Complete Adobe Photoshop CS4 for Digital Photographers Review

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Complete Adobe Photoshop CS4 for Digital Photographers ReviewThis is a very good introduction to Photoshop CS3 for the beginning digital photographer and a useful reference book for the more experienced Photoshop user.
The book is aimed at photographers and not graphic artists, unlike many other PS books. It follows a logical work flow progression, beginning with Adobe Bridge, which is an application included with PS CS3 that can be used to import pictures from a camera and to select and sort them. Next it moves to another part of Photoshop, Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), which allows for untargeted adjustments to the imported files. In Part II, it's on to manipulation in the main body of Photoshop, with emphasis on cropping, tonal adjustments and color correction. (Most of the tools mentioned here are also available in ACR in a similar form and although the bulk of instructions is contained here, it can be applied to ACR, although I wish the tie-in had been a little stronger.) This part then shows how to make local enhancements, sharpen a photo and print it. Part III talks about retouching and Part IV about advanced concepts like special effects and combining images. The first two parts will be sufficient for most photographers to learn how to turn out good prints.
The writing is clear, no-nonsense and almost pedantic but that's not so bad in a book of this type. Occasionally the authors will point out why certain adjustments are appropriate, but mostly the reasons will have to be inferred. For example, they suggest the artistic reasons for cropping, but when it comes to tonality, while they explain how to control it fully, the authors don't emphasize the importance of using the full range of light, or when one might not want to. Readers interested in learning more about the art should look at books like "Photoshop Artistry: For Photographers Using Photoshop CS2 and Beyond (Voices That Matter)" by Barry Hynes or "Outdoor Photographer Landscape and Nature Photography with Photoshop CS2 (Outdoor Photographers)" by Rob Sheppard.
I was impressed by the fact that Smith and Cooper did not follow the almost politically correct line of saying format isn't so important, and unreservedly said that Raw is the best format for most shooting. The book includes a CD with images to work on. New users will find this tutorial approach extremely useful. Less useful were the videos on the disc which don't relate to specific chapters but seem more designed to sell related video instruction. Occasionally some small piece of information that I considered important, like setting the ACR preference for sharpening, was not included.
Unfortunately, the book does not cover the important changes to ACR made by version 4.1. Readers will have to find instruction about the update on-line at places like Jeff Schewe's piece at http://photoshopnews.com/2007/05/31/about-camera-raw-41/.
This seems an excellent book for new users to learn Photoshop CS3. (People familiar with Photoshop CS2 can save themselves a little time by reading Ben Willmore's "Adobe Photoshop CS3: Up to Speed".)
Complete Adobe Photoshop CS4 for Digital Photographers OverviewLearn how to get the most out of all the newest features of Photoshop and improve your images with "Complete Adobe Photoshop CS4 for Digital Photographers." Photoshop is the new darkroom, providing instant results and making professional-level tools accessible even to amateurs. This new edition of the book is filled with brand new content that will teach you how to use all of the tools in Photoshop CS4 that are specifically designed for the digital photographer, and which tools are best for each job. The book is organized to help guide you through a logical workflow so you can learn how to edit and enhance your photos in a more efficient manner. You'll find information on how to import and organize your images, how to use the new correction and enhancement tools, how to use the Raw Convertor, the advantages of the new Bridge asset management program, and more. Examples and images accompany each technique to ensure that you understand the material. Perfect for any digital photographer who wants to hone their Photoshop skills, "Complete Adobe Photoshop CS4 for Digital Photographers" reveals the secrets to clearer, sharper, more professional-looking images.

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The Art of Photoshop, CS2 Edition Review

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The Art of Photoshop, CS2 Edition ReviewI have a library of Photoshop books and there are two main types- those that deal with how to use Photoshop with no identified purpose in mind (nothing wrong with that) and Photoshop books for the digital photographer which can teach you how to get rid of blemishes or a blown out sky, etc (nothing wrong here either). In many of the latter type of Photoshop books there are sections on manipulating your photos to create art, however, the end result very much maintains the basic identity of the original photo. With The Art of Photoshop we have a very rare book, a book whose goal is to inspire photoshophers to create art, as you would see in an art gallery, with the software. Even if you are not inspired with Mr. Giordan's art, he suceeds in teaching you the tools to go create your own art. Differing from other books that touch upon Photoshop art (via manipulation of your digital photo), this book's end products do not necessairily have a direct relationship with the starting photograph(s) and sources, thus the term "art". As in any art gallery, there is some "art" that Mr. Giordan has created that I don't really care for and could be made fun of such as the burning baby example given in another review. By the way, Mr. Giordan makes it clear it is not actually meant to be a burning baby. Getting back to the book. even if I did not care for some of the art created, I still found it very valuable to learn how the art was created. Although Photoshop version CS2 was not covered much at all, still, this was an aspect of Photoshop use I had not seen much about at all- the creation of art, not just manipulating my photographs with filters to give it a Van Gogh look or whatever. If you would really like to create original art with Photoshop and not just merely manipulate your photographs with filters and such, this book is really worth a look. It has taught me techniques that I can use to create artwork that is appealing to me and I think that was the goal of the book in the first place- not as a showcase for Mr. Giordan's art, but to show the capabilities Photoshop has for creating art and this book magnificently teaches how to tap into those capabilities. I agree that if you are not interested in creating art with Photoshop this is not the book for you, however, if you are, GET THIS BOOK! It is a rare type of Photoshop book.The Art of Photoshop, CS2 Edition Overview

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Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner Review

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Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner ReviewI got a pile of drawing books out of the library, this one included, after realizing that the books I already owned weren't inspiring me.
The author's approach is aimed toward adults with little or no artistic experience. Her subject matter is not unique to other books: she starts with contour drawing, then goes on to deal with basic shapes, value scale, etc. What I really liked about this book is that each topic is discussed clearly and she explains why the lessons are important. As she introduces the reader to new media (pen and ink, wash, charcoal and then conte), she gives a lot of detail about how to use them, and encourages experimentation.
The book is peppered with student efforts mixed among her own drawings, as well as student quotes. The effect is of being in a beginner's art class. It's useful to observe other's entry level work! She encourages the reader to keep trying, and to work through inevitable setbacks.
She closes the book hoping that she has given the reader a good foundation and enough confidence to continue drawing, and perhaps take a class.
Out of the pile of drawing books, "Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner" was the only one I went on to purchase.Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner OverviewBased upon the author's own successful workshops, Drawing for the Absolute and Utter Beginner helps new artists create competent, often eloquent drawings. A series of progressive lessons demonstrates such essential skills as recording edges, creating dimension, adding accuracy, developing value, balancing compositional elements, and drawing the human face, both frontal and profile views. Step by step, readers learn how to create a reasonable likeness of an object and give it spatial depth using such simple black-and-white mediums as pens, pencils, charcoal, and graphite wash. Inspirational examples and tips for success from beginning students who have worked on the same material confirm readers' successes, and allow readers to consider the advice and impressions of others at the same level.

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Irreverent Photo Tools for Digital Photographers Review

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Irreverent Photo Tools for Digital Photographers ReviewSteve Weinrebe's IRREVERENT PHOTO TOOLS FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS shows amateur and professional photographers how to use inexpensive, readily available tools to shoot and edit pictures. From tools for use in the field and studio to locating inexpensive equipment and using professional tricks to create fine results, this is packed with fine color photo examples throughout.Irreverent Photo Tools for Digital Photographers Overview

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