Acknowledgments

After writing books for 13 years now, I still find that the thing that’s the hardest for me to write in any book is the acknowledgments. It also, hands down, takes me longer than any other pages in the book. For me, I think the reason I take these acknowledgments so seriously is because it’s when I get to put down on paper how truly grateful I am to be surrounded by such great friends, an incredible book team, and a family that truly makes my life a joy. That’s why it’s so hard. I also know why it takes so long—you type a lot slower with tears in your eyes.

To my remarkable wife, Kalebra: We’ve been married 21 years now, and you still continue to amaze me, and everyone around you. I’ve never met anyone more compassionate, more loving, more hilarious, and more genuinely beautiful, and I’m so blessed to be going through life with you, to have you as the mother of my children, my business partner, my private pilot, Chinese translator, and best friend. You truly are the type of woman love songs are written for, and as anyone who knows me will tell you, I am, without a doubt, the luckiest man alive to have you for my wife.

To my son, Jordan: It’s every dad’s dream to have a relationship with his son like I have with you, and I’m so proud of the bright, caring, creative young man you’ve become. I can’t wait to see the amazing things life has in store for you, and I just want you to know that watching you grow into the person you are is one of my life’s greatest joys.

To my precious little girl, Kira: You have been blessed in a very special way, because you are a little clone of your mom, which is the most wonderful thing I could have possibly wished for you. I see all her gifts reflected in your eyes, and though you’re still too young to have any idea how blessed you are to have Kalebra as your mom, one day—just like Jordan—you will.

To my big brother Jeff, who has always been, and will always be, a hero to me. So much of who I am, and where I am, is because of your influence, guidance, caring, and love as I was growing up. Thank you for teaching me to always take the high road, for always knowing the right thing to say at the right time, and for having so much of our dad in you.

I’m incredibly fortunate to have part of the production of my books handled in-house by my own book team at Kelby Media Group, which is led by my friend and longtime Creative Director, Felix Nelson, who is hands down the most creative person I’ve ever met. He’s surrounded by some of the most talented, amazing, ambitious, gifted, and downright brilliant people I’ve ever had the honor of working with.

Thank God for Kim Doty, my Editor. She is amazing, and single-handedly keeps me from visiting a nearby tower, and climbing to the top to throw myself off (anyone catch that vague Gilbert O’Sullivan reference there? Anybody? No?). Kim is just an incredibly organized, upbeat, focused person who keeps me calm and on track, and no matter how tough the task ahead is, she always says the same thing, “Ah, piece of cake,” and she convinces you that you can do it, and then you do it. I cannot begin to tell you how grateful I am to her for being my Editor.

Working with Kim is Cindy Snyder, who relentlessly tests all the stuff I write to make sure I didn’t leave anything out, so you’ll all be able to do the things I’m teaching (which with a Photoshop book is an absolute necessity). She’s like a steel trap that nothing can get through if it doesn’t work just like I said it would.

The look of the book comes from an amazing designer, a creative powerhouse, and someone whom I feel very, very lucky to have designing my books—Jessica Maldonado. She always adds that little something that just takes it up a notch, and I’ve built up such a trust for her ideas and intuition, which is why I just let her do her thing. Thanks Jess!

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my Executive Assistant and Chief Wonder Woman, Kathy Siler. She runs a whole side of my business life, and a big chunk of our conferences, and she does it so I have time to write books, spend time with my family, and have a life outside of work. She’s such an important part of what I do that I don’t know how I did anything without her. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It means more than you know.

Thanks to my best buddy, our Chief Operating Officer and father of twin little girls, Dave Moser, first for handling the business end of our book projects, but mostly for always looking out for me.

Thanks to everyone at New Riders and Peachpit, in particular, my way cool Editor Ted Waitt, my wonderful Publisher Nancy Aldrich-Ruenzel, marketing maven Scott Cowlin, and marketing diva Sara Jane Todd, and the entire team at Pearson Education who go out of their way to make sure that we’re always working in the best interests of my readers, and who work tirelessly to make sure my work gets in as many people’s hands as possible.

Thanks to my friends at Adobe: John Nack, Mala Sharma, John Loiacono, Terry White, Cari Gushiken, Julieanne Kost, Tom Hogarty, Dave Story, Bryan O’Neil Hughes, Thomas Nielsen, Russell Preston Brown, and the amazing engineering team at Adobe (I don’t know how you all do it). Gone but not forgotten: Barbara Rice, Jill Nakashima, Rye Livingston, Addy Roff, Bryan Lamkin, Jennifer Stern, Kevin Connor, Deb Whitman, and Karen Gauthier.

Thanks to Matt Kloskowski for letting me bounce ideas off of him for this book and for his input and suggestions. A big high-five and thanks to Corey Barker, who developed the cool set of eyelash brushes you guys get with the book. And thanks to professional makeup artist Shelley Giard for all her help and insights.

I was very fortunate to have professional retoucher and instructor David Cuerdon as Technical Editor for the book. The entire book is much better because of his input, and I’m very grateful for his advice and his friendship.

I want to thank all the talented retouchers who I’ve learned so much from over the years: Katrin Eismann, Jane Conner-ziser, Felix Nelson, Natalia Taffarel, Corey Barker, Christy Schuler, Mary DuPrie, Kevin Ames, Dave Cuerdon, Calvin Hollywood, and the community at RetouchPRO.com.

Thanks to my mentors, whose wisdom and whip-cracking have helped me immeasurably, including John Graden, Jack Lee, Dave Gales, Judy Farmer, and Douglas Poole.

Most importantly, I want to thank God, and His son Jesus Christ, for leading me to the woman of my dreams, for blessing us with two amazing children, for allowing me to make a living doing something I truly love, for always being there when I need Him, for blessing me with a wonderful, fulfilling, and happy life, and such a warm, loving family to share it with.