25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nearly 5 stars, July 30, 2009
At my local Barnes and Noble there are more than a dozen guides to Photoshop CS4, each claiming to be indispensable. All the books have some reasons for existing and some potential audience. The trick is to know what you need and how you like to approach learning this fabulous software which has a learning curve about a steep as Mount Everest.
The "Bible" is as perfect a resource as I have found. First I should tell you why it does not warrant the full 5 stars:
* While there is an insert with full color pictures, they are meant to demonstrate potential uses for Photoshop and are more illustrative than demonstrative.
* The illustrations and photos included with the text are Black and White. When showing a screen shot of a menu, or adjustment panel, color adds virtually no benefit. When intended to demonstrate work done on a color photo, they are sadly lacking.
* The included CD contains practice photos from several chapters, but the text does not bother to refer to them or mention that a tutorial should be applied.
So why is this book very close to perfect:
+ It is intelligently and logically written and organized.
+ It includes virtually every feature and sub-menu in the software. The first thing I do after I install a new program is to search around and see what seems to be intuitive and what I cannot fathom. The book does a great job of helping out with the latter.
+ The text includes very helpful "Cross-Ref(erences)", "Tips" and "Warnings"
+ It is not purely a technical guide, it offers many specific tips and instructions on how to achieve outstanding,results; and why it is advantageous to use them.
+ Photoshop is an evolutionary product. Like most software that has gone through numerous versions, there are retained and redundant methods of achieving a result. The Bible does a great job of explaining, for example, how a "Curves" adjustment can be used to do the same thing (and more) than a "Contrast" modification. If what I have just written makes no sense to you, you should look elsewhere than the Bible for instruction.
+ It explains technical terms and concepts clearly and succinctly.
WARNING: This is not a book for those who like to follow a recipe of steps to success. I find that my mind cannot retain the sequence, and I am far better off understanding the concepts. The Bible does this perfectly. Nor is this a guide for beginners. I started on Photoshop CS2, skipped CS3, and have a good working knowledge of Photoshop fundamentals and do not need to be lead through procedures. Essentially, the Bible is a reference resource rather than a "how to". I've yet to find anything I wanted to know or do that is not in the book. Used as intended, it a tremendous addition to a photographers arsenal.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Buy only at a Garage Sale, February 1, 2010
I purchased the Photoshop CS4 Bible because it was the only one on the shelf that seemed comprehensive enough (thickest) and I was in a hurry to complete a project that required the new Adobe version of this software. I had used technical manuals labeled "Bible" before and the publisher Wiley had a good reputation with me.
Unfortunately, I found out later that weekend, upon closer read of the text that the book is made up of disjointed submissions by the three authors without regard to each others writing. Throughout the text, there are repeats of basic definitions (like on HTML defined on page 700+) but lacking useful "how it is done" information. And, the authors are either lazy or have no idea what a relatively inexperienced PS user don't understand.
I think writing books that begin with the function of the software rather than what the user is trying to accomplish has its place, but not for the novice.
Look elsewhere.
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Info Great, But Printing Worthy of Illegal Copy, September 26, 2009
I purchased the Photoshop CS4 Bible, since I've been overwhelmed by the depth of information offered by the "Bible" series in the past. This new edition for Photoshop CS4 lives up to that wealth of information. So why the 1 star? How about the fact that it isn't even worthy of a bootleg edition! Typographical errors abound (I even spotted 2 on 1 page) and the printing looks like it was done on a copier in the back of a moving van. Doesn't Wiley employ proofreaders or, if they've cut corners that much, how about spellchecking sofware? I always go the legal route, versus copying or downloading someone else's text, but why bother when you get LESS FOR YOUR MONEY. Sure, it comes with a DVD (woopie!), but I could have copied the pages better myself. Was this really printed on a press? The dark title bars are faded (like a 5th generation copy), and except for the "breathtaking color photos" jammed into an insert in the center of the text, the rest is conspicuous for its utter lack of a splash of color anywhere. And I really don't think the sheer number of pages is worth almost 30 bucks. C'mon Wiley, make your books worthwhile, or suffer the exodus of the masses to illicit copies at your peril...
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