How to Organize Your Photoshop Pixels with Adobe Bridge
I'd like you to check out a new feature to Adobe Photoshop CS2s which is the Adobe Bridge. Unlike the file browser in previous versions of Photoshop, Adobe Bridge is a stand-alone image browser which means that you can launch this application whether Photoshop is opened or not. This is similar to other image management tools such as ThumbsPlus except that Bridge is much more tightly integrated with the Adobe Creative Suite products. If you find an image that you like in Adobe Bridge you can easily drag and drop it to Photoshop, ImageReady, GoLive, Illustrator, Indesign and other CS products.
The workspace itself for Adobe Bridge is completely customizable. There is a slider at the bottom, which allows images to be reduced, or enlarged on the fly. There is also a thumbnail view that allows you to cycle through your photos like a slide sorter. You can also have a details view to read all the information pertaining this particular image. The information in the metadata is especially useful for images coming from certain digital camera where the "Camera Raw" data can export important information such as f/stop or shutter speed.
Previously, with other image management tools, you may find that you still have trouble narrowing down your choices because you're still visually overloaded. With Adobe Bridge you can you can rank and rate your photographs, alphanumerically or file-size. You can also drag and drop as though you were working on a light table. What's even more useful is that there is a label menu so you can rate your images by 1-5 stars. (this is especially useful for people who are working under a tight deadline because this ranking is based upon your own aesthetic judgment and not some arbitrary naming convention).
Adobe Bridge is a very robust image management tool and it's definitely worth the price of an upgrade if you haven't already done so. This tool is so flexible and intuitive that it's a wonder Adobe had not developed a product such as this before.
About the Author
Kai Yee, is a writer, educator and a businessman living and working in Washington, DC. He has taught and lectured at in George Washington University and George Mason University. You can find Photoshop webspace visit his website at Photoshop CS2 Bridge
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