Customer Reviews

Paint Shop Pro 9 for Photographers

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

 

 

At first glance this is an attractive book, with a high standard of graphic design and a profusion of color illustrations. Working with it unfortunately reveals a number of annoyances. First, the organization is chaotic, with topics showing up in unexpected places. Among many examples, Chapter 1 purports to introduce PSP's features, but includes redundant and superficial sections on choosing a digital camera and computer. Chapter 3 deals with basic picture manipulation, but leaps into a discussion of scripting (which probably deserves a separate chapter). The various levels of chapter subheadings use very similar type, so it's hard to discern the structure of the book. Some topics are covered in the main body of the text, but others are only found in separate "step-by-step projects", which seem to be an attempt at exercises for the reader. Another complaint is the huge number of screen shots that are simply too small to read. And the before and after examples of image adjustments are so small that it is often impossible to see the differences. The book covers a lot of material that is obvious simply by looking at PSP's user interface, yet some important topics get short shrift. For example, the issue of color management. I couldn't find an answer to the common workflow question: "What is the best sequence to apply the many functions provided by PSP?" The authors are obviously qualified to provide some insights here. There is some good material in the book, but with some attention to organization and space priorities, it could have been much better.

If you ever had problems using PaintShop Pro, well this is your solution.
This book has everything you need including troubleshooting.

Not 100% comprehensive, and spent more time than I would have liked on basic procedures, and less time on layers and masking. But still, I learned a lot from the book and it was certainly a valuable tool in helping me get the most from Paint Shop Pro.

Previously, I had purchased Diane Koers' "Paint Shop Pro 9: Photographers' Guide" from Amazon. It is an excellent book, and I highly recommend it. Over time, however, I found some gaps in Koers' book and so I purchased McMahon's book. Now, I find I refer to McMahon's book more than Koers.
McMahon does a better job of explaining PSP9's toolbars and basic workings. He also gives valuable insights into the digital darkroom while he discusses PSP9's functions. Like Koers, he uses excellent examples and sample photos to illustrate his points. The print quality is outstanding (the book was printed in Italy and, as with all Elsevier publications, the offset process is exemplary) and enhance the lessons.
For the aspiring photographer who wants to master digital darkroom techniques using PSP9, I recommend the following books:
This one (of course!)
Diane Koers' "Paint Shop Pro 9: Photographers' Guide"
David Kays' "Paint Shop Pro 9 for Dummies"