fresh Start Program has helped me to do what I had suspected were my problems. There is considerable work for me to Focus on cleaning out my LR catalogue of multiple images from ‘burst mode shooting. I must delete these during upload into the catalogue. My attempts to learn Ps has been a frustrating experience to date. I have now purchased your Ps course which should give me continuity from basic to more advanced editing. It is clear that I will not improve editing skills without this.
Matt, thanks so much. Now I have the focus I needed and now the desire to learn PS. ?
Great Video. Thanks
Thanks for the direction. I once knew Photoshop many years ago and I’m excited about being brought up today only with Photoshop but my pictures as well.
Thank you for the fresh start program. Focus is what I have needed. I have realized I needed to focus more on the technical aspects of post processing. I am a beginner and trying to learn lightroom and know there is still much to learn. I haven’t used photoshop because it is so overwhelming. I purchased your bundle of the new photoshop and lightroom tutorials. After the first few videos I know this is the right course for me. You make learning so easy and I appreciate the fact that in photoshop you will be concentrating only on the aspects I need as a photographer. Looking forward to devoting time each week on this and focusing me attention to learning these programs. Thank You!
OK, this is all that you need to know in regard to image processing. When it comes to instruction, Matt IS “the man”. I own 2 dozen of his instructional videos and after years of using LR and PS, he is, IMO, the best teacher “out there”. If you don’t own his LR and PS Systems of instruction, you need them to become all that you can be with regard to the post-processing of images.
Have enjoyed your Fresh Start program, but what has truly resonated with me is the Focus video. I am going to be changing my approach going forward.
Really appreciate the updated Photoshop and Lightroom Systems – Thank You.
I too am one of those who would have happily paid for your updated PhotoShop course. I bought it a while back but fell behind. I have a lot of your courses and love them all. Thank you so much.
Too many distractions over the years. Not sure if I had purchased earlier over the years. Will try to check, unless you have more info on my account, Thanks.
I am purchasing your new Photoshop course, even though i can do 90% of what I want to do with my photos in LRC.
What I cannot do well in LRC is easily remove distractions, like you removed branches from the eagle image in your last video.
I purchased a PhotoShop course 1 year ago from a different “instructor”, but I found PS too complex to learn easily, and I really do not want to create “altered reality” images, nor create composite images from 2 different photos.
So I will focus (initially) only on what I need to do to remove distractions.
I am paying Adobe for the PS software anyway thru my Adobe subscription service to both LRC & PS.
Thank you for your great Fresh Start course and your recent Bird Photography course.
“Perfection leads to procrastination,” my mantra for 2022! Progress not perfection! Thank you! I’m new to PS & LR, but long time PSE user. Much more to digest than I’d planned on, so some steps I’ve just skipped for now, and plan to return as I learn a new work flow. Inspired! Thanks!
Great synopsis!!.
Question
I’m assuming when I download my free copy of Photoshop System do I then delete my old version?
Thanks so much
Rachel
Thanks Matt. Love your teaching style and all your videos Really appreciate what you do for the photography community.
Thank you! I am victim of trying to grasp it all which works to a limited degree. This gives me the “OK” to not absorb all, but to move on, which in my case to move on to Photoshop with the goal of learning #s 2-5. Fresh start videos and this will be a big help.
You gave the confidence to learn PS. I am comfortable with LR. I also use Luminar,On1, and Topaz but I always store my photos in LR. Will I still be able to use all these programs and still store everything in LR?
I plan to buy your PS course and expand my edit capabilities.
Matt, I’ve used Photoshop Elements for years, only upgrading when significant features are added to the program. Economically, that comes out for me ahead of what I’d be spending on a yearly subscription for its big brother. I’ve learned to use layers and masks and have gotten pretty adept at removing unwanted elements and creating composites. I’ve also developed a system for cataloging photos that works well for me, so I see no need for Lightroom to make that part of my photographic “life” easier.
Even using Elements, I’ve found your Photoshop videos extremely useful in learning how to maximize the capabilities of the program I do use. So my question to you is this: Is there a reason I’m overlooking for continuing to use Elements rather than moving to big brother?
In any event, thanks for all the help and guidance I’ve gained from following you.
Thanks, Matt, for the reminders to Focus on doing a few things better instead of biting off more than we can chew. As a recovering perfectionist, I can’t hear your message enough of “forget Perfection” when Good is Good Enough.
Thanks for all you give back to this community and all you do beyond just teaching software. I love that you also always teach encouragement and how to renew our excitement about this chosen field of photography and art.
I’m looking forward to learning everything I can this year from my new PS and LR courses by MK.
Whatever would we do without your teaching- thank you so much for this and the updates!
Matt: Great end to the Fresh start. I want to thank you for getting me in gear again. And for the updates to your Photoshop and Lightroom Systems. I purchased them long ago and I appreciate your generosity in extending the free updates. My camera now stays out where I can grab it and get some photos almost every day. And all go into LRC immediately when I finish shooting. I have had a good grasp of LRC for years but my Photoshop skills are poor. I am going to use 2022 to learn PS using the 5 areas you suggested. Thanks againg.
Your Fresh Start was great. Thanks Matt! I appreciate your encouragement to make an excel list of my equipment. It’s been in the back of my mind to it, but this is the first time that I’ve made one. I have most of it completed. Thanks for helping me narrow down my areas to focus on. There’s a note card beside my computer to remind me.
Thanks for the ’round up’ of your videos – I admit I am behind on listening but this was a good way to see what areas I do know in photoshop and where I might want to focus some attention…and Yes, I agree “Focus” is one of the big issues for many of us myself included!
Thanks for re-motivating me and keeping my goals simple and achievable!
Great video, Matt! This tames Photoshop and makes it approachable.
is a printed book included with Video’s course
Hi. No there is no printed or written version of the course. Thanks.
I am a photoshop user and I love it. my question is im fairly good at masking and layers but I want to get really deep into these subjects and also expand my photography knowledge . would this course be a basic repeat or get very advanced?
Hi David. No, this is more of a basic course. Thanks.
You’ve opened my eyes on how to approach the monster of Ps without feeling like I’m being swallowed up by it while I’m there.
You’ve identified tools which I would use all the time, you’ve help me identify approach and options to improve areas that concern me.
Last bit of most excellent advice you offered was, you’ve opened the cereal box and found the prize, understand these tools and functions and then without hesitation Move-on.
There remaining prizes need to be discovered so keep digging in the box.
(My small feedback on my relatable way to discover.)
Q: One of my problems I have found, I don’t always know when to use the alt key combined with another key as the only way to get a command to work. Is there a way of knowing when those combinations of keys is the right time to apply them.
Love it, dank je wel
Enjoyed the session. Clear and moved on at a good pace. Thank you
I listen to your videos all the time and find your ability to take complex subjects and make them simple is very helpful. I have purchased a number of your programs over the years. I continually quote your suggestions to my friends.
Now I have a suggestion for you. This video has a very disturbing element to me. There is a very bright white light to the right of your face and 2 small white lights to the left of your face. You always stress getting rid of distracting items from a photo which, of course, I totally agree. The above noted lights distract from me watching your “handsome” face. I hope you take this comment as being helpful and not being critical. I think you are super.
This was helpful and has been where I want to go. I don’t use photoshop because it is so overwhelming and intimidating. Maybe this course will help me.
This was interesting – I was lucky when I started with Photoshop i didn’t even look at Lightroom and as i got more into Photoshop learning Lightroom didn’t seem necessary – the first tool i learn was the pen tool and it is one of my favourite tools. After dedicated use of PS-C56 I now need to update to the latest version and already I can see there are changes but am hoping that much remains similar Watching this video I see there are some snazzy new functions – happy days ahead
Good advice loved it
Thanks again, Matt, for the Fresh Start course. Yes, it did get me focused on my goals for photography this year. There are specific things that are missing from my tool box of photography and post processing that I’ve been able to narrow down after listening to this course. I’ll work on these over the course of the year. I especially liked the video on things that you shouldn’t worry about. I’ve crossed a few of those out for good – I hope.
Loved it. I see photoshop can do a lot.
Thanks Matt. I purchased this last year sometime and have been to intimidated to start it. You’ve given me a way to approach this without being overwhelmed. Now I can’t wait to get sarted.
Great video Matt.
Thank you!
“Focus, choose your battles” is exactly what I need to do with Photoshop!
I have always always have appreciated your work and have purchased many of your courses. I have been through your original Photoshop course. However, I will not spend $100 (or more) to buy your “Updated!!” course on Photoshop 2022. I am sure that it will be great for those who have never invested in your first course. Most other teachers simply update their courses. Is everything in Photoshop itself or in your “updated” course really “new?” As you well know, any one of us can go to Linkedin learning or Scott Kelby or Adobe support etc. etc. etc. for tutorials.
Please tell us all precisely why we need to buy your “brand new” Photoshop course.
If I remember correctly, Matt stated that anyone who purchased his course before, the update was free.
You do not need to buy the photoshop System course again. The upgrade is FREE!
I think I have your old version. I’ll wait and see if I get an email. I enjoyed your 6 lessons this year
Thanks Matt
Learnt alot of little tips and tricks! Love the idea of just learnt small sections at a time.
Shelley
Matt, I just loved the Fresh Start program and really wish it was longer than 3 wks! (I know you said your 6 wk Fresh Start people said was too long…) But it’s really gotten me so much more focused and that’s a BIG DEAL for me, especially right now. Long story short, I am making needed upgrades and changes and also purchased your Photoshop System course and am well on my way through it. 😀 I am pretty experienced in LRC, but really basic with PS. I know stuff, but I felt I really needed a much more solid foundation. Your course is really nicely laying things out for me which I know will help me this coming year complete the projects I want to complete. Thanks again!!
TERRIFIC CLIP and I’m so glad you pointed out the amazing things you can do with Photoshop. Here’s one thing that I have seen no one teach – correcting a good but screwed up photo. I was surprised by an egret flying by in a swamp and just shot. It was an amazingly a great shot EXCEPT for one thing… I clipped off the birds beak and right side of the swamp. Ruined shot? No. With a lot of work and pieces from other shots I replaced the beak and widened the swamp background to balance the shot… I’m not bragging about this but I have had to do it to a number of bad grab shots and Photoshop is the place to correct it. BUT I haven’t seen a tutorial from anyone on such corrections. I love you tutorials and maybe with all the bird shots you do, you have one or two grab shots that could be corrected with a few extra layers in Photoshop. Change a completely unusable photo into a terrific one that is completely usable! Thanks for this video!!!!
Awesome tutorial as always Matt, you are remarkable in your easy, informative & clear explanations- thankyou !
Hey Matt,
This was an amazing tutorial and so much valuable information. Surprisingly not complicated. PS is a little intimidating because it does so much and there are so many ways of doing the same thing. All of what you covered in this video I have wanted to research and learn. I was thrilled to get an opportunity to catch them all in one video. I love your training videos you are awesome. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise with everyone.
Matt,
Your insights on the learning path and what it may hold back are really, really useful for most of us involved in achieving better images.
Too many options out there and you brought up concepts like refine, focus, try out, do it and other related. A lot of comments show how those insights resonated during these three weeks in their personal process.
Thanks a lot.
JC Aramayo
I grew up on Photoshop. I have never figured out LR and hope I never need to use it. I might have to if I get more involved with Time-lapse photography. Do you have a class that teaches LR to long-time Photoshop users? It frustrates me. I don’t want it to organize my files. I am quite capable of doing that. It just hides them from me. ?
Matt has a great course on Lightroom. I have it, and it is very well put together. Plus, it’s all been updated for 2022 just a couple of days ago. No-brainer, just purchases it. You won’t regret it.
Great video! Focusing on “FOCUS” really makes it clear that a much narrower view of the power of each program will lead to better photography! Thank you for your insight. This will be a better year for learning about how to improve my photos and get more out of the software!
ACR can organize and catalog photos but lightroom makes this task so much easier. Photoshop is so much better at adding
your vision to the image you saw but your camera could not record. Editing your photo in Lightroom is for the amature that
does not want to invest the time and effort to get the image to the best possible result. Thank you Adobe for Photoshop.
Luckily I don’t have to choose LR vs PS. I do admit that given that PS has Camera Raw (LR with a different name and look) if I had one it would have to be PS. But I tend to use and live in LR 95% of the time and only visit PS for repairs and on occasion compositions. I feel that I can be creative and can bring photo to life easier in LR and at the same time it is non-destructive. Add in the new masking and I have plenty to focus on. But I do see the need to evaluate the composition of the photo and remove those annoying branches and perhaps even save a few photos that I’ve rejected. Thanks again for the course…. time to get organized.
Perfection leads to procrastination.
Me… in a nutshell
Thank you for the push in the right direction.
I agree that photoshop is much more important than lightroom. I
I’ve been using PS for quite a few years but still could benefit by ‘fine tuning’ my knowledge of masking, selections, layers, blending, . . . would this PS System still be useful for me? Also, a big question, what is the most seamless way to batch upload images from Android phone to LRc?
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a wooden computer before. Did you build it yourself?
I participated in Fresh Start 2022 and am so glad I did. It answered a lot of mental things for me as far as my direction for 2022. Before the day is out, I plan to get the LR and PS bundle as I know I want to learn PS later this year but for now will start with LR. Thank you again for the motivation! Can’t wait to get started!
I have watched numerous PS videos on YouTube and find MattK the best teacher out there. I have purchased two of his courses, Landscapes and Editing wildlife photos and have learned a lot from each.
This video has been great and I will look at the PS class.
Thank you Matt for your putting thr “mastery” of Photoshop in a better perspective. I will plan to learn it this year.
Great tutorial, Matt! Took notes and now will try to apply to some more artistic creations in learning masking, blending, selections, layering. FYI, I noticed in the background on your desk, you have 4 external hard drives . . . out of curiosity, what brand and size are they? Also, are two dedicated purely for backups and the other two dedicated for work
Thank you! I have been at a total creative standstill for your very reason … overwhelm. So much so, that I need to relearn Photoshop because its been so long since Ive used it because I was ‘overwhelmed’ by the whole cloud change and constant updates it receives. Now I have a plan … revisit your course and finish the darn thing.
After 2 years I have drifted away from using both my camera and my computer, but it is now time to refocus and demotivate. So I have purchased the Lightroom and photoshop bundle and set my target of improving my understanding of catalogs and then learning photoshop.
Matt , I have always found your courses are great and your video s are … well as you say they are not tutorials?with that said after buying and going through your most recent light room video with all the great changes it is interesting to hear you say what you just did ?and after all these years of using LR and photoshop with all the changes that throw me and/but not consistently using them daily …and having bought lots of courses that I haven’t gone through or used … your books and courses are always usable !!! Thank you . Ps wish you were into focus stacking do you could answer my questions on that ?
Thanks for the updates.
Agree with PS. I’m a big fan of compositing so LR not so good:)
Thankyou SOO much for these videos and your courses, ver valuable, You’re thebestest.
Great intro. Reminded me of a few things I had forgotten. It’s good to be back.
Great presentation as usual. I always learn something new watching your videos. Thanks!
Thanks Matt…..I’ve been told for years to learn Photoshop but was way over my head. This is the year! Your way of teaching makes it easier to understand.
As always Matt… XLNT !
That will be great Matt excited for your help . I have only looked at photoshop and you are right it looks overwhelming!! Thanks again
Thanks, Matt, for the challenge! You are so right – I need to learn PS.
Biggest problem is staying focused. After 4 or 5 minutes my mind starts to wander and I have to snap myself back to what is at hand. Sometimes if I miss something I stop the tutorial and move back and redo some of the presentation. I know that this takes some time however, it does work.
One other thing is to do it is to practice. In baseball we were taught as coaches, that if you do a certain thing, like a correction in a swing or a pitching motion repeatedly the same way for 2,000, your body will remember it and you will do it without having to think about what you are doing. This is called mussel memory.
The same way with performing function in software like PS or LR. If you don’t practice the function repeatedly you will forget what to do and have to go back and start over.
I’m looking forward to getting and working with your Photoshop system and repeatedly practicing.
I am considering moving on to Photoshop and I am very illiterate about computers and when the knowledgeable people start talking initials I just get lost. Which of your programs would be best for an old illiterate likely self. I really need simplistic. I work on a Mac and I will probably go for the subscription way so I can quit any time. My editing system now is Luminar 4.
This is a wonderful course, Matt. I am not in a position at this moment to take full advantage of it, but I’ll come back when things change and do it justice.
Meantime, I did gain a lot of insight into what I’m doing/not doing that can be used immediately, and focus was especially pertinent.
Your teaching style works well for me.
Thank you for all the generous things you do for us, your audience.
Stay safe and be well,
Carol
Focus
perfect