In 2002, I wrote a preview of Adobe Photoshop 7 for a popular computer magazine. Although I praised the program for its file browser, expanded Brushes palette, and healing tools, I lamented its lack of ambition in the parametric department. After four back-to-back upgrades in which Photoshop blazed new trails in non-destructive image editing, Version 7 abruptly dropped the ball and focused its energies on static pixel modifications. Among my concerns was the following:
"Photoshop's wealth of effects filters remains unchanged and static, despite the introduction of equivalent dynamic filters in other programs--including Adobe's own Illustrator and After Effects--several years ago."
I mention this for two reasons:
This is the first time that particular text has appeared as I wrote it. At the time, my editor pronounced my conclusion "depressing," diluted my concerns, and inserted her own conclusion that began, and I quote: "But these are quibbles for the hard-core Photoshop geek." Nice.
Photoshop 7 turned out to be the exception that proves the rule. After the program's release, Adobe immediately got back on non-destructive course with Camera Raw, layer comps, program-wide support for 16-bit/channel images, Bridge-based metadata edits, and smart objects. And in Photoshop CS3, Adobe puts to rest the last of my "quibbles" by adding editable, non-destructive filters. The only difference is the name. What I called dynamic filters, Adobe calls Smart Filters.
Once upon a time, I would've hardly dared believe that non-destructive sharpening and blurring would be possible. But progress and experience encourage heightened expectations, so naturally I've had time to dream up a new list of wishes unfulfilled. In a perfect Photoshop (okay, probably not CS4, but one day), all edits would be 16-bit and non-destructive. Filters and color adjustments would be streamlined and prioritized. Automated masking functions would produce credible results and I might even have access to layers when building alpha channels. Actions would be conditional, color management would always work, and the program in general would make a lot more sense. (The interface needs to be overhauled in a way that might very well infuriate a large and vocal group of existing users but ensure the long term health and viability of the program.)
And lest you mistake my latest list for depressing, it's actually a message of faith and hope. Adobe has managed to address virtually every complaint I had five years ago, not to mention throw in a hundred or so features that never occurred to me. There's no reason to think that five years from now the picture won't look equally rosy. Who knows, even a hard-core Photoshop geek like me stop quibbling. In the meantime, bless you Smart Filters--you inspire me to wish for more.
Next week's dekeBytes installation will feature a hands-on demonstration of the afore-blessed Smart Filters. For a whole book-load of hands-on Deke tutorials complete with accompanying video, look for his new book Adobe Photoshop CS3 One-on-One coming next month from O'Reilly. (Sneak peek of the new cover here for intrepid blog readers; you saw it here first, folks.) You can also check out Deke's videos at online training center lynda.com.
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Photography
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additions:
a few wanna-be photoshop alternatives have implemented their own versions of photoshops layer styles that add quite a few sensible enhancements and options and a few new styles. Like the ability to reorder the effects like they were layers.
If they have properly separated their logic code from their display code they should be able to provide multiple interfaces on top of the photoshop core. A new one for us and 2 or 3 of the old ones for everyone else. Maybe even make the interface extensible so other people can write interface plug-ins that add new kinds of useful pallets.
They need to make user of video hardware acceleration as much as possible. I can't rotate playstation-one quality 3d model at anything more than 15 frames a second. Check out AfterEffects and Alias Sketch Book Pro to see what I mean.
They NEED to make the interface more pen & tablet friendly. Again, see Alias Sketch Book Pro. http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/pixelbased/gr/aliassketchbook.htm
All they have to do is add 2 or 3 new pallets to make a huge improvement.
There are a 2d few brush features in Z-Brush that should have been implemented in photoshop years ago.
They need to with Vanishing Point and Liquify what they did with 3d layers. Make them their own layer type and let us edit their contents within the main document window! If you can't imagine how it should work, just ask me. I've been thinking about it a lot.
One of the most amazing painting systems ever is buried inside of Autodesk Maya. It's called paint-effects and works in 2d or 3d. If photoshop had something even half as good and half as customisable it would be beyond awesome.
Your idea for layered masks is great.
Make a Smart Mask (like smart objects) that of course is it's own layered psd file (like smart objects). Perfect.
Smart objects should allow us to "link" external files into photoshop layers (like linked images/documents in InDesign). Why? Because a 320x240 document with 2 layers is 236KB while the exact same document with 1 of the layers converted to a smart object is 1.2MB!!!
Smart object should have an option to make edits visible in the main document immediately without having to save first. For a simple Smart Mask with only 2 or 3 layers I'd like to have instant feedback. On something huge that's going into a 300 dpi document it wouldn't make sense to turn that feature on.
Ability to select multiple layers and change their layer style or blending mode simultaneously.
An additional Color Pallet slider type that mimics the circle & triangle color picker in Painter. And another one that's an actuall color wheel. (Or maybe if the interface becomes extensible someone in the community could build these)
A utility for browsing, previewing, organizing, labeling, +fav-ing brush files.
An embedded scripting language (like Maya's MEL & Python) that can expose every core function called by the interface so users can more quickly and easily create automated actions.
A keyboard shortcut to repeat the last selected menu item, not just the last used filter.