|
Pleasing product 
I have not yet had the time to go through the whole book step by step, but so far i have skimmed and stopped up a couple of times to read more closely.
The book is (in my opinion) best suitable for up-and-comers and hobby photographers who want to take their photographs a bit further, with full control at their fingertips. It is also suitable for professional photogs who may feel they limp a bit in their workflow.
Everything is step-by-step and you can learn a whole deal here.
There is a lot of basics though, so if you know a bit already, you might not find everything as useful.
The only "let down" is that you can find different tutorials for all this stuff online. But at least here it is gatheret in ONE place.
I recommend buying this book to everyone who is not a pro in photoshop, there are several tricks that may help your work become easier.
This is by the way the best book of it's genre, so don't bother looking at other similar options.
Happy learning!
Scott Kelby for President!!
I don't know what I would do without Mr. Kelby's wit and wisdom! This is the 3rd book of his that I've purchased, and it is SUPER helpful. A must-have for any CS3 user!
Great place to learn the basics
To me a review is most meaningful when you know a little something about the person writing the review. I have been an avid amateur photographer since the late 1970's and have been making my full time living at photography since 2008. I used to use a Canon 1D Mark II Professional Digital SLR until May of 2008 when I switched to a Nikon D3. While the Nikon files do have a different look directly out of the camera, in the end both systems provide wonderful images once they have been worked in post process. When I last wrote a review I was doing all most all of my post processing work in Photoshop, but my workflow has evolved significantly since the introduction of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. See my Lightroom reviews to learn why.
I am a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) and make extensive use of the abundant educational materials available on the member website. I have read well over three-dozen Photoshop training guides with one overriding goal in mind; producing the best images possible.
The Photoshop CS3 book fore Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby is THE book I recommend to anyone that is new to Photoshop and feeling overwhelmed by the program. I have worked extensively in Photoshop since 2001, and I feel as though I have only scratched the surface of what the program is capable of offering. The learning curve with Photoshop is formidable. This book is the best guide I have found for getting you up and running quickly and effectively. Don't think that it is only for newbies however; there are many great tips for users of all experience levels throughout the entire book.
You won't find a great deal of Photoshop wizardry in this book, but that's not the point. This book is dedicated to explaining the basics, and helping you really master the underpinnings of Photoshop so that when you ready to take it to the next level you are doing so from a rock solid foundation. Having said that there is a tremendous amount of material covered in this book. You will learn how to handle numerous real world problems that every photographer faces at one time or another.
In a nutshell the books walks you through how to setup the program so that it works intuitively for you. Next you learn how to import and organize your images so you will be able to find them later. Once you are able to upload, store and retrieve your images then you start to learn how to correct the myriad of technical problems that are typical with digital photography. At the end there are several chapters dedicated to preparing your images for printing including numerous suggestions for ways to present your work like a pro.
There are 457 pages, most of which are written in classic Scott Kelby form. If you have never read one of Scott's books you are either in for a treat or will find yourself groaning... a lot. I happen to really enjoy his writing style, which is good because he is a prolific writer and consummate educator. If you have a thirst for Photoshop knowledge you will come across his work again and again.
I copied the next few lines directly from my review of Layers by Matt Kloskowski, because it sums up this book just as accurately. Like everything the Kelby team does, the layout appeals to the visual senses immediately. The images and examples throughout the book are well done and demonstrate real world examples of how to correct or enhance your images in Photoshop.
I'll repeat myself to make certain you come away with a clear understanding of how strongly I recommend this book. Scott Kelby far and away writes the best guides to Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Photoshop Lightroom that I have ever come across. His are the first books to buy when faced with learning either program.
Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Digital Photographers
A great book packed with essential tips and tricks.
My skill level is medium to advanced ... this book has taught me new techniques. For instance: Scott's method for finding neutral grays; fixing reflections in glasses; fixing group shots; how to use smart objects; their advantages and disadvantages; making me aware of the free Online Photo Gallery software that is available for CS3; and teaching me how to install and use it.
The book concentrates on the nitty-gritty with step-by-step illustrations. Basic stuff is ommitted so if you are not comfortable with layers then you may struggle. Chapters 1 & 2 deal with using Bridge. Chapter 3 goes into RAW processing. Chapters 4 - 11 (some 271 pages) is packed with techniques. Chapter 12 is great as it shows 10 techniques for presenting your work. Finally chapter 13 outlines Scott's personal workflow which gives you a useful insight to professional photography.
Laced throughout the book is Scott's zany humour. Some like it ... some don't. If you are in the latter camp don't read the first page of each chapter. In general the actual tutorials are free of it :)
Throughout the book Scott makes reference to other sources of material. For instance he refers to Dan Margulis's book "Photoshop LAB Color". If you only have a passing interest in LAB then Scott has effectively condensed Dan's book down to a series of steps that, if applied, will punch up the color of drab photos without the need to understand LAB curves. But if you want a complete understanding of LAB then read Dan's book or "Scott Kelbys 7-point system for Adobe Photoshop CS3".
The book gets 10 out of 10 for layout. The photos in the sidebars have been carefully chosen to not only illustrate the techniques being taught but to also give you ideas as to what can be achieved. A great source of ideas.
I don't have the latest version of CS4 but I am certain that the techniques shown in this book would apply.
The Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers
You can't go wrong with a Scott Kelby book. It is perfect as a cookbook for Photoshop. Need to repair a photo? His index points to the proper section and the problem is quickly resolved. This book omits all the graphic arts projects that are usually included in other Photoshop Books.
| 
