Depends on what you want to do with Photoshop.
Bob
Mindy – cast the book aside.
Be bold and be creative.
You IMHO don’t need a book just confidence in your own abilities
Post and be proud?
If you lack a collection of single malts such as deebs and I maintain to help free the creative muse, you might want to look at any of Scott Kelby’s books, such as "PS for Digital Photographers," "PS Killer Tips," and "PS Down & Dirty Tricks," although you don’t need all of ’em — there’s a fair amount of repitition. There’s another one on retouching by Katrin Eismann that’s pretty good too. And she also has one out on masking, but I haven’t seen it.
If you’re working with RAW files from digital cameras, Real World Camera Raw by Bruce Fraser is a must.
Art
This IMHO highlights the dichotomy betwixt and between technique and creativity.
I have to add that they are not IMHO mutually exclusive but I feel (and may be wrong on this having recall of some of Mindy’s earlier threads) that an exploration of inner creativity is important at this point.
This is not to exclude that in 3 months, 6 months, a year or next week that the best thing to do is to "buy a book"
As controversial as ever
deebs 🙂
Mindy,
I’m guessing that you have PS & since you have that version of Classroom In A Book. If you had CS i would recommend Adobe Photoshop CS; Complete Course by Jan Kabili. She goes through a project from start to finish to lightly cover the basics.
What I usually suggest to folk is to get something like Deke McClelland’s Bible series. Look through it, find what you need assistance on, and have at it.
I also have Katrin Eismann’s masking and compositing book. VERY good, as if Bruce Fraser’s book on RAW.
Each book is tailored to a specific feature or function. Pick and choose, then go for it!
Hello, can someone recommend a book that teaches Photoshop? I have adobe Photoshop 7.0 classroom in a book and I’m just not happy with it.
I’ve looked at most of the Photoshop books, and IMHO the best overall book is Real World PS by Fraser & Blatner. The CSPSII version should be out soon.
Deke McClelland’s PSCS One-on-One is also very good, but it covers only certain important topics.
I own both of the above, but Kelby’s books look good also and there is no shortage of excellent books. I would recommend that you spend some time at the bookstore and see which book meets your specific interests and needs.
Bill
Thanks for all the suggestions! 🙂
<whispers>
Mindy
Trust your creative instincts and use all those wonderful techniques in a creative way – then buy the book that best fits your needs
</whispers>
Even better… Go to a big brick-n-mortar bookstore like Borders or Barnes + Noble and look through all of the Photoshop books. Read a chapter from each and determine which writer’s style, method of presentation and depth and breadth of technical dissertation best suits your skill level and appeals to the way you best absorb info.
Then, see if you can find a good deal at an online retailer.
A great idea Phoz!
My preference really is for www.russellbrown.com
His QT movies are excellent
See, that’s right at the crux of the issue:
While Russell has great info, I can’t stand his delivery style for more than 10 seconds.
Different strokes for different folks.
I know what you mean but after seeing quite a few training providers anyone who can cut to the quick with gsoh wins for me 🙂
Thomas,
I’ve learnt more from this forum plus "Googling", as in Photoshop Tutorials + *, (the * is anything you want to know about, be it text, effects, or whatever) than I have from any books that I have bought in the past.
Save your $s,£s or whatever.
TMH
Unless you have a laptop, you can’t take Google into the bathroom with you!
XD
That is a point Mike but sometimes it’s great to take a good book to bed with you and read yourself to sleep absorbing Photoshop goodness.
(Or to run downstairs and try out a technique you never dreamed of before.)
Realistically, a bit of both is hard to beat.
Side note: I never cease to wonder at the North Norfolk library service which, at no cost to the citizen, puts a good selection of Photoshop books on the shelves of our library, serving a population of 2,500 souls.
"Unless you have a laptop, you can’t take Google into the bathroom with you"
Hmm, good point!
TMH
Library ?, if I’m lucky, I may be able to loan the "inside PS 5 " by G D Bouton? from my local. I don’t know what form libraries take on your "side of the pond" but over here there tend to be, more and more, banks of monitors and shelves of CD’s and self help and language videoes. Books? Dirty, smelly things that take up a lot of shelf space. "Nah, nobody reads books these days". quote. 8-(
TMH
You could always print out the neccessary and if it was no good…find another use for it.
There’s Ben Wilmore’s "Adobe Photoshop Studio Techniques." It’s geared to understanding Photoshop through a guided tour of the tools and their options. He includes a cdrom of stock art so you can practice what you’ve read.
I reiterate:
Go to a bookstore and determine which of these suggested booksor perhaps something elseappeals to you, Mindy.
Nobody can make that determination for you except you.
Adobe photoshop 7 for Photographers by Martin Evening is a great book in every respect, a joy to read and very clear and it comes with very good video tutorials. It is a little bit heavy for reading in the bathroom or bedroom but contains all you need to know about Photoshop. Happy reading.
