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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Practical to Esoteric, October 23, 2006
This review is from: Idea to Image in Photoshop CS2: Rick Sammon's Guide to Enhancing Your Digital Photographs (Paperback)
"Idea to Image" is a short book about digital photography with a theme. Sammon says that the photographic process includes not only capturing an image but also manipulating it with software like Photoshop. Therefore, the photographer should be concerned about what he will do with the photograph after he takes it at the time that he is taking it. The idea is not a new one. Ansel Adams preached this philosophy of visualization in his writings. In fact, Sammon even appropriates Adams' taking/making dichotomy.
The book starts out by describing how the author envisioned manipulating certain photographs before he clicked the shutter. He next provides three chapters that show the application of Photoshop to digital files with progressively more esoteric tools. He finishes up with examples of photographs that he took on a trip to the kingdom of Bhutan.
Although the book jacket says that the book is for beginning to intermediate photographers, readers will have to have experience with correctly using a digital camera and be able to find their way around Photoshop to benefit from these lessons. On the other hand those who have the necessary familiarity will find the book a pleasure, because even though Sammon doesn't always indicate the basic menus to click, his writing is so clear that those familiar with Photoshop will have no difficulty applying these lessons.
I found the second chapter that deals with applying basic adjustments to digital files to be the clearest I've read on this subject. If you were ever the least bit confused about using layer masks to selectively adjust your image this book will enlighten you.
As the book progresses, and the tools become those less frequently used, I found it a little hard to imagine that I would ever be able to photograph a subject with these tools in mind. And yet I suppose that now that I know I can easily give a building glowing edges, I might visualize that.
Also in the later chapters, Sammon's instructions become more cursory. Thus I understood that I could use the liquefy command to make a women's waist narrower, but I had to go to other sources to really understand how the liquefy filter works.
When I got to the chapter on the Bhutan trip, I would have liked to see more explanation of the post-processing that Sammon had in mind when he took each of these pictures.
Finally, I felt that there was a promise of vision in the introduction that was somehow not kept. I was not surprised, since no book I've read has ever been able to deliver on vision, but rather like Sammon, they all showed how the authors used technique to implement their vision. Still when I came to an astounding picture of a beautiful young woman apparently about to be embraced by a fresco painting of an angel, I wondered how Sammon could have come up with this idea. Certainly I would have walked by such a painting without a second thought.
The reader can download copies of the pictures in the book to follow along with the lessons. I found the file structure of the downloaded files to be a little confusing but eventually I was able to bring the pictures into Photoshop. Further confusion resulted because some pictures in the book had different caption numbers in the downloaded files. But I recommend downloading these pictures and applying the tools the author suggests. The process of actually doing the work will help to keep the tools in mind so that you can include them in your visualization.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More Why to than How to, January 23, 2007
This review is from: Idea to Image in Photoshop CS2: Rick Sammon's Guide to Enhancing Your Digital Photographs (Paperback)
Idea to Image in Photoshop CS2 - Rick Sammon's Guide to Enhancing Your Digital Photos is a different sort of Photoshop book. Most Photoshop books focus on showing you what can be done to enhance your image. Idea to Image approaches from a different perspective. Rick Sammon encourages you as the reader to focus on your final vision prior to capturing the image. Throughout the chapters he sprinkles in an assortment of suggestions and examples designed to aid with composition, and timing. Learning when to take the picture, and encouraging you to experiment and think beyond a single shot.
The book is 202 pages long, and very reader friendly. In reviewing other Photoshop books I often conclude that you can jump in anywhere that interests you and start playing. With Idea to Image I think it best to start at the beginning and read it in order at least through the first two chapters. There is a lot of good advice in the opening pages and to skip past it would be a mistake.
Once you get into the book, like most Photoshop books, the lessons are brief and well encapsulated allowing you to quickly access what you need to know to try a new technique. The book encourages you to explore and experiment, always-good advice in my mind. I always encourage my friends to push beyond the obvious application of a technique and think of unique ways to apply a new style.
Idea to Image is a great book if you are in need of a little creative boost. While some of the subject matter would be beneficial to beginner photographers, there are surely better places for a novice to look for help. The more I know about Photoshop the more I realize how much more there is to learn. Idea to Image is a great reminder to focus on the final image, not just the viewfinder, and it is a welcome shot in the arm when your creativity is waning.
To me a review is most meaningful when you know a little something about the person writing the review. I have been an avid amateur photographer since the late 1970's and have been selling my work since 2004. Photography isn't my day job, but it does provide a welcome supplement. I have been shooting with a Canon Professional Digital SLR since 2003 and perform the vast majority of my post processing work in Photoshop. I began with Photoshop 7 and currently work with CS2. I am a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) and make extensive use of the abundant educational materials available on the member website. I have read well over two-dozen Photoshop training guides with one overriding goal in mind; producing the best images possible.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Idea To Image in Photoshop CS2:Rick Sammon's Guide to Enhancing your Digital Photographs, December 29, 2006
This review is from: Idea to Image in Photoshop CS2: Rick Sammon's Guide to Enhancing Your Digital Photographs (Paperback)
Before I give you my review of Rick Sammon's new book, Idea To Image in Photoshop CS2, let me tell you a bit about me. I am an enthusiastic advanced amateur photographer--with roughly 40 years of experience that includes published magazine and Associated Press photos and numerous awards. I gave up my wet darkroom a few years ago for digital photography, image editing in Photoshop and ink jet printing. But, enough about me; let's get on to the important stuff and why you're reading this review: my thoughts on Idea To Image in Photoshop C2. So, what kind of book is this, and who is it for?
What Kind of Book is This?
Strictly speaking, this is not a how-to-do-it book. Yes, it has many examples of how Rick created his photos and associated effects. And, looking in the Table of Contents, you'll find a goodly list of projects that offer numerous techniques, such as, A Note Paper Effect, A Quick Pencil Sketch and Speed-Aging A Photograph. But the crux of the book is an attempt (mostly successful) to teach the reader how to take a concept for a photograph and, through a combination of careful planning, good photographic techniques and post shoot Photoshop image enhancements, create professional-level images.
There are three sections to the book: Chapter 1 on how to get ideas for innovative images; Chapters 2 through 4 about actual shooting and enhancement techniques, and Chapter 5 on how Rick (and you) can envision and carry through projects, as the title of the book says, from idea to image.
Who is Idea To Image in Photoshop C2 for?
This book is definitely not for absolute beginners in either photography or Photoshop. Rick assumes some basic knowledge in both areas. And, since this is a project-oriented book, he assumes the reader wants to learn, not only how, but also why, Rick recommends each technique. Rick also goes to great lengths to explain where each concept he describes fits into the scheme of the creation of the final image.
Conclusion
The obvious question now is, will this book at least return your investment? If you're looking to up your photography/Photoshop skills beyond the basics, to what Rick refers to as photographic artistry, the answer is yes. Rick's premise is that any photographer only gets out of a photographic project what he or she puts into it, and besides reasonable skill and imagination, that also means sufficient time. If you're willing to put in that time, this book will prove an excellent guide.
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