When I saw the news item the other day, I was blown away. Is it really 20 years since Adobe Photoshop was introduced to the universe? Unbelievable…

In the computing industry, there are a handful of applications that have had major impacts on the world and how people get their creative work done. Photoshop is one of those programs. The impact it has had is immeasurable and it has forever changed the way we look at images in print and on screen. It has gotten so big that “photoshop” has become a verb, for manipulating images. What is amazing to me is that this ONE, almost magical program has created an industry all its own and many careers and businesses have been built up around it. I include myself in that statement as I have found Photoshop to be an indispensable tool.

Yes, indeed – I can honestly say I recall when Photoshop 1.0 came out for the Macintosh in 1990. I had been using an Apple IIe for about seven years and had been following the Macintosh saga closely. I remember thinking that upgrading to a Mac would be a good idea, as it could help me out with my Architectural projects at school and for doing reports.

One day, I went to visit to our local Apple dealer (they used to have such stores back in the day). That was a trip I would make every few months to see what was new and maybe get something for my Apple IIe. Like I said, the Mac had been on my radar for a while, so it was one of those items on my list to check out at the store. When I walked in, I saw a demonstration being given on a Mac. Curious, I went over to watch. Ironically, the demonstrator was an artist whose profession was an architect! He had a photo on screen and was creating special effects using tools in a brand new program called Adobe Photoshop. Within one minute, I was hooked. To say I was mesmerized by what he was able to do on screen in just seconds is an understatement!

I recall he showed how you can draw a circle, and with the usage of a few paint tools, it can quickly be turned into a very realistic 3D bowl or vase. Reflections could be created and shadows added wherever needed. People could be superimposed on a scene, or removed if needed. WOW! It felt like watching a Hollywood special effects artist doing their thing – and it was done right in front of me on a Macintosh.

This gentleman was very generous with his time – and I was very appreciative. He went on with this demo for over two hours and without taking a break. He was just overjoyed to show what Photoshop could do on a Mac. I became acquainted with him at that point and was able to get some private lessons as well. It soon became very clear to me that it was imperative I get a Mac and Photoshop so I could learn how to create graphics too. With some financial assistance from my family, I bought a Macintosh IIcx – one of the first Macs to support color graphics – yes, COLOR graphics! It was the first of many Macs that I have been privileged to work with in the years since.

It wasn’t apparent at the time in 1990, but that was the dawn of my own career. Ultimately, I did not become an architect. But I did become a digital artist working in the graphics business. I’ve watched the evolution of Photoshop since then, and have been amazed by its power and of all the features that have been added to its arsenal. Personally, I think that the addition of the “layers” capability has been the most important feature since the beginning. It’s a lot of fun working on a complex image that may have, oh, 40 or so separate layers! That wouldn’t be possible on a IIcx running Photoshop 1.0, but on a modern iMac, that’s almost child’s play.

To acknowledge the anniversary, Adobe gathered a few of the original creators of Photoshop for a round table discussion. They talked about the early days when Photoshop was still in its preproduction infancy.  In the beginning, the Knoll brothers had no idea that their “baby” was going to affect the entire world in the years to come. It’s fascinating to hear them talk about those first days, as they unleashed this ubiquitous tool to the masses. Check out the video with the link below for the full interview.

http://tv.adobe.com/watch/photoshop-20th-anniversary/startup-memories/

I can’t imagine what Photoshop will be like in another 10 or 20 years down the road!