Photoshop Elements Book (advice)

PCPhil

PCPhil

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Phil
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Hi,

I need to understand more about Photoshop Elements. Yes I play (when work allows) and I look at "Help" and online guides but I always find that I can get the knowledge in best when read in a book (plus I can do it when travelling).

What is/is there a good book for understanding pp in Elements?
 
There are several. The ones I like best are those by Scott Kelby. Very easy to understand, excellent screen shots to help you find your way, and sample photos for every action that he talks about.

His books aren't compendiums, however, detailing every possible feature, so you will have to use your native curiosity and creativity to go beyond the information in his books.

He has several out...one for each edition of Photoshop Elements (6, 7, 8, 9). Just match one up to the PSE version you have and you are good to go.
 
Books are no match for DVD's where you can actually watch someone doing and explaining the techniques. Plenty of DVD's available and most photo mags include DVD's demonstrating their monthly tutorials. IMHO books are obsolete for learning photoshop techniques.
 
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Phil

I'm with you in prefering a book: I can look things up more easily, can dip in wherever I like and can go at my own pace plus I can keep it with me to read when I have time to fill but no access to a computer or television.

I have The Photoshop Elements 6 Book For Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski and found it an excellent book to sit and read through: I didn't remember all of it but at least I knew it was covered somewhere in the book. When I upgraded to Elements 9 last year I tried a book by a different author (Photoshop Elements 9: The Missing Manual by Barbara Brundage) and have also found it very readable but without the attempts at humour which some may find makes it drier but which I prefer.
 
Books are totally inefectual compared to watching someone actually carry out the process live for you to see exactly how it is done (very similar to fly tying). I suppose books are for SLR users and DVD's are for DSLR's users!
 
Jackwow said:
Books are totally inefectual compared to watching someone actually carry out the process live for you to see exactly how it is done (very similar to fly tying). I suppose books are for SLR users and DVD's are for DSLR's users!
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Ooo, low blow! :)

Seriousley, I am as tecky, digital and paper free as they come. It's just that as much as I like to go silicon I find that for a deep understanding of something as a 'hobby' that a book is the best way. It enables me to do a complete switch from my normal world and relax into something different.
 
Everyone has their preferred way of learning and if you end up being able to use the product then that medium is not 'ineffectual.' Each to their own!

There's a book called Photoshop Elements 9 The Missing Manual that's reputed to be reasonable.
 
I have the elements 8 book as detailed above, I find it great and easy to use.
 
I have got a book called "Teach yourself visually...PSE8".

It is meant to be an excellant book if you prefer "reading" to learn, which I do. But alas to say, I have actually learnt more watching DVD's/tutorials. The book is in plain easy to understand english, but I just don't seem to be able to achieve what I want from it...yet when I put on a tutorial...hey presto! Everything works!

This probably doesn't really help you...sorry!
 
davep90 said:
I agree. But you will probably use it along side a good book.
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I have read quite a few books on PhotoShop, elements, and lightroom. I like the books by Scott kelby if you mainly work in rgb and not lab mode.

Also the kelby training site is well worth the monthly fee at least for a month or two and you can watch most of the videos in that time. They have tutorials on lots of applications as well as actual photography tutorials. They have some great togs on there, like Joe mcnally, David Ziser's, cliff mautner, jay Maisel and more.

They are always adding new videos but updates are infrequent at times. Still its a pretty good resource and entertainmening too imo.
 
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