How to Wow with Photoshop Elements 4 [Paperback]

Jack Davis (Author), Mike McHugh (Author), Wayne Rankin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 23, 2006 | ISBN-10: 0321375823 | ISBN-13: 978-0321375827

Wouldn't it be great if you could have three of the world's most accomplished and sought after Photoshop teachers sitting next to you at your computer as you navigate the infinite possibilities of Adobe Photoshop Elements 4?

How to Wow with Photoshop Elements 4 is the next best thing. Three Photoshop powerhouses--Jack Davis, Mike McHugh, and Wayne Rankin--all renowned authors, graphic designers, and trainers, have developed an effective way to help you reach your full creative potential.

Jack, Mike, and Wayne guide you step-by-step through real-world projects, with an emphasis on uncompromising quality, last-minute flexibility, and go-home-at-night speed! You'll learn tips and techniques on everything from common workflow problems and exciting photo enhancing techniques to custom projects and presentations using Photoshop Elements 4. Whether it's optimizing the color and tone of your image, retouching cosmetic undesirables, or creating custom presentations, you’re given the tools at every stage of the creative process in order to learn How to Wow!

This book begins with the essentials of workflow (including Sizing Images, Working with Layers, and Color Management) and then moves on to photo organizing and optimizing and retouching and enhancing. Next comes the fun with creative projects such as texturing your images and turning them into works of art, applying a virtual tattoo, creating custom wrapping paper, producing a multimedia presentation, making a Web photo gallery, and more. The How to Wow! companion CD makes it a snap and is packed with everything you need to work through the projects in the book and start creating your own graphics that wow!

This book is for Windows users only.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press (February 23, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321375823
• ISBN-13: 978-0321375827
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,649,304 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Wow, I guess, May 9, 2006

By 

Jerry Bates (Puyallup, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Wow with Photoshop Elements 4 (Paperback)

I found this a fun book to go through, while a few, of the exercises seemed to be missing steps and a bit confusing (Most of them went smoothly).

I have a problem with devoting over a quarter of the book's 175 pages to "Essentials" covering basics like using layers, selecting, resizing, organizing images etc. If you need to learn the basics this shouldn't be the book you buy. The essentials/basics section of How To Wow with Photoshop Elements 4.0 is not comprehensive enough for a beginner to get a solid foundation. Yet, much of the basics would be repetitions to those already comfortable with Elements who may have bought the book wanting to increase their skills and learn new processes.

As I said the projects are fun to go through and are loaded with neat, practical techniques and tips that could be used in many situations outside the examples covered in the chapters.

I could find no mention of color management or printing issues in this book? Also, I found the section on Camera Raw and its advantages and uses a bit brief.

The book is written for Windows users. Using the Mac version of Elements 4.0, I had no real problem following most of the exercises in the book. Beyond the Organizer versus Bridge issues, there is no major problem for a Mac user.

The book is full of practical projects for the non-professional digital photographer. After you get the basics down and what to progress on with Elements, this is a good book to consider.

5.0 out of 5 stars very helpful book, November 7, 2008

By 

Colorado kid (Longmont, Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Wow with Photoshop Elements 4 (Paperback)

I checked out this book at the local library, and liked it so much that I ordered it thru Amazon. I have several different books on Photoshop 4. Several things about this book made it a pleasure to use and read, for me. The layout was straight forward and broken down into six major parts. They then further divided these six groups into specific topics that a person might like to try with photo enhancement fixes using everday language for the most part. You can pick a topic that intrests you, and go straight to it. As I stated earlier, I have several other books on Photoshop 4, but this one is the most straight forward in my opinion. The authors also give recomendations on settings to try when using their techniques, (which is a great place to start, and I really liked). When covering a technique, they also explain what not to do, and what happens when using that technique. That in turn, allows a person to develop a greater depth of understanding about Photshop Elements. Steps were well explained and clearly illistrated. Topics covered, appear to be ones that I actually will have a need for, and not some make believe fantasy use to fill up a book.
Only five pages are devoted to RAW format. I wish that section had more. All in all, a great book for starter and intermediate levels.

4.0 out of 5 stars Recommended, November 5, 2007

By 

o2b4ft11 (Blacksburg, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Wow with Photoshop Elements 4 (Paperback)

Great book with lots of good information for those just starting out. Don't expect to be an expert after one read. You do have to practice in order for what you learn to actually be of benefit. The CD is great too! Lots of nice extras!