Mentoring: Adobe ConnectNow

[Alpha]

Hi,

I wanted to speak a little bit about my mentoring thus far, particularly how I've been using this wonderful program from Adobe called ConnectNow (previously Adobe Brio).

I had been looking for an easier and more illustrative way to teach post-processing and retouching when I recalled having come across this program some time ago. It's built primarily for online meetings and collaborative multimedia projects. It has some fantastic capabilities, such as the ability to integrate phone conferencing, an IM-style chat function, a whiteboard, file-sharing, and best of all, screen sharing.

With screen sharing enabled, my student and I can both have the same image open in Photoshop, and they can follow along with my editing in real-time by watching my screen; of course stopping periodically to ask questions and make comments. So far it's been immensely useful for a variety of obvious reasons.

Spiffybeth hopefully can comment on it's usefulness from a student's perspective.

The program is free, though it is still in beta. As far as I know, this is the web-based future of the Connect feature in the full version of Acrobat. The new verison is acting a little buggy at the moment on my system, though I have contacted the developers and will post with their reply.

Edit: The developers have attributed this to high traffic volume. Apparently they're working on it.

http://www.adobe.com/acom/connectnow/

 

[kellylindseyphotography]

Wow, I have had the same EXACT idea in mind for ages. Amazing

 

[Alpha]

It's fabulous. I encourage anyone and everyone so inclined to give it a try.

 

[spiffybeth]

i really couldnt have asked for anything better (aside from max sitting next to me at my computer :roll

photoshop is extremely new to me and watching max go through the steps that he's describing really helps me to learn faster because im doing the steps as he's doing them (and taking notes too)

for example, max used a lasso tool to select the eyes to make them into a new layer, but id never used the lasso tool before. So i asked him in the chat dialog on screen what he did and how he did it and as soon as i asked, he stopped and showed me.

the other thing that i really like is that i get to see him experiment with different ways to PP a picture. so he'll say hold on, im going to try something and ill watch him and then depending on his likes/dislikes, we'll move ahead with his ideas (and i get to pick at his brain)

id highly recommend using this program to all the mentors/students out there.

:thumbup::thumbup:

 

[Alpha]

Bump.

 

[zendianah]

I agree with Spiffybeth. Yesterday Max showed me how to use Lab in Photoshop. I have 2 screens so I was following along with Max. We took the same picture and worked on it. It was amazing. I cannot wait to try new things in Photoshop with this program and Max.

I love the fact that it is real time.. So If I need Max to do something over he can since this program has IM capability.

BTW for those of you that do not know.. Max rocks as a Mentor!!!! He does not blow smoke up your arse. Real deal!

 

[zendianah]

In my opinion Max has the skills to charge and I am grateful that he is my mentor!

 

[spiffybeth]

max, if you make a business out of this (which you can and should, IMO) im still claiming 30% profits because i came up with the idea!!!