Which Books?

Hi Group-I’ve got $55 worth of coupons at Amazon that are burning a hole in my pocket and have to use them by 15th.

Hi Group-I’ve got $55 worth of coupons at Amazon that are burning a hole in my pocket and have to use them by 15th. I have the PS CS Bible, paperback version. I’m going to order PS CS Book for Digital Photographers but wonder about some other books that sound interesting and authoritative. I only do photography, no graphics. I’m probably a step above novice-I haven’t worked with layers. I am familiar with most of the tools as to their basic uses but don’t know what the color picker, paint bucket and those related tools are about.

Apart from the fact that I haven’t spent much time with 1100 page soft cover Bible, between the following books what 2 or 3 that you use would you suggest for me and why. I obviously would want to avoid subject matter/depth duplication as much as possible and also want a clear and simple writing style so that I understand what I read (I’m aware this is subjective). The books are:

Adobe PS CS Artistry
Real World Adobe PS CS by Fraser etc
PS Restoration and Retouching by Eismann
PS Color Correction by Kieran
PS CS Bible, hard cover ed.

Thanks for any illumination you can throw on this issue. BTW, went to Borders yesterday and spent time with the Artistry book-I kind of liked the style but don’t have any idea of how it rates to the others or what subject matter would be duplicated by 1 or more of the other books.

Apart from the fact that I haven’t spent much time with 1100 page soft cover Bible,

PS Restoration and Retouching by Eismann

From: "outtasight"

I have the PS CS Bible, paperback
version. I’m going to order PS CS Book for Digital Photographers but wonder about some other books that sound interesting and authoritative. I only do photography, no graphics.

between the following books what 2 or 3 that you use would you suggest for me and why.

Adobe PS CS Artistry

Real World Adobe PS CS by Fraser etc

PS Restoration and Retouching by Eismann

PS Color Correction by Kieran

PS CS Bible, hard cover ed.

Thanks for any illumination you can throw on this issue.

From: "Mike Russell"

I highly recommend Dan Margulis’s Professional Photoshop book.

If you can get two get Eismann and Artistry. If only one, get Artistry, is my suggestion.

From: "Mike Russell"

I highly recommend Dan Margulis’s Professional Photoshop book.

I’ve read this one and think it’s a bit too deep for a beginner or low-intermediate who is working mainly with RGB files. I have no bones to pick with Dan as he’s a very knowledgable guy (and in the Photoshop Hall of Fame), but it’s written mainly for people doing CMYK work and several of the positions he takes are somewhat controversial, like his disdain for anything but 8 bit mode, his dislike of the ICM color management flow, which is wonderful for RGB files printed on inkjets (once you have a calibrated monitor and good printer profiles), and his dislike for almost any color correction tool except Curves.
Maybe make it your fifth or sixth book (especially if you want to work with CMYK or want to get a lot of practice using Curves), but I’d say it’s definitely not a good choice for your first or second Photoshop book.
Of course he mentions Mike in the book so maybe that’s why Mike likes it so much ? 🙂

He also mentions Chris Cox, in a much less favorable light … what do you think, Chris? 🙂

Bill

Margulis’ book is definitely a challenge for the beginners, and his intended readers are more printing pros rather than desktop hobbyists. Lacking a clarification between the two in the writing can be very confusing for the hobbyists. His writing style is not my favorite, and he is certainly opinionated.

However, there is one section that I think can be very helpful for the beginners. Most books will teach you how to begin editing by removing color casts in an image’s white/black/neutral areas. Margulis teaches you how to evaluate which parts of an image are *true*
white/black/neutrals, and whether these tones exist at all *before* editing. (Kind of like what a good carpentry instructor would teach you to measure twice before cutting.) I only wish I had read that chapter before learning any PS tools. It would have kept me from trying to remove color casts in the *wrong* white/black/neutrals areas. Talk about wasted time and headache! That by itself is worth the price of the whole book.

Many have also recommended a Channel Chops book that covers blending, which is supposed to be the basis of PS. It is out of print, and I have yet to get hold of one.

Bill Hilton wrote:

From: "Mike Russell"

I highly recommend Dan Margulis’s Professional Photoshop book.

I’ve read this one and think it’s a bit too deep for a beginner or low-intermediate who is working mainly with RGB files. I have no bones

with Dan as he’s a very knowledgable guy (and in the Photoshop Hall of

but it’s written mainly for people doing CMYK work and several of the

he takes are somewhat controversial, like his disdain for anything but 8

mode, his dislike of the ICM color management flow, which is wonderful

files printed on inkjets (once you have a calibrated monitor and good

profiles), and his dislike for almost any color correction tool except

Maybe make it your fifth or sixth book (especially if you want to work

CMYK or want to get a lot of practice using Curves), but I’d say it’s definitely not a good choice for your first or second Photoshop book.
Of course he mentions Mike in the book so maybe that’s why Mike likes it

much ? 🙂

He also mentions Chris Cox, in a much less favorable light … what do

think, Chris? 🙂

Bill

Hi Group-I’ve got $55 worth of coupons at Amazon that are burning a hole

my pocket and have to use them by 15th. I have the PS CS Bible, paperback version. I’m going to order PS CS Book for Digital Photographers but

about some other books that sound interesting and authoritative. I only

photography, no graphics. I’m probably a step above novice-I haven’t

with layers. I am familiar with most of the tools as to their basic uses but don’t know what the color picker, paint bucket and those related tools are about.

Apart from the fact that I haven’t spent much time with 1100 page soft

Bible, between the following books what 2 or 3 that you use would you suggest for me and why. I obviously would want to avoid subject matter/depth duplication as much as possible and also want a clear and simple writing style so that I understand what I read (I’m aware this is subjective). The books are:

Adobe PS CS Artistry
Real World Adobe PS CS by Fraser etc
PS Restoration and Retouching by Eismann
PS Color Correction by Kieran
PS CS Bible, hard cover ed.

Thanks for any illumination you can throw on this issue. BTW, went to Borders yesterday and spent time with the Artistry book-I kind of liked

style but don’t have any idea of how it rates to the others or what

matter would be duplicated by 1 or more of the other books.

with layers. I am familiar with most of the tools as to their basic uses but don’t know what the color picker, paint bucket and those related tools are about.