Updates

[Doug Nelson]

New board, new site design, new features popping up as fast as I can edit them...

Here's a way to track all the new-ness:

Subscribe to this thread (click on "Subscribe to this thread" located under Thread Tools) and you'll get an e-mail whenever I add an update (I promise I won't go nuts). It will basically mirror the What's New stuff I put on the home page with a few extras to make it all worthwhile.

Here's our first list:

We're on our new webserver now, with new Forum software, and a prototype of the Archives, plus a new Challenge and a new Tutorial

Thanks to our new Moderators Ed and DJ. You wouldn't believe all the work they're putting in to make the transition from the old board to this one as smooth as possible

[Doug Nelson]

A new Restoration Challenge, a new Manipulation Challenge, a new Tutorial, new Gallery exhibits, and lots of new Archive material

Plus, lots of new friends

It looks like we're averaging a new friend a day, and about 30 posts a day.

Donations have flattened out since the move, maybe people feel we're done growing (hint: we're not )

[Doug Nelson]

New Restoration Challenge, new Manipulation Challenge, and a new Review.

We're still only averaging a little better than one new member a day, but the posts have gone through the roof! Over 100 a day!

So keep up the great posts, and start recruiting new members!

[Doug Nelson]

No two ways about it, this has been a hard week for everyone, everywhere. But, I'm very proud of the responses to our latest Gallery Challenge during this very trying week. And the entries aren't showing any sign of stopping (and I hope they never do).

There's also been a lot of support here for users seeking comfort or even answers, which makes me even prouder. Yes, it's been a bad week. Maybe the worst week. But here, in our little world, I've seen a lot of good this past week.

To try to restore some sense of "things as usual" I've posted a new Restoration Challenge.

[Doug Nelson]

We passed the 100 user mark, and have over 4000 posts now! Would I be stretching things to call this the "#1 online community for retouchers and restorers"?

We have two new Challenges this week. After a long delay there's finally a new Retouching Challenge. And we have a fun new Manipulation Challenge for Halloween.

[Doug Nelson]

Its been pretty busy here, and I couldn't be prouder of everyone!

We've had a LOT of Challenge entries, with newfound interest in some of the older ones, so make sure you've checked them out recently and give your feedback.

For understandable reasons our donations program is pretty much at a standstill. But the Holidays are soon upon us, so if you're planning on doing any of your Xmas shopping at Amazon anyway perhaps you could visit via one of our links (like this one) so we can apply a tiny percentage of your purchase towards improving the site. Anything you buy during a visit via any of our links will help us out (but if you revisit without a link they won't remember us).

This week we have a new Tutorial, a new Book Review, and another fun Halloween Challenge.

Plus lots of new friends, and tons of new stuff to read in the Forums.

[Doug Nelson]

A triple-threat this week!

A new Restoration Challenge, an interesting new Retouching Challenge with a twist, and a seasonal Manipulation Challenge that I think will be a lot of fun to do and view.

I'd like to be able to post 3 new Challenges a week, every week, but I just don't have enough. Feel free to suggest Challenges and submit photos, however confident you are of their value. Suggest in the main Challenge Forum, or email me, or PM me. For photos, email them to me (TIF, RGB, under 5 meg, zipped if possible).

Speaking of emailing photos, I've not gotten any Archive submissions in quite a while. Dig through your old photo stack and start emailing them in. Great condition, horrible condition, we can use both.

But, we're still getting a lot of new members, and even more great posts. Keep them coming!

[Doug Nelson]

Another triple-threat this week! How long I can keep this up, I have no idea

Two Restoration Challenges, yet another holiday-themed Manipulation Challenge, and three software reviews

We've had some excellent activity in the Forums recently. Keep it up, guys!

Two generous donations paid for some new website database software, but its not working and the author isn't helping much. So I'll probably be getting a refund on that and waiting for some additional donations to do it the right way (which I probably should have done to begin with).

Why do I mention donations twice (ok, three times) in the same update? Because, with the right software, our entire site could be as interactive as our forums (read: no more emailing stuff to me, then waiting for me to get around to posting it, thus freeing me up to invent even more features). This is very exciting to me, but perhaps a tad too ambitious (read: several hundred dollars).

Oh well, I guess I've got Santa on the brain...which goes well with our new Manipulation Challenge

[Doug Nelson]

It's been a busy week, but productive! Lots of submissions, both Challenge-wise and other-wise.

So lots of new stuff.

Our Links database is now online! I'd talk all about it here, but I already posted the details here. But I must add it was solely due to donations that it was possible. Thanks!

Plus a new Tutorial, two new Reviews, and yet another Manipulation Challenge that I'm particularly enthused about.

[Doug Nelson]

It's been an interesting week. Lots of new members, engaging discussions, and some fine Challenge entries.

There's a new Restoration Challenge, a silly new Gallery Challenge, and a new Tutorial.

Oh yes...
I combined the non-digital and digital Restoration Forums into one all-encompassing forum and started a new forum I think is very necessary and valuable. So take note of our newest forum, Conservation and Repair.

[Doug Nelson]

It seems like these updates are getting closer together, but that's just a sign that stuff is actually happening

I'm sure you've all seen our new Community Bulletin in your email. It's so new I haven't totally made up my mind about the details (ie: how often, how detailed, etc.). Right now I'm planning on monthly, with this update you're reading now serving as a more frequent news source. There's a thread for feedback on the new Bulletin here.

I was very disappointed in the links database software I just told you about recently, so I returned it and purchased a much better one. Details are here, but the main thing to remember is we need you to add links.

On to the regular stuff...

There's a new Restoration Challenge, and finally a new Retouching Challenge. Plus I wrote a new Review of an interesting new filter you probably haven't heard of. Plus there's been a lot of great activity in the forums this past.

Whew!
More very soon.

[Doug Nelson]

It's been a very hectic week. I can't remember a week with more Challenge submissions. Which is very fine by me

To help keep the momentum, there's a new Restoration Challenge this week. Also an already much-discussed Tutorial. And, finally, a new Review.

I know we're in a recession, and Xmas is right around the corner, so I won't harp about donations, but I will remind all Amazon shoppers that they can help us grow by using any of our Amazon.com links (like this one) if you're going to shop there anyway. If you use any one of our links to access Amazon, we'll get a small commission (like 3-5%) on everything you buy in that one session. If you leave Amazon and come back, we won't get diddly. You have to use one of our links for us to get any credit.

Last thing:
There are so many new photos in the Archive. Be sure to check them out, and keep those submissions coming!

[Doug Nelson]

Lots of activity this week. We crossed the 200 member milestone!

There's lots of new stuff as well. A new Restoration Challenge, a new Manipulation Challenge that I think will be a lot of fun, and a pretty tough new Retouching Challenge (with extra brownie points going to those that can make out the superimposed printing, a little inside bonus just for those that read these updates).

Plus we have a new Tutorial, lots of new Archive images, and over 100 new links now in our new Links database (and I encourage everyone to add their own favorites).

[Doug Nelson]

I'll keep it short this week, since everyone is probably out shopping:

New Manipulation Challenge
New Gallery Challenge
New plugin Review

There, that didn't take all that long, did it

The last update of the year! And Happy Holidays to all!

[Doug Nelson]

To liven things up, I'm trying something a little different:
This week there's a new Retouching Challenge, a new Manipulation Challenge, and another new Manipulation Challenge. This last one is kind of a departure, so I'm interested in how it goes over.

Archive submissions have dropped to almost zero, although we did get a couple of interesting backgrounds. My next project (I think) for donations will be a manager for the Archives that will allow direct uploading, comments, keyword searches, and sorting by categories (so we can separate old from new, people from backgrounds, color from b/w, etc.). But this is a big task, and definitely not cheap, so it might go on the back burner (again) if we can't afford it, or if something more pressing comes along.

Technical problems at the webserver have our Links database temporarily down. It should be back up later today or tomorrow, and we still need your links. Any links at all you think would be useful or interesting to our community. Watch for it to come back online, then start pasting your links!

We're also running low on Challenge images, in all categories. So put on your thinking cap, rummage through your albums and shoeboxes, and email them in.

[Doug Nelson]

It's been a good week. We passed the 250 member mark, and our post count is now into 5 digits.

After a period with no Restoration Challenge submissions, two got sent in...so I put them both up: one here and an especially challenging one here.

Our new, improved Gallery is online and proving to be very popular. It's made possible by your donations, so thanks to you all.

[Doug Nelson]

We're getting very close to the 300 member mark, and we've had a lot of good discussion this past week.

I want to encourage everyone to do 3 things:

• Rate threads
• Read through older threads and revive them if you think they're worthwhile
• Add terms or definitions to our new Glossary

I'm always looking for good Challenge suggestions, but we really need good Retouching Challenge material. PM or email me if you think you have something.

And, of course, have a new Restoration Challenge and a new Manipulation Challenge

[Doug Nelson]

We blew past the 300 member mark the same day I posted that last Update. Lots of good conversation this past week.

Here are some tips for your User CP

• Check to make sure you have it set to show all threads, not just the newest ones
• Check to see if you have any unanswered Private Messages
• Turn on the Private Message "Popup Alert" so you don't ever miss one

3 new Challenges this week:
A rather nifty Restoration Challenge, a rather odd Manipulation Challenge, and a rather belated Gallery Challenge

I've been a good boy and haven't mentioned it in awhile, but donations have completely dried up, with nothing at all in over a month. And me sitting here with all these plans...

[Doug Nelson]

I think the Olympics might be stealing some of our member's attentions. It's been a little quiet this past week.

But, we have two new Challenges, both appropriate for Valentine's Day:

A romantic Restoration Challenge, and a particularly heartwarming Manipulation Challenge.

[Doug Nelson]

We had a lot of great activity this past week, more than making up for the lower activity I was whining about last time.

Evidently our last Restoration Challenge was just too darned hard, so there's a more typical Restoration Challenge this week. Plus it's really cute

I'm very excited about this week's Retouching Challenge. This is probably our closest Challenge yet to what a real, commercial retouching job would be like. Material for good Retouching Challenges is rare, so I hope everyone gives this one a try.

I particularly enjoyed writing my last Review. This time it's a video on restoration by Katrin Eismann. She was different than I expected. Plus it was a great way for my MTV-generation brain to absorb information.

[Doug Nelson]

Well, I don't know how your week has gone, but I've been busy as all getout with a new site design. I'm only halfway done, so let me know if you see anything "unusual".

Two new Challenges this week: Retouching and Restoration.

Everyone is excited about the recent Photoshop 7 announcement. If you're planning on buying or upgrading Photoshop, you can help RetouchPRO at the same time. Just use these links:

Windows upgrade
Mac upgrade
Windows full version
Mac full version

RetouchPRO will get a small commission for each purchase.

[Doug Nelson]

I'm just a glutton for punishment. I'm still working on the redesign, we're getting more Challenge attempts than ever (YAY!), yet I still deside to put up not one but two new Restoration Challenges (here and here).

Challenge attempts are up, but everything else is down: Archive contributions, favorite bookmark entries, donations, tutorial submissions...just about everything on the menu (or "that darned floating menubar" as we now call it).

I'm particularly looking for material for either a masking Challenge or a masking tutorial (I haven't made up my mind yet). Send me thumbnails, and I'll let you know if it's what I have in mind. For this I'm really looking for perfectly good pictures, no restoration needed, but would be hell to mask. (Don't forget you need a release or at least explicit permission if it's a picture of someone living)

Oh yeah, our Gallery is doing really well. Don't forget to check it out, leave comments, and post something of your own for us to gawk at!

[Doug Nelson]

A new record, four new Challenges, in just as many categories:

Restoration, Manipulation, Retouching, and Gallery

Either do them real fast, or take your sweet time, because I'm going on vacation for 2 weeks starting the end of this week. I'll check in on the forums every once in awhile, but there will be no site updates and I won't be reading my email. If you have something urgent to tell me during that period, leave a PM.

[Doug Nelson]

Ok, I'm back from vacation, and caught up with Challenge postings, so if you've sent in a Challenge entry by the time of this posting and it's not up yet, email or PM me.

It's been awhile since we had some new Challenges, so here are three to make up for it: Retouching, Restoration, and Manipulation.

I almost had a truly stupid naming theme going, but I couldn't think of a fittingly-themed name for the Manipulation Challenge. So I reserve the right to rename that one once inspiration hits (that could be awhile).

In order to clean up page design, clarify things, and most importantly save me time, I've put up some new entry guidelines

[Doug Nelson]

Lots of new friends. We'll possibly have over 500 members by the time you read this.

Two new Challenges this week: Restoration and Retouching. They have a common theme of "naturalness".

The new Challenge entry guidelines are helping me out enormously, though it's clear not everyone noticed them.

Ed's donation drive makes me feel like a public television station, but I guess we do have a lot in common with PBS. Our operators are waiting

The cooking chat and movie chat are getting a following, and are really pretty fun.

[Doug Nelson]

Two new challenges: Restoration and Retouching.

Ed's Donation Drive is almost over. I'm really pleased with the number of participants so far.

Plus, we've added another way for you to show your support in more than one way: a t-shirt that you can wear to announce your support, plus buying them provides needed fundage for improvements. And you can give them as gifts so people will understand why you've been so busy lately

[Doug Nelson]

Ok, my cold is over, I've had wayyy too much caffiene, and the donation drive success convinced me to lighten up a tiny bit on the server space and bandwidth reigns.

So, here we go <inhale>:

We have a new Restoration Challenge, a new Retouching Challenge, a new Manipulation Challenge that I think sounds particularly fun and maybe even useful if you have children, and for the first time in I don't know how long we have a new Challenge category: Photo Art.

In support of our new Challenge category, we have our first new forum in awhile, this one devoted to Photo-Based Art techniques.

We also have four new Reviews, including the first winner from our new Review Contest, T Paul (congrats, T).

If this contest works out (ie: brings in a lot of new reviews) we might try repeating it in other areas (yes, that is a hint).

<exhale>

So, is that enough new-ness for you? I suspect I forgot something, and I'm positive I've crossed up some new links somewhere, so let me know via PM if you find any.

[Doug Nelson]

Lighter week, but no less impressive.

Two new Challenges this week: Photo Art and Retouching.

But the real news is we have 9 new tutorials this week! Thanks to Jak for her efforts. Keep'em coming, and let's hope others follow your example (follow your example as in submitting tutorials of their own, although let's also hope they follow your examples in the new tutorials because...oh, nevermind).

No review contest winner this week due to no entries.

[Doug Nelson]

Ok, lots of new stuff this week:

We have an excellent new Photo-Art tutorial by Jim Caffrey. We also have two new reviews, one of which is from this week's 'contest' winner, Barry Fairclough.

We have a new Restoration Challenge, a new Retouching Challenge, and a new Photo-Art Challenge. I'm still waiting for more entries on our last Manipulation Challenge, so I thought I'd give it some more time.

And we have a cool new feature. Thanks to an amazingly effective collaboration from our moderators, we now have a very helpful site-map to help everyone understand the scope of the site and each section's relationship with other sections.

I've narrowed down the list of new webservers for our site. We'll be moving in a month or two, but here's a gentle reminder about making donations and buying a t-shirt or coffee cup to help us get to the biggest, bestest webserver available.

[Doug Nelson]

This week we have a much needed new Pen Tool tutorial by Ron Lemire. We also have a new review from this week's 'contest' winner, Greg Couch. And finally, we have a new Restoration Challenge, a new Manipulation Challenge, a new Photo-Art Challenge, and a new Gallery Challenge