Ben Willmore, 2004 Inductee Photoshop Hall of Fame

Who's This 'Ben' Guy?

A senior engineer from NASA once said that this man gave the best technical seminar he ever attended. That same year a computer-phobic who had been struggling with Photoshop for years proclaimed that “He takes the Boogie Man out of Photoshop!” This seems to be Ben Willmore’s special gift; he has an uncanny ability to connect with users of every level and mindset; whether it’s first-timers taking their first sniff of Photoshop, or razor-sharp nerds and nerdettes who are on the fast track to technical illumination. The common echo that Ben leaves in his wake seems to be “Aha! I finally GET Photoshop!” 

To date, Ben has personally taught over 80,000 Photoshop users on four continents. His descriptions of Curves and Channels are thought to be the best in the industry and his breakthrough teaching style of “not-just-how-but-why,” has made him the in-house instructor of choice for companies such as Mercedes Benz, Adobe Systems, America Online, the U.S. Airforce, Lexis Nexis and Fisher-Price Toys. His award-winning, best-selling book, Adobe Photoshop Studio Techniques is said to be “Arguably, one of the best Photoshop books ever written.” by Photoshop User’s publisher, Jim Workman. He is co-author (with Jack Davis) of another best-seller, How to Wow: Photoshop for Photographers, as well as another bestseller, Up to Speed: Photoshop CS3.  

He continues to be a featured speaker at publishing conferences and events worldwide, including Photoshop World, American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), Professional Photographers of America (PPA), Photo Marketing Association (PMA) and the Royal Photographic Society of England. He’s an inductee in the Photoshop Hall of Fame, a member of the Dream Team for NAPP and writes for numerous digital imaging and photography publications, including a monthly column for Photoshop User magazine. His reputation as the “expert’s expert” prompted NAPP’s president, Scott Kelby, to say, “When we get stuck, we call Ben!”

In early 2006 Ben radically transformed his life so that he could finally focus on what he had wanted to do almost his entire life. A beautiful house in the mountains of Colorado was traded for a 40 ft. touring bus, a houseful of possessions were swapped for camera gear, and with the open road before him, Ben aimed all of his intentions at building a new life behind the camera. The resulting work is a compelling fusion of Ben’s multiple disciplines: photographer, graphic designer, and Photoshop expert. His highly creative photo compositions are noticeably informed by his designer’s eye, and his unparalleled mastery of Photoshop enables him to transform raw captures into breathtaking images. See them now at his new online gallery, theBestofBen.com, or stay connected with Ben through his blog, www.WhereIsBen.com.