What inspired Thomas Knoll to create Photoshop?

Adobe Photoshop is one of the most widely used and influential software applications in the world of digital imaging and graphic design. It was created by Thomas Knoll and John Knoll, two brothers who played pivotal roles in its development.

The Inventors: Thomas and John Knoll

• Thomas Knoll: A computer science student at the University of Michigan, Thomas began working on a program in 1987 to display grayscale images on a monochrome display. This program, initially called Display, was the foundation of what would later become Photoshop.
• John Knoll: Thomas’s brother, John, was working at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the special effects division of Lucasfilm. John recognized the potential of Thomas’s program and encouraged him to expand its capabilities to include image editing features.

The Idea and Development

The idea for Photoshop emerged from Thomas Knoll’s personal interest in image processing. While working on his PhD, he wrote a program to display grayscale images on his Macintosh Plus computer. When John saw the program, he suggested turning it into a full-fledged image editing tool. Together, they added features like color correction, image adjustments, and filters, transforming it into a powerful tool for digital image manipulation.

Initially, the software was called ImagePro. Later, they renamed it Photoshop and began looking for a company to distribute it. They approached Adobe Systems, and after a demonstration, Adobe decided to license the software in 1988. Photoshop 1.0 was officially released in February 1990 for Macintosh computers.

Impact and Legacy

Photoshop revolutionized the fields of photography, graphic design, and digital art. It introduced tools and features that allowed professionals and amateurs alike to manipulate images in ways that were previously impossible. Over the years, Adobe has continued to innovate, adding advanced features like layers, filters, and AI-powered tools (e.g., Adobe Sensei).

Today, Photoshop is an industry standard and a cornerstone of Adobe’s Creative Cloud suite. The Knoll brothers’ collaboration not only changed the way we edit images but also paved the way for the digital creative industry as we know it.

Thomas and John Knoll’s story is a testament to how personal curiosity, collaboration, and innovation can lead to groundbreaking technological advancements.