Peter Thomsen

I use Premiere for video editing and post production. I trim clips, add transitions, create titles, add soundtrack music and export completed projects. This is an incredibly powerful video editing tool, but has a steep learning curve. In many instances PR will be overkill. However, it allows for far more control than something like Apple's iMovie. If simple video editors are frustrating you with their lack of control and/or functionality, PR is the way to go. I highly recommend this application to anyone looking for a professional level video editing tool.

I use LR4 for processing and cataloging digital photos. I shoot all of my photos in RAW. Then I use LR4 to color-correct and process them into jpegs. LR has mostly replaced Photoshop for my photography needs. LR4 now has a great tool for creating books. I found it extremely intuitive and I was quite pleased with the Blurb book I created entirely in LR. If you are working with digital photos, you need LR.

I use WordPress as for building full websites. Over the years it has grown functionality far beyond it's original basic blog structure. A huge strength of WordPress is that it is open source. There are countless free "themes" available to customize the look and feel of ones blog or website. It is a highly flexible platform. One complaint I have is the backend/administrator page is sometimes less than intuitive. Overall I have not found a better platform for creating websites and blogs quickly and easily.

I use Adobe InDesign for page layout and design. I use it mainly for creating print pieces such as forms, worksheets, brochures, posters, and books. I also use it for word-processing because of the degree of control it allows. It is a very powerful publishing tool. The biggest weakness is the learning curve. It is the industry standard application for layout. I would highly recommend this application.