The Adobe Photoshop CS4 Book for Digital Photographers Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're like me, when you sit down to process photos you don't really have the time to explore options and try out new techniques. You just have time to do the work. Though my byline above IDs me as a book author, I also do color correction for the photos in my books, and have done commercial photo retouching since those dark days in darkrooms. I learned Photoshop on version 1.0 (we upgraded from Digital Darkroom, anyone else remember that?), and since that time haven't kept up much with all the new improvements. I just get photos in and need to get them out. Quickly.
Anyway, I haven't bought a Photoshop book in years. I saw the other good reviews this book is getting and thought I'd give it a try.
And boy am I glad I did!
There are four chapters here I'm going to use a lot:
CHAPTER 6 is filled with shortcuts, tips and tricks. Many other books are too, yes, but this one has a straightforward presentation filled with doses of humor. (Whereas many software guides are about as interesting as a dead fish, this one is filled with a lively, witty writing style that nevertheless gets its points across cleanly.)
CHAPTER 7 is all about color correction, which is my main concern. A section called "The trick pros use to make color correction simple" is nice to know. It suggests using black, gray and white cards in your photo, and the Curves adjustment in Photoshop to almost automatically correct the color.
CHAPTER 10 focuses (sorry, bad pun) on problematic photos. Included are:
a. Fixing color in indoor shots
b. When your subject is in the shadows
c. 15-second fix for under- or overexposed photos
d. Dodging and burning in CS4
e. Instant red-eye removal
f. Fixing reflections in glasses
g. The CS4 secret to fixing group shots
h. Having Photoshop extend your depth of field
i. The fastest way to resize brushes ever (plus you can change their hardness, too)
CHAPTER 13 finally explained the configuration of color space to me in a way I, after all these years, now understand. There is also both the lame way and the correct way to calibrate your monitor.
Also covered thoroughly: Bridge, Camera Raw, black and white photography, HDR, special effects and sharpening.
With crisp text, clear descriptions, a pleasing layout and great organization, this is a book I'll be using every day. What a resource!
The author has written two other books, both of which our company uses often:
The Digital Photography Book
The Digital Photography Book, Volume 2

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ARE YOU READY FOR AN AMAZING NEW VERSION OF THE PHOTOSHOP BOOK THAT BREAKS ALL THE RULES?Scott Kelby, the best-selling Photoshop author in the world today, once again takes this book to a whole new level as he uncovers the latest, most important, and most exciting new Adobe Photoshop CS4 techniques for digital photographers. This major update to his award-winning, record-breaking book does something for digital photographers that's never been done before—it cuts through the bull and shows you exactly "how to do it." It's not a bunch of theory; it doesn't challenge you to come up with your own settings or figure it out on your own. Instead, Scott shows you step-by-step the exact techniques used by today's cutting-edge digital photographers, and best of all, he shows you flat-out exactly which settings to use, when to use them, and why. That's why the previous editions of this book are widely used as the official study guide in photography courses at colleges and universities around the world.LEARN HOW THE PROS DO ITEach year Scott trains thousands of professional photographers how to use Photoshop, and almost without exception they have the same questions, the same problems, and the same challenges—and that's exactly what he covers in this book. You'll learn:• The sharpening techniques the pros really use.• The pros' tricks for fixing the most common digital photo problems fast!• The step-by-step setup for getting what comes out of your printer to match exactly what you see onscreen.• A whole chapter on how to process HDR (High Dynamic Range) images.• How to master new CS4 interface and workflow features.• How to color correct any photo without breaking a sweat.• How to process RAW digital camera images (plus how to take advantage of all the new Camera Raw features in CS4!).• How to add real automation to your work.• How to show your work like a pro!• A host of shortcuts, workarounds, and slick "insider" tricks to send your productivity through the roof!Plus, Scott included a special bonus chapter with his own CS4 workflow, from start to finish. If you're a digital photographer, and you're ready to learn the "tricks of the trade"—the same ones that today's leading pros use to correct, edit, sharpen, retouch, and present their work—then you're holding the book that will do just that.

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