Photoshop: Facing the final boss
Adobe has created a monster. Photoshop is so complex, it's almost unmanageable. But complaining is useless. I have to face the final boss of graphics.
Photoshop is the leader in image editing. It is the professional tool par excellence and "photoshopping" has become synonymous with image editing.
At the same time, however, Photoshop is for me the epitome of bloatware. The software has been around since 1990 and new functions have been added constantly for 30 years. Photoshop is becoming ever more comprehensive and complex. Even 20 years ago, hardly anyone had an overview of and used the full range of functions - and it has only become more extreme since then.
Not only can you edit photos with Photoshop, but you can also do things that other programmes are actually responsible for: layout and text (InDesign), drawing vector graphics (Illustrator), designing 3D models (Dimension), editing videos (Premiere), editing PDFs (Acrobat). Provided you know how.
I don't, and image editing is also becoming increasingly incomprehensible to me. I particularly notice this in the warnings and error messages that keep popping up.
It's not that Adobe is ignoring the problem. For example, different workspaces have been created to display only the palettes that are relevant to a particular task. Photoshop can be freely configured, for example you can simply hide menu commands you never need. But ultimately you will only benefit if you know which menu commands you never need. And for that you need to familiarise yourself thoroughly.
Challenge accepted
"Maybe you've just got old and don't realise it anymore," my colleague Simon Balissat writes to me in the team chat when I get upset about Photoshop again. I have to admit: I've got a point. I gave up trying to understand Photoshop a long time ago. I simply refused to keep up with the growing complexity.
I want to change that now.
In a first step, I'm going to tackle the tasks that are actually quite simple, or at least should be. Draw a simple shape. Exporting a Jpeg without clicking a wolf. Because that's exactly what annoys me: that I sometimes fail at basic things. If I'm still patient after that, I move on to more specialised and difficult tasks. And maybe one day I'll get to the real insider tips.
Continuation to follow.
David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, Iām a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.
