Photoshop CS4 packs a number of cool new features, from interface changes to the amazing new resizing tools. But unequivocally, the feature that makes this upgrade a no-brainer is Bridge CS4. While it may sounds a little strange to get excited over what has, in the past, been nothing more than a file browser, over the last few months Bridge CS4 has proven to be the workflow tool that I’ve been waiting for for years.

A signficant part of the visual processing part of the human brain is devoted to face recognition. As such, we’re extremely sensitive to slight changes in skin color – a blush that might show embarrassment, for example – and texture. In addition to good lighting, one of the best ways to make portraits appear more attractive is to do a little work on your subject’s skin, not just to hide blemishes and possibly reduce wrinkles, but to soften and smooth skin texture in general. Imagenomic’s Portraiture 2.0 plug-in is an excellent one-stop tool for performing sophisticated skin corrections.

Every year, I try to spend as much time as I can in Death Valley. To some, this may sound a strange destination to pine for, but returning visitors to this web site might have already noticed my predisposition to Death Valley’s beautiful, unique extremes. In 2008, I only managed one week-long trip, and it was far earlier than I’d ever been before. Spending the first week of February in Death Valley showed that it can be as uncomfortably cold as it can be brutally hot. Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to sort through the images until now, one year later.