Customer Reviews

Getting Started with Camera Raw: How to make better pictures using Photoshop and Photoshop Elements (2nd Edition)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're just starting out using Camera Raw in Photoshop or Elements I think this is a great book to start with. If you are, however, fairly experienced, it probably is going to help you only nominally. I think the layout of the book is very nice and there is very little "fluff". I think the problem some of the reviewers have with this book is that it wasn't matched with their experience level. I personally feel this is a well done book even for intermediate users.

I bought this book because I had started shooting in RAW format and, whilst I could see a difference, I wasn't clear on all the advantages.

I picked up a copy of PS Elements, too (from Amazon, great price) and I'm already seeing a big improvement in my finished photos.

The book demystifies RAW and the benefits (and pitfalls) of using various tools within PSE (I have Paint Shop Pro too and most of the tools are available within that, too, although the book only shows you how to use PSE and the full Photoshop product).

For the price, I am very pleased with this book, as far as I'm concerned it paid for itself in terms of photo quality within days.

Before I got it I looked at a significant number of other RAW books (many costing two, three or more times the price of this one) in person, rather than online, but none were as clear as this book.

I have been shooting with my Canon 30D/40D for sometime in jpeg. The whole while I knew there was a RAW mode but I didn't know how or why one uses it (other than the generic "it offers more control").

This book is an outstanding intro to answer both questions. In really clear style it gave both the theory (which for RAW is really important) and the practical applications of raw using and processing images with Adobe Camera RAW. The improvement in the final image quality from developing a raw file yourself vs letting the camera create a jpeg for you with its standard settings is really staggering .

The only part of the book I didn't think was "outstanding" was the chapter on workflow. Here the book was was "good." Having shot my last vacation in RAW, I understand completely why a book on RAW should address workflow as it becomes a major part of the process. The problem is the subject of workflow is really tied to whatever programs you are using (photoshop, Bridge, lightroom, iView, etc). The author did about as well as possible given the book is written to users of photoshop and elements. In th end, I went out and bought a book on Adobe Lightroom which is what I am not using.

I really enjoyed this book. It explains clearly the nature of raw capture, nicely describes the advantages, and takes the reader through "Camera Raw" the Adobe raw processing software. If you're experienced you might find the book too simple. But if you're interested in beginning raw processing I think you'll find this a readable and informative book. I particularly liked the beginning in which the differences between raw and JPEG are described. The one limitiation is that it doesn't deal adequately with some of the other well known software for raw processing. However, since the basic objectives are the same in all the programs and Adobe makes the most popular photo processing software this isn't a serious problem.

Very solid introduction into Camera Raw as used by Photoshop CS, CS2 and Elements. Many advanced ideas are pretty easy to follow with the fine examples included. Explains why raw format is the better choice for serious digital SLR photographers. Differences between CS2 & Elements should also help those choosing between those two programs.

This book is a must for those photographers, experiencing some confusion when attempting to apply some of the functions within their own raw conversion software. If you have Bibble, Elements 6/7, Corel PSPX2, Photoshop Perfect, Silkypix:Ben Longs book is the compliment to those software. It is worthy of a 5 Star plus. It's colour illustrated, with many examples, delves into the mysteries of histograms, clipping, batch processing, etc. etc.
For a few dollars, a bargain, a definite investment.

I really enjoyed this book. It explains clearly the nature of raw capture, nicely describes the advantages, and takes the reader through "Camera Raw" the Adobe raw processing software. If you're experienced you might find the book too simple. But if you're interested in beginning raw processing I think you'll find this a readable and informative book. I particularly liked the beginning in which the differences between raw and JPEG are described. The one limitiation is that it doesn't deal adequately with some of the other well known software for raw processing. However, since the basic objectives are the same in all the programs and Adobe makes the most popular photo processing software this isn't a serious problem.

This second updated edition of a classic on how to make better photos using Photoshop and Photoshop Elements provides keys to understanding the basics of how a digital camera captures and stores data. Camera Raw is different from working with the usual JPEG image file: this covers basic editing techniques for Camera raw and tells how to use the histogram to improve images. Any serious Photoshop user needs this specific guide.

This book came to me in perfect condition. It arrived faster than I expected it would. I would buy from this seller again! Thanks again.

I had already been using RAW for some time and wanted to see if there was anything I was missing. This book does a nice job of explaining how to use RAW, but I didn't find anything I wasn't already doing.