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The countdown has begun! We are just seven weeks away from the Photoshop World conference! I, however, have nine more interviews to go, so I thought I would double some of them up. Today we have not one, but two installments of the NAPP Interview Series.

First up -

Dave “The Canadian Boss” Cross

(click the pic to learn more about Dave)

1. How did you come to work for NAPP?

I joined NAPP back in its first year and looked forward to getting Photoshop User mag. I had exchanged emails with Scott Kelby a couple of times and he asked me to send him a video of me teaching, so I did.  Weeks later, before Photoshop World in 2001, the magazine ad had a couple of slots in the schedule that said,  “Instructor TBA,” so I called Scott and he answered his phone (even back in 2001 it was quite unusual for Scott to pick up the phone since he was so crazy- busy). I asked about the TBA classes and he said they were filled, but then (after a slight pause) said, “Maybe you could come and teach one class at PSW…”

Keep in mind that I was a relatively unknown Canadian who taught Photoshop, not an author or anything. So I went to Tampa and taught one class. I really didn’t know if they’d ask me back. At the closing dinner Scott said 3 words that I was thrilled to hear: “So, next time….”. I think he said something about “we’ll have you teach 2 classes but I didn’t hear anything after “next time.“ Then, right after PSW San Diego in Spring 2002, I got a call from NAPP HQ asking if I could step in and teach a few one-day seminars to fill in for an ailing instructor. I taught probably 6 or 7 cities before they called me again and asked if I’d consider coming to Florida to work for them. So, in late November 2002 I packed up my family and moved to Tampa Florida to become the first member of Scott’s Content Team.

2. What’s a typical day like for you at NAPP HQ?

The only thing that’s really typical is that I usually park in the same spot outside our building. Other than that, it’s a wonderful, crazy, always changing place. On any given day I record a tutorial, write an article, research (play with new ideas), test new software, bounce ideas off the other content guys, go to the studio to record a video, or have brain-storming meeting about the next PSW, Midnight Madness, etc. Along with the wonderful people I work with, one of the greatest things about working at NAPP is the wide variety of cool stuff I get to do. We work our butts off, but we have a great time doing it!

3. What do you do to try to keep your tutorials and ideas for the PSW conference fresh? Or do you just base your classes on things that you have done for the NAPP or Kelby Training websites? -From a NAPP Forum Member

My ideas for PSW come from a number of things: feedback from the evaluation forms (people often suggest ideas for what they’d like to see), conversations at live seminars, watching “trends”(e.g. popular design effects that seem to pop up more and more)’ and experimentation. Often I have a seed of an idea for a class and as I experiment more I begin to flesh things out and say, “Hey, this could be a class.” Also, I often bounce ideas off Matt (Kloskowski) as he and I have a long-standing habit of doing that and it works very well for both of us.

I try not to replicate a Kelby Training class, but sometimes there’s a technique that I think could be so helpful to people that I want to put it into everything I teach so as many people as possible can see it.

4. What is it that makes you excited to get up and get to work? - From @Awew via Twitter

In part I’ll answer that by saying “see number 2, above”. Just coming to work is exciting, based on the cool stuff I get to do. And honestly, it doesn’t suck to get paid to work in Photoshop all day

5. What function/tool in PS do you find hardest to work with/dislike most? Why? -From @ecaps1 via Twitter

There a few functions that I don’t really like, so I just don’t use them. For example, just about any adjustment command with “auto” in it. I’m not a big fan of auto adjusting. I prefer to do my own. One thing I find frustrating is the lack of consistency in small areas.

For example, most commands and functions are “sticky”, meaning they “remember” the last settings you used. Then there are some things that don’t stick and always revert to the default. Or scrubby sliders – they work in almost every place, except a few. It’s little things that seem to bug me these days. It’s getting better, but there’s still a few little things that can stand some improvement.

6. What Photoshop artists do you look up to and enjoy learning from?

On some level I really admire the work of people like Bert Monroy and Corey Barker, but I also know that I could never do things like they do. So the Photoshop users I enjoy learning from are the ones (well known or not) who take full advantage of Photoshop to produce really cool, innovative and inspiring artwork. I love looking at the work of photographers who embrace Photoshop to create images that aren’t possible to capture using only the camera shutter.

7. How did Stephanie (your daughter) come to work with you at NAPP? Do you ever feel the need to protect her from the crew or the fans? -From a NAPP Forum Member

When we first started filming PSUTV, we introduced a News segment that Matt initially did. He hated it. Just ask him. Matt, Scott and I started throwing around ideas for someone to come in and do the news. Scott threw out our Stephanie’s name, so she came in and gave it a shot…and the rest is history.

As far as feeling the need to protect her, she can definitely take care of herself! Not that she would, but she could probably kick my you-know-what if she wanted to.

8. What is one class that you would love to teach but haven’t yet?

I’d like to teach a class that combines a photo shoot and Photoshop…. just not sure exactly of the details yet – still trying to figure it out.

9. Which is your favorite joke from PSUTV? Favorite episode? -from Erik Bernskiold via email

I’d have to say the running joke about the miniature horses. I don’t think it will ever go away. It may get old for our viewers, but Matt and I will keep this one going forever!

Favorite episode? Of course, the infamous “Steam episode.” Mostly because it was cracking me up that the camera guys couldn’t see Matt’s laptop and couldn’t understand why we were laughing (crying).

10. How many Canada shirts do you own really? What would you do if you were never allowed to wear another Canadian emblem shirt ever again?

I don’t really know exactly how many Canada shirts I have. There’s a whole section in my closet for all the hockey/sports style shirts. If I had to guess I’d say somewhere between 25 and 30…. and I keep adding new ones now and then. I don’t know what I’d do if I wasn’t allowed to wear another Canada shirt…. maybe wear sleeveless shirts all the time so my Canada tattoo showed?

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And now for…

Terry “The App Man” White

(click the pic to learn more about Terry)

1. How did you come to work with NAPP?

I’ve known Scott Kelby for years and years (over 10) and I was asked to give the Keynote address at the very first Photoshop World. The rest as they say is history.

2. What is your favorite part of attending PSW?

Seeing all the Photoshop fans that I chat with online, in person. Learning what customers “really want” from Adobe.

3. If you could attend classes instead of teaching them at PSW – who’s class would be on your “Do not miss” list?

Scott Kelby, Matt Klowskowski, Joe Glida, Joe McNally

4. Do you ever struggle to think up ideas for tuts/books/articles? -from @ecaps1 via Twitter

All the time! I’m constantly up against a deadline saying “what am I going to show/write about this time?”

5. In working with Adobe, what is your favorite task you get to do on a regular basis? -from Erik Bernskiold via email

See customers in person and use the products that I would be using anyway. I have the best job in the world!

6. What is your proudest accomplishment that you have achieved so far? Why?

Becoming a top selling author because I never thought as a kid that I would ever ever ever write a book.

7. If you could only live with one iPhone App for the rest of your life, which one would you choose? -from Patrick LaMontagne via Facebook

That’s a hard one. Since I can do many things that the apps do in Safari if push come to shove, so I would have to say Best Camera because it lets me upload my shots to Facebook, Twitter and now Flickr.

8. Do you think PSW or Kelby Training should have an entire class section on App development? If yes, who do you think should teach it?

Probably not. I don’t think that there would be enough people interested in it that would justify the cost of doing it.

9. If you could give InDesign a feature that it doesn’t already have, what would it be and why?

Make the text fit button. No matter what it would adjust the text to fit based on my rules.

10. If a gang of wild monkeys took your iPhone from you, and wouldn’t let you replace it with another iPhone – what would you replace it with and what would you want to do to the monkeys?

Wow! Hmmm, I guess settling for a Google Nexus would be the answer. Those monkeys are so dead! LOL!

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Thanks to Dave and Terry! I know how busy you both are, so taking time out to do this was really awesome!

Next week is going to be a surprise to both all of you and me because I am still waiting for people to return their questions to me. I have been told that a few have their interviews completed but are in the process of being edited and are therefor on their way! I’ll let you know as soon as I know who is up next.