National Association of Photoshop Professionals Announces Winners of 4th Annual Photoshop User Awards

First and Only Worldwide Competition for Adobe Photoshop Users

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) today announced the winners of its 4^th annual Photoshop^® User Awards – the first and only worldwide competition for Adobe^® Photoshop^® users. Winners were selected from more than 700 entries from 12 countries. Finalists in each of the 11 categories also competed for Best of Show to win an all expense paid, five-day trip for two to Barcelona, Spain.

NAPP president Scott Kelby and Photoshop User magazine art director Felix Nelson chaired the judging panel for this year’s competition. Winning images can be viewed at www.PhotoshopUserAwards.com/winners.php.

Award winners for 2008:

Best of Show: Ciro Marchetti – Florida – Gypsy Dancer

Advertising Design: Jose Luis Santana – Mexico – Tough Chicken

Composites/Collages: Mike Campau – Michigan – Stay Green. Go Red.

General Photography: Michael Whitson – Pennsylvania – Day in the Life

Artistic: Glenn Karlsen – Norway – Zipperhead

General Photoshop: Steve McGhee – Canada – The Big Swallow

Illustration: Nelsy Adriana Perez Jimenez – Mexico – Dragons

Landscape/Travel: Kajo Merkert – Germany – Coogee Pool

Wedding/Portrait: Paola Jofre – Canada – Strong Boy and Dog Max

Restoration: Janine Smith – Texas – General Worth

Retouching: Steven Cegelski – New York – Believe

Student Work: Romy Young – Canada – Ultra Badminton

Winners in 11 categories each receive a prize package valued at $2,500 provided by award sponsors – Adobe, NAPP, Layers magazine, Kelby Training, Peachpit, and Mpix. Plus, their winning image will be showcased in a future issue of Photoshop User magazine.

Best of Show winner Ciro Marchetti receives a dream assignment to Barcelona, Spain for him and an assistant of his choice to create a future cover for Photoshop User magazine, the official publication of NAPP. Round trip airfare, hotel accommodations, hotel transfers, and daily expenses for five days are provided by NAPP.

About NAPP

The National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) is an accredited, dynamic trade association and the world’s leading resource for Adobe® Photoshop® training, news, and education. An award-winning team of Photoshop experts, authors, consultants, and trainers lead the association keeping its members on the cutting edge of Adobe Photoshop techniques and technology. With more than 72,000 members in 106 countries, NAPP is the largest graphics and digital imaging association worldwide. It is part of Kelby Media Group. For more information, visit http://www.photoshopuser.com.

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