Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 Maximum Performance: Unleash the Hidden Performance of Elements [Paperback]

Mark Galer M.Ed. (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0240520483 | ISBN-13: 978-0240520483 | Publication Date: November 2, 2006 | Edition: 1

This book/DVD package will stretch your digital images and Elements 5.0 to the max!

Produce superior, high-end professional results that until now were not possible without the full Photoshop program. With this package, you will discover insider secrets that you can use immediately to solve common problems that even the pros have to overcome. Now you can achieve effects only dreamed of by casual users. Beginning right away with these full-color, real-world projects, you can transform your shots into professional images that look as if they belong in glossy magazines-without commercial lighting, studio equipment, or breaking the bank.

Uncover the hidden techniques to create photos that look they were shot by a pro. And best of all, there is no need to upgrade to the full version of Photoshop to make it happen.

Packed with dynamic hands-on projects, this book/DVD package reveals the tools, advanced techniques, and loadable presets that unleash the creative potential of intermediate to advanced photographers. From editing your shots to correcting flaws and using advanced options for more power, you will find out how to combine all the features of Elements with clever workarounds that will give your shots the 'wow' factor.

New: Maximum Performance Action Files fast track your editing workflow when you have dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of shots.

You get everything you need at your fingertips with the accompanying DVD, packed with bonus extras so that you achieve the results you want:

* 5 hours of video tutorials
* Over 200 royalty-free, high-resolution images
* Raw and 16-bits/Channel files
* Stock library
* Keyboard shortcut reference guide
* And more.

Now you can unleash the full power of Elements 5.0 to produce creations that will astonish you. Author and imaging guru Mark Galer puts the thrill of digital photography for your most important shots where it belongs-directly in your hands. With this thoroughly updated book and DVD package, you can finally make the most of hot new features like how to.

. Adjust sharpness and curves
. Convert to black and white
. Correct camera distortion
. Use Motion Blur to render the static image more dramatic
. Remove unwanted elements from your photographs
. Adjust exposure in Adobe Camera RAW to create classic Low Key images
. And more.

Mark Galer is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Imaging at the RMIT University. He is a Photoshop Elements Ambassador for Adobe Pacific and author of seven books ranging from digital capture to Photoshop editing skills.

Get the most out of your digital camera, maximize the power of Adobe Photoshop's Elements 5.0, and unleash your own creativity to make your once-in-a-lifetime photos look like a pro shot them!

Praise for the previous edition:

"Well written, well illustrated, with a good knack for explaining complex issues in a non-threatening and comprehensible manner." -Steve Caplin, digital artist and author of "How to Cheat in Photoshop".

"Stunning images without breaking the bank! Using techniques normally associated with Photoshop, Mark Galer proves that this often-belittled program can produce truly remarkable results."
David Asch, photographer and digital artist, UK

"Truly Maximum Performance! This book has propelled my knowledge of Photoshop Elements to a very high competent professional level. I cannot express my absolute delight with my new skills."
Richard McWhorter, author, USA

"A great book to learn with...Stuffed with expert performance tips" Tim Daly, photographer, UK

A Great Book and DVD Combination!
"I have learned more from watching (and rewatching) the videos than I did at a $400 two-day Photoshop Workshop" V. Hutson, USA

* DVD includes FOUR HOURS of tutorials, image files, RAW and 16Bits/Channel files, a stock library and a keyboard shortcut reference guide
* Updated with new images and 3 new cutting edge projects: lens correction, hair extraction, and motion blur
* Vital sections on Camera Raw, Black and White, and High Dynamic Range have all been extended

Editorial Reviews

Review

" I was impressed by the variety of techniques discussed that I thought could only be done in Photoshop. This book is well written with carefully planned-out tutorials that explain each step with illustrations to go along. The book also comes with a DVD. If you doubt that Elements might be a cheaper but just as effective alternative to Photoshop, you need to see Mark Galen's book..." - Apogee Photo Magazine, November 2006

"In less than a week of 'playing' (learning), I was getting great real-world results with my images, and was having a blast going back to my original files and seeing just how much more quality I could coax out of them...which was considerable...

...I thought the book and DVD were terrific, and were a bargain at the price I paid." - Amazon.com reviewer, March 06

Galer's writing is not only easy to understand but a pleasure to read, as he explains how and why to utilize a feature, always keeping the art of photography clearly at the forefront.-Digital Photographer, Feb-Apr 2007

About the Author

Mark Galer is the Program Director and Senior lecturer at RMIT University in the School of Media and Communication, Australia. He is also co-writer of their popular online photography courses. He has lectured in photography in the UK and Australia and has worked commercially as a freelance photographer on corporate and editorial assignments. He has written numerous top-selling photography books, including Photography Foundations for Art & Design, the Popular Photoshop Elements; Maximum Performance and Photoshop; Essential Skills series. He is an Official Adobe Ambassador for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements.

Product Details

• Paperback: 296 pages
• Publisher: Focal Press; 1 edition (November 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0240520483
• ISBN-13: 978-0240520483
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,318,143 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #45 in Books > Computers & Technology > Digital Photography & Video > Adobe Photoshop Elements

More About the Author

Mark Galer is a Senior Lecturer in photography at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. He has lectured in photography in the UK and Australia and has worked commercially as a freelance photographer on corporate and editorial assignments. He has written numerous top-selling photography books, including Photoshop CS5 Essential Skills, Digital Photography Essential Skills, Adobe Photoshop Elements 9.0 Maximum Performance and Photographic Lighting Essential Skills. He is an official Adobe Ambassador for Photoshop.

http://www.markgaler.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For the Intermediate to Advanced digital photographer, this is an outstanding guide..., March 9, 2007

By 

S. H. Summers - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 Maximum Performance: Unleash the Hidden Performance of Elements (Paperback)

To be perfectly candid, the people that rated this book poorly either didn't read it or watch the videos, didn't work through the lessons, or were simply beginners who needed to start with a book more closely targeted at their knowledge level.

NOTE: The rating on the back of the book puts it in the Intermediate to Advanced category, and this is accurate.

I wanted to be able to do professional-level digital image editing in PSE5, and I found that this book filled that need perfectly. It's definitely not a book for beginners, as it assumes that you are familiar with all the basic digital imaging terminology and standard photographic concepts.

On the other hand, I'd never used Photoshop or Elements before, and I found that I was able to work through the various exercises rather easily. I didn't even notice the few typos cited by other reviewers, but then in most instances I used my own images while going through the lessons, prefering to learn the concepts and techniques, but not follow each and every direction to the letter.

One thing that I really liked about this book, is that it doesn't waste time on any of the cutesy functions available in PSE5 (like scrapbooking, etc.). A few reviewers comment as though this is one of those books that goes through every single function in the program - "the missing manual". Make no mistake, this book ONLY teaches you how to perform the kind of truly professional-level non-destructive editing functions that normally require the full photoshop program. The author does a great job at this IMO, and the way I see it, I can now perform ALL necessary and desired editing on my digital images, for about 1/10th the price of the full PS program. Yes, PSE has built in limitations, but the author makes a point of showing you techniques that sidestep, eliminate, or limit the impact of these to where they cease to be problems. For instance, PSE5 doesn't provide Curves as an adjustment layer, but the author shows you several methods for gaining at least as much control over curves as the standard toolset provides CS2 users, in a similar non-destructive manner.

In less than a week of 'playing' (learning), I was getting great real-world results with my images, and was having a blast going back to my original files and seeing just how much more quality I could coax out of them...which was considerable. And if I someday outgrow PSE (or win the lottery) and get a nutty desire to upgrade, the techniques and concepts taught in the book are directly applicable to the industry standard software tool.

The last thing I'll mention that made this an outstanding resource, were the videos on the DVD. All in QuickTime format, they cover absolutely every project in the book, and it's really an effective teaching tool to have as an adjunct to the text. Several reviewers commented that they got lost during the lessons. If you somehow get lost during the lesson, and watching and hearing it done on screen *right in front of you* doesn't fill your clue bag, then evidently you need to start with a book that targets the basics first.

I thought the book and DVD were terrific, and were a bargain at the price I paid. If you have a similar outlook, expectations, and experience level as I've described, I'm sure you'll be thrilled with this book. Cudos to the author.

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 Maximum performance, November 26, 2006

By 

MNS (Orinda, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 Maximum Performance: Unleash the Hidden Performance of Elements (Paperback)

The parts of the book I have looked at in detail are in most part written in a clear style with excellent examples. However, this could have been a wonderful book for potential users of varied experiences except for the periodic "glitches" where some directions are obtuse as the writer overestimates the knowledge of the reader. Moreover, there are some mistakes, all that can be very frustrating and serve as time consuming "road blocks". For example, it is impossible to follow the directions for setting-up "Maximum Performance Actions" (Page XVII) because the file is titled E5MP_Actions in the book and it should have been entitled MP5_Actions, which is on the disc. Search as one may, E5MP_Actions cannot be found. Moreover, some file names that the users are directed to are not exactly the same as in Elements 5, again making a user have to think a bit. In addition, one finds some directions to be wrong. For example, P. 20, the user is directed to use "Unsharp Mask" by going to the Filter menu and look under the "sharpen submenu". It is not there but is in the Enhancement Menu. In Photoshop CS2, it is in the Filter menu. All of the above kinds of problems detract greatly from what could have been an outstanding book. It has the appearance of having been rushed into print. I will still use the book to help me learn Elements 5, but I would not recommend it to a novice.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Book Is Great !!, December 9, 2006

By 

Craig (Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 Maximum Performance: Unleash the Hidden Performance of Elements (Paperback)

I recommend this book!!!!
Any serious amateur or weekend photographer looking for someone or something to show you how to get the most out of your photography should get hold of this book.
Good photography and retouching moved away from "one-click" operations a long time ago and this book appeals because it takes you beyond that and into a new realm of new techniques and applications. I have had previous versions of Photoshop Elements and now this book opens it up to really fine tune my photography.
There's so much information supplied in the book and DVD including Quicktime movies (about 5gig) showing the "elements" process in full working order. Just watch the video and pause as you go through it, whilst you work on the author's, or on your own shots. The techniques and the way they are conveyed are first class. It couldn't be easier for the reader to extend their knowledge and skills in retouching to become a "guru" without spending the massive dollars to buy Photoshop CS2. And it comes with the full resolution images also. I haven't found any other book that offers this much insight and information. Try combining the techniques too. It's brilliant, a masterpiece! Landscape and people photos take on a new appeal. I had no trouble understanding this book.
This book rocks because it shows how to get professional results out of your photography, on a program that your whole family can easily use.
If you want to transform you photos into amazing award winners without spending the big dollars and time learning the full version of Photoshop and you've learnt the basics of Elements then I suggest you buy this book!.