Hope everyone had a great Turkey Day!

I just found this forum today, but have spent the past several hours checking out the contests and the forum. Im a web designer, and I also do photo retouching, but have zero experience with photo manipulation, something I'd really like to learn to do...so here I am! I have PS6, and know it pretty well...but time to learn something new.

I really like how the comments in contests really are constructive criticism, but still polite because I am very nervous, considering Ive never done any chopping before and just overall nervous about showing anyone what I cant do But gotta start from somewhere right?

Hope you all will welcome me... Im going to get started on some contests, and also some tuts to figure all this out.

Well, either you are real or the new standard for SPAM, so either way I will welcome you. Hope you enjoy the site. There are a number of tutorials here that can help to get your feet on the ground and there is a link to the site rules found at the bottom of each page. after that the best thing is just to dive in and start chopping.

A couple of bits of advice.

Just running an image through some PS filters will not get much of a reaction here. Also, posting an image late in the contest rarely gets many votes. (if votes are important to you) Creating an image that tells a story and/or has an element of humor is strong here, so think before you chop.

Most members here are willing to help a new person and answer questions so don't be shy.

Above all, enjoy yourself.

Cheers,

What Al said!
And welcome

Welcome and have fun!

Thanks so much everyone! Yeah, I am not spam lol I already entered into a few of the contests already...I jumped in

Realizing though that the more recent contests dont have as many comments as there used to be in older ones so I wont get much feedback to help me improve, but Im still finding them fun to do and see other peoples work too.

Looking forward to getting to know you all.

Don't be surprised if you get comments sent directly to you rather then posted on your entry or even here. So check your in box from time to time.

But do have fun, as stated the more imagination you use the better the entries seem to do, vote wise. If you look back through past contest and entries it will answer some questions. It is funny though how often several people will get the same or similar idea regarding an entry.

But enjoy, learn, most of all relax!

So true...first thing I thought of when I saw the birds one was Hitchcock, and then when I went through the entries, saw that someone else thought of that too. lol

A question, do you know when I will be able to reply to PMs? Is it after Ive been here a certain amt of time, or posted a certain amt of times? Or am I just totally not seeing where the reply button is...

Off hand not sure, but would guess the entries probably what holds that up as well. I don't recall that back when I started in 07 but things change.

Welcome to PSC. I do believe I heard at one time that the PM right is the same as the voting right after 10 entries. Don't quote me on that though. Good work so far, keep them coming!

Welcome to our little spot. Whatever you do do not listen to anyone here we are all a little bent.