Editing photos isn’t always a simple task; that’s one of the hard truths about using a program like Photoshop Elements. We can easily take thousands of photos with our digital cameras, pour them onto our computers, and peruse them with a few clicks of the mouse. But getting wall- or online-worthy images means that we have to spend time thinking about which version of a shot is better, how to bring out subtle details, adjust color and so much more. It can definitely be overwhelming, and I understand why a lot of people just give up and either do nothing with their photos or run them through a one-size- fits-all plug-in and call them done.

One of the things that we try to do in the magazine and on the website is showcase both simple and more complicated editing techniques for improving your photos. There are definitely times when the “Auto” commands in the Enhance menu will do the trick, but sometimes you’ll need to dig into Elements’ tools to bring out the best in an image. As Jeff Carlson shows us in his article starting on page 11, the Smart Brush tool provides a nice balance for applying effects to in a photo, without requiring you to be a selection pro. Sure, the Smart Brush can create crazy effects that most of us will never use, but what makes it worth using is its flexibility in adjusting and changing applied effects. I think the subtle lighting effect Jeff shows on page 16–on a cup of coffee beans–is a perfect example of this unsung tool’s utility.

You might have noticed that this issue showed up in your mailbox a bit more quickly on the heels of the last issue than usually is the case, and you’d be correct. That’s because we’re moving the printing schedule up a month in 2011, to better align the cover dates of the magazine with the mailing dates. For example, the May/June issue will start mailing in late April (April 20, to be exact), instead of late May, the July/August issue will mail in late June, and so on.

What it means is that subscribers in the U.S. should now be getting their issues around the beginning of the month of the cover date. (It will still take up to three weeks longer for Canadian and overseas subscribers, due to postal con- straints.) It’s a little change, but one that we hope alleviates some of the confusion we’ve heard from subscribers.

One last note: The reason you see my smiling mug up above is because our esteemed editor, Kelly, had a lovely baby girl in January, and is on a well-deserved maternity break. Don’t worry though: while I’m on the watch for the next issue, Kelly will be back at the helm soon.