Learning Photoshop

I am wanting to learn more about using photoshop cs3, which I have been using. Am considering purchasing either Lewis Kemper's dvds or John Shaw's ebook or Jullieanne Kost dvds. I was wondering how many of you have learned about using the program to your fullest.

I don't know if I use PS to its fullest - I'm not sure that's possible - but I taught myself PS with the help of a lot of folks here and Anon and Grey, Photoshop CS3 for Nature Photographers. Amazon link. The edition for CS4 is out now as well. If I recall correctly, it was recommended to me by Bob Steele, former moderator of the Avian Forum. I found it very useful, well-written and accessible.

Brian:
Try http://tv.adobe.com/# ADOBEs' free training site.

Don

I recommend Lynda. com if you have a broadband connection. For $25/month you have access to all of their video tutorials and the tutorials are excellent. Deke McClelland has a tutorial on sharpening that is truly "more than you ever wanted to know" about sharpening. In it he demonstrates how unsharp masking is accomplished with Gaussian blur. Yes I said blur. Hard to believe but he proves it if you are dedicated enough to sit through the whole thing. Of course he doesn't recommend doing it that way when you have the USM tool to compress all the steps for you but it is useful to understand 'what's going on under the hood'.

There are 18 tutorials specific to Photoshop CS3 as well as others (like the sharpening one) which deal with Photoshop more generally. The ones I've done are all top notch.

Alternatively I would suggest joining NAPP (Association of Photoshop Users). You get Photoshop User magazine and access to many tutorials on the NAPP website. Scott Kelby, editor of Photoshop User also has a subscription video tutorial site.

Jim Bullard
West Stockholm, NY
"What did you learn today" Leo Buscalia

John Shaw's ebook is great. A few years back I bought his first version and it taught me all I needed to know to use PS for 99% of my nature photography. I've also been impressed with Mark Johnson's ebooks. http://www.msjphotography.com/.
Having said this, there is so much free info out on the web on how to use PS that I think you could get by without a book. Check out Alltop. It's a collection of links to other sites -
http://photoshop.alltop.com/
Youtube is also full of how-to videos.

Hello Brian,
You may also be interested in joining NAPP (NATIONAL ASSOC. OF PHOTOSHOP PROFESSIONALS).
Lots of info and tutorials,
http://www.photoshopuser.com/
Practice, practice, practice!
Neil

Definitely lynda.com!!

also consider dvd's available from "Luminous Landscape" I did not learn from them but have heard stellar reviews... it's (the website) also an invaluable source of both practical and theoretical photography information... happy learning!!

Let's do some math. Training at $25 per month is $300 per year. It gives you access to a huge wealth of highly detailed training. That's great, but when I want my car to go fast, all I need to know is that when I push the gas pedal, I go. What happens in the engine is interesting but won't make the car go faster nor make me any happier. To make wonderful photos and get all a photographer needs from Photoshop, you don't need to go into great levels of detail regarding every single aspect of the program. Better to simply learn that pushing the gas makes you go fast. Of course, if you're really into the tech, then nevermind. You'll be happy with your investment.

An alternative is NAPP as already mentioned. I think it's still only $99 a year but if not, it's sure not $300 per year. For this youI get the magazine and it is chock full of tutorial and educational material each issue, so much so that frankly I have trouble getting to try it all. In addition, it also opens up to you a large library of tutorial videos on Photoshop (and Lightroom too if you care about that) which are geared to results more than theory. That is, these tutorials focus on how to use the Photoshop tools more than how the science behind them works. There is no extra charge for this. You also get discounts on all sorts of things photographic from computer plug-ins to camera equipment to you name it.

Combine this with AdobeTV which is FREE (Julianne Kost rocks), and you can learn at your own pace without having to worry about being sure to "study this month so I get my $25 worth".

Don't misunderstand, the Lynda.com training resources are outstanding. Truly. I've seen some. And, sure $25/month is not really that much. I'm just saying there are alternatives that will still get you all you need to know to know how to use the program effectively at a pace of your choosing.

I also agree that the Anon book on CS4 for Nature Photographers is super.

Good luck with whatever you do.
JR

Thanks for all the suggestions. Many of what you mentioned I have bookmarked already. I have been watching photoshop user tv for several years now. I'll just rethink the necessity to delve in deeply or to just learn what is necessary.

Thanks again fellow photographers,
Brian Snyder
www.briansnyderphotography.com

Let me echo Jim DeWitt's advice on the book he recommends.

Whenever I get new software that has a crap manual I go to my local library and see what they have available. I was able to borrow the Anon and Grey book and found it very helpful. And I didn't have to buy it, or pay a monthly fee for web training, or any other expense.

Brian -

I took a quick look at your website. It looks like you understand the basics of Photoshop fairly well. Are you looking for a more advanced type of manual or techniques, or maybe one that goes into more of the nuts and bolts and skipping the basics? From what I saw, that would be the direction I think we should be sending you in.

Also, do you use HDR a lot? Some of the shots look like it might be that technique, especially the Lanterman's Mill and one or two of the Hocking Hills images.

While you didn't ask for it, you have some nice work on your website.

Thank you Dan for the compliment. Yes, Lanterman's Mill is HDR using a program called Essential HDR. I am still perfecting that type of work. I am trying to figure out if it is worth diving in extensively to see if there are ways to more easily process my new photos, or is it a waist of time and money. Like I told my wife, learning everything about Photoshop doesn't mean I will remember it if I don't use the different things often, so I'm leaning toward not diving in deeply to learn everything, maybe just more for photography.

Brian Snyder
www.briansnyderphotography.com

I've purchased several books over the years and read numerous online tutorials. The best one I've found is the John Shaw e-book. He has a way of relating things such that anyone can easily understand. In about a week's time I saw significant improvement in the digital images I was churning out.

Another option, albeit a more expensive one, is to attend a digital darkroom workshop.