It’s likely that everyone  reading this  has used, or at the very least  heard of  Adobe’s ubiquitous piece of software called  Photoshop.  But  are you familiar with the very first—and perhaps the most eccentric—of the evangelists working behind that magic curtain?     Well, you’re about to meet him today, in our latest  podcast  featuring pioneers of photography and imaging. As Adobe employee number 38, graphic designer Russell Preston Brown was in the room when brothers Thomas and John Knoll showed up to demonstrate a new piece of software, in 1988.  Suitably impressed with what he saw, Russell made a beeline to Adobe co-founder John Warnock and uttered the imperative “Buy it! Now!”     Thirty-five years later,  Brown  has not lost an ounce of passion for concocting magic with digital imaging tools, and for sharing his knowledge with other users during his outlandish workshops and events.    Join us for a rollicking chat with this shapeshifting impresario in cowboy attire. From  Brown’s earliest training in darkroom photography to his current digital workflow syncing  a mobile phone with Profoto lighting  gear, we cover a lot of ground.     Throughout our discussion, we reflect on the revolutionary effects of technological advances, plus Brown’s uncanny luck to be there in the middle of the zeitgeist, which  led  him  to  a telling analogy:     “Yes, I was in the right place at the right time. I made my fair share of contributions, but it all comes back to—what if the Knoll brothers had not decided to make Photoshop? I want to see that Jimmy Stewart episode of “A Wonderful Life,” where Photoshop didn’t appear. Would we be using Letrasets?...”      Guest: Russell Preston Brown For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see:  https://blogd7.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/adobes-first-evangelist-russell-preston-brown   Above photograph  © Russell Preston Brown Episode Timeline: 2:47: A peak behind the scenes of Brown’s early experiences at Adobe and what constituted working as a graphic designer back in 1985.  10:24: Brown’s early training in darkroom photography, the type of photos he made and the tech transitions to the mobile phones that he works with today.  15:55: Thomas Knoll calls the iPhone a hallucination of what you are seeing in terms of colors, dynamic range, and quality of light. It gives us what we want to remember from that moment. 19:45: Brown’s workflow for shooting with an iPhone synched to Profoto strobes and other lighting modifiers, and his ability to carry everything around in one bag.  24:12: Comparing image captures from different brands of mobile phones: iPhone, Google Pixel 7 and Samsung 23. Plus, make sure to use a solar filter over the lens when photographing the eclipse. 31:27: Brown’s experiences working directly with programmers in the development of Photoshop, plus working one-on-one with a programmer to develop actions, scripts, and pa

Adobe's First Evangelist: Russell Preston Brown

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