Customer Reviews

The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers

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The author tells us that this little volume will teach photographers what they need to know, and only what they need to know, to process pictures in Photoshop CS4, while being conveniently sized for the traveling photographer. That would be quite an achievement if it could be accomplished.

At first, the individual chapters sound like the author is on the right track. Story tells how to import images into Bridge; select, rate and keyword them in Bridge; adjust them in Adobe Camera Raw; refine them in Photoshop; and finally print them. There is even a chapter full of recipes with recommendations for how to do everything from whiten teeth to correct architectural distortion.

Photoshop is a huge piece of software with all kinds of tools, and while many of them are of little use to the photographer, others that prove useful to photographers aren't covered here such as, for example, the gradient tool and the selection tools. In other cases while a tool is mentioned, there is often no explanation of the theory behind the tool, like the nature of tones, which can be adjusted with levels and curves. I suppose one can eventually figure out how to use these tools, but it would be so much easier if one understood more about tonality. There are some functions that are mentioned, but their full capabilities are ignored, like the ability of the keywording facility in Bridge to import a keyword list, or the ability to create a layer mask to make local adjustments by using the selection tools. Moreover, if all you want to learn is the minimum to process a picture, why spend $600 for Photoshop, when you can buy Photoshop Elements for about $100. The new Photoshop user would be better served by a larger book with more information.

I'm not certain whether this will be a useful guide to a road warrior who is confused by Photoshop. I can't imagine that anyone would be so bold as to try to use Photoshop on the road, without getting the fundamentals down at home first. Then one might need a cheat sheet to remember how to subtract from a selection with the lasso tool, but not to remember the simple steps this book shows.

I suppose for someone who is a little overwhelmed by the strength and complexity of Photoshop, this book might provide a dip of the toe into deep waters. It certainly won't teach you to swim in the Photoshop Sea.

Through the years, Adobe has kept up with its robust pace of adding new and more powerful tools to Photoshop. If you've been keeping track, it has turned out to be a never-ending cycle of a new release superceding an old one. This, in part, has made Photoshop the undesputed weapon of choice of countless creative professionals. As we understand it, the evolution of Photoshop has one purpose: to address the insatiable needs of all sorts of creative digital artists in their quest to perform impressive feats of amazing visual acrobatics.

But as Photoshop grew into one gigantic digital Swiss army knife, with more and more new cool features heaped on top of previous ones, it has grown so big that no one, except perhaps Deke McClelland and a couple of other guys, is expected to learn and use everything it has to offer.

Imagine Photoshop as New York City. Countless people living and working there. Each one goes about doing his own particular thing, and yet, no one is expected to do everything. In very much the same way, while many different people use Photoshop, each one goes about it in his own way, focusing and mastering only the use of a handful of its myriad tools to do a job. Anyone who has been using Photoshop for quite a while still gets surprised at a few "new" things they discover they can do with it.

Of course, in time, it is possible to learn everything about Photoshop. But really, it seems unnecessary. With too many things going on in a gigantic digital editing tool, trying to learn and master all that Photoshop has to offer can be time-consuming, and somewhat of an unnecessary burden. It makes sense, therefore, to simply focus only on certain tools and features that are most useful to what one wants to accomplish.

That is what renowned photographer and author Derrick Story wants to do, with the release of his recent O'Reilly book, The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers.

The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers focuses only on the tools that photographers need to know, while at the same time, judiciously leaving out the multitude of other tools and features that photographers might not find useful. The only information packed in this svelte, companionable volume is everything that a photographer might want to learn in order to get the job done. In essence, Derrick Story's book is everything that a photographer needs to know in using Photoshop CS4 from the moment of downloading the images to its delivery into the hands of the clients.

How this book came about is an interesting story. On several occassions, author Derrick Story have seen first-hand and up-close how some of the top professional photographers actually worked, specially when confronted with tight deadlines. From this perspective, and through his Photoshop CS4 book, he has laid out a sensible, easy-to-adopt post-production process that aims to cut out the bottlenecks in a photographer's post-production workflow using only Photoshop CS4. He provides a simple and very straightforward roadmap on how photographers can efficiently organize and more systematically complete the work in the shortest time possible.

Can a photographer really learn everything that's essential about Photoshop CS4, and smoothen the workflow just by learning and adopting the process described in this slim volume?

The answer is yes. This book provides you with only the kind of information that is relevant to a photographer.

The form of Derrick's book, and it's goal as well, is for you to invest as little time as possible learning only about the aspects of the application that is relevant to your needs as a photographer. There is so much more that Adobe's new Photoshop CS4 can do for different creative digital artists such as designers, graphic artists, Web producers, special effects technicians, among others. Each of them has a different set of needs that Photoshop CS4 can handle. But for a photographer, Derrick's companion book is a compact guide that points you to an easy direction on how to get set and running, and really make the most out of what Photoshop CS4 has to offer.

How about if you want to dig deep into what Photoshop CS4 has to offer? Well, for that, you need Deke McClelland's comprehensive Adobe Photoshop CS4 One-on-One, also published by O'Reilly.

Because Photoshop CS4 has grown to be a tool for everyone, it has become almost difficult to learn each and every feature that it has to offer. The most practical way to learn it therefore is to focus only on those tools that you as a photographer needs the most, master them, and at a later convenient time, particularly when the need arise, slowly add and build on to what you already know. But first, it is essential that you figure out the software for what it can do to you. And Derrick Story's practical companion book is your first crack at this monstrous software.

The book is easy to read, understand, and follow. You won't have a hard time figuring out what to do. Derrick's writing and tone is that of a friend, colleague and a coach, taking the time to talk and walk you through, providing step-by-step guidelines in a clear, concise, logical, and friendly manner that's easy to absorb. Derrick provides you with instant information, only the ones you need to know, that you can apply right away.

In describing the process you need to take, as well as the options available to you, Derrick provides easy-to-understand instructions. He also generously expounds on some helpful information, and provides numerous examples, that gives you a clear and comprehensive know-how about what may or may not be important to you and your work. In addition, he even draws upon his knowledge, expertise and experience on how the functions and behavior of Photoshop CS4 compares to previous versions, and other similar photo management and photo editing software that's available. And in some instances, he freely recommends what other tools you might need.

Photographers who are eager to get started will appreciate the first few pages where Derrick explicitly outlines a roadmap. If you are used to working with previous versions of Photoshop by diving directly into its editing capabilities, you might be in for a surprise. This companion book will show you how to make the most out of Photoshop CS4 by providing you with a sensible workflow that begins with transferring your shots from camera to computer, adding metadata, rating and selecting the images, and only then edit your top choices.

The book immediately sets you on the right course by giving you a sense of what expect to learn and how to do your work correctly using Photoshop CS4. He immediately demistifies the steps you need to take in order to maximize the use and power of the software. If you were to jump right into Photoshop CS4, which most of us are inclined to do, thinking that we know what we are doing and we can wing those that we don't, Derrick's book saves us the time and effort from trying to discover things ourselves on our own, and perhaps, at a time when we need it the most--when we need to deliver a job and faced with a tight deadline.

It is easy to see why this workflow is useful to photographers. In this era of sophisticated photo management tools such as Apple's Aperture and Adobe's Lightroom, there are still a lot of photographers out there who are handling their workflow in an old, ineffective, and inefficient way, from transferring the contents of their full cards from camera to going through and refining the select images. Aperture and Lightroom are top-of-the-line tools that can help a photographers do it easily and quickly. And yet, there aren't. With Adobe's Photoshop CS4, and the guide provided by Derrick Story in his companion book, photographers will be introduced to an intelligent way of working in post-production.

Derrick Story's book is all about proposing efficiencies to your workflow when you use Photoshop CS4. The goal, as the author himself wrote, is to "make your photographic life happy and carefree." It truly is a companion book with "portable Photoshop advise that you can take anywhere."

One reader wrote, that it is an essential guide "for upgraders to CS4 or those considering it." Another reader also wrote: "I was impressed with how much I learned."

To make this book inimitably useful and accessible, O'Reilly Media made this book available not only in print format, but also as PDF and online versions. You can therefore "read" the book in three different ways: while on-the-go, on your desktop or on a laptop, and while online. Each format allows the readers access to the same great information, reinforcing the learning experience in three different, convenient ways. And since O'Reilly Media have recently started making their titles more accessible, a digital, mobile version of the book may soon be introduced for devices such as the iPhone.

Derrick Story said, "I think the electronic version is handy if you like storing your tech docs that way. The nicest part is the search function that makes it easy to find just the thing you're looking for. Personally, I like using the book itself. It has been designed so it's easy to carry in the laptop bag, and I paid close attention to organizing the ToC and index so readers could navigate it easily. That being said, I'm glad both versions are available."

If you are a photographer and you are planning to upgrade to Photoshop CS4, or perhaps, you are already on it, it definitely pays to get a copy and read Derrick Story's The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers.

I haven't made it all the way through the book yet but what I have been through has been excellent. I have been shooting digital for several years and my workflow has been rather a hit and miss proposition, mostly miss. I am now following the advice Derrick gives in this book and things are starting to look up. I am organizing while reading which is what is taking me so long to get through the book. I wish I had this book when I first started shooting digital. I wouldn't be so far behind. I am adding Aperture to the workflow outlined in the book. If you are just starting in digital photography get this book. It will help you get organized. If you have been shooting for quite a while get this book before you shoot any more. It isn't easy to go back over several thousand pictures but I know that things will be easier in the future. The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers (Digital Media) UPDATE: Now that I have finished the book my opinion has not changed. I highly reccomend this book for anyone starting out and for people, like me, who need to get organized.

Adobe Photoshop is a forbiddingly complex program. Many books on the subject make the mistake of emphasizing this complexity by seeking to cover every aspect of its every possible application. This approach is not suitable for photographers, who know that they need to be conversant with only certain groups of functions, but who need help in determining which groups are important and how best to utilize them. Without assistance this is not an easy task, and is invariably time consuming.

In this book, practicing professional photographer, lecturer, author and podcaster Derrick Story sifts the wheat from the chaff and demonstrates through clear and simple examples how efficient and effective use of the Photoshop CS4 suite (including Image Downloader, Adobe Bridge and Adobe Camera Raw) lies primarily with an understanding of the logical workflow that it facilitates.

Written in a pleasantly conversational but never condescending manner, the book comprises six main sections -- one for each of the workflow steps.

First is the importing of images using the Image Downloader function of CS4, including titling and addition of meta data which is most efficiently done in this environment.

Then comes the use of Adobe Bridge in rating images to establish a work priority, and in keywording to make later searching and organization easy and efficient.

The following two sections deal with basic and advanced editing of RAW (and now also JPEG and TIFF) image files in Adobe Camera Raw. A typical Raw workflow is laid out step-by-step, and the new localized editing functions of ACR explained and illustrated. The philosophy is that as much work as possible should be carried out non-destructively in ACR before resorting to Photoshop for the fine tuning.

The next section covers classic image adjustment techniques in Photoshop itself, concentrating on the improvements to tools and functions that CS4 incorporates.

This is followed by a collection of `Photoshop Recipes' covering a number of the adjustments most commonly needed in portraiture, architectural and landscape photography. Don't look here for mind-numbing techniques using dozens of layers -- these are understandable methods that can be applied every day with ease, but which do incorporate many of the latest refinements to Photoshop features.

Finally, the book deals with the essential techniques of equipment calibration and printing.

Although the book is primarily intended to be read while working with Photoshop CS4, the clear explanations of technique and the many illustrations combine to make it entirely possible to `follow along' without actually using the program -- a boon to those merely contemplating a purchase or upgrade.

As a carry-around companion exemplary in its conciseness and clarity, the book ideally suits two groups of photographers:

Those new to Photoshop or merely contemplating the latest upgrade need to understand whether the new features offer useful improvements to their present working environments, and whether the essentials are capable of being mastered with reasonable effort.

Professionals and enthusiasts who upgrade as a matter of course may too easily fall into the trap of simply working out how to follow their normal workflow in the changed environment, and may never discover the real benefits of changing that workflow to fit a new paradigm. This book will encourage them to invest just a little learning time in order to significantly improve the efficiency and consistency of their work.

I shoot all my photos in raw. I rely on CS4 raw for most of my corrections. I found "The photoshop CS4 companion for photographers" very helpful is working our standardized procedures. Derrick Story provides clear explanations with helpful illustrations. Finally, unlike many photoshop guides, the book is small enough to carry on a trip when your laptop is used for editing. Very pleased with the purchase.

I was on a plane when I read this book and I didn't put it down until I was done! The book very clearly states that Photoshop isn't even discussed until chapter 6 and this is great - because there's so much important new stuff with Adobe Camera Raw in CS4. I wasn't sold on CS4 before reading and by about chapter 4 I was convinced it would be a worthy upgrade. The book really is a great and inexpensive way to judge if you want to invest in the CS4. And it's a good read too - clear and concise. Highly recommended.

Sarah Williams
Venice, CA

First, if you don't know what "You're the man now dog" means, you have not seen of the best actors (he played James Bond) in a totally cool move (not a 007 movies)

Basically, it's a great complement - one that applies to Derrick for his latest book. I read it cover to cover during my stay on an icebreaker in Antarctica - checking out his ideas on my laptop when I was not being tossed around my cabin like a piece of popcorn.

If you want to jumpstart your CS4 learning (and fun), this book is for you, man :-)

Best,
Rick Sammon (who wished he had come up with this idea for an easy to read and understand Photoshop CS4 book)

I used DPP and MS Digital Pro for a short time in the past. When I first got CS4, I was so excited to get started. I previously used MS Digital Pro and a little bit of DPP. I opened up CS4 and was overwhelmed to say the least. I didn't even know how to get started. So far this book has been perfect for me. I'm about halfway through it and I've learned how to:

- organize my photos in bridge
- rank and keyword my photos in bridge
- basic edits in Adobe Camera Raw

I finally did some image editing last night in ACR and I'm pleased with the results so far. I do have a lot more to learn in ACR and haven't even begin learning photoshop. I'm sure I'll grow out of the current edits and want to move up to advanced techniques. I'll probably buy a book soley for ACR and soley for photoshop when the time comes.

I'm a serious amateur photographer and new to Photoshop and CS4. After reviewing several books at a local bookstore I was pleasantly surprised to find this book which is exactly what I was looking for. My immediate needs were not to "learn" CS4 completely but rather to accomplish some specific tasks efficiently. Among these are workflow, portrait corrections including teeth, skin, and eyes, and perspective correction (architectural distortion).
Aside from Photoshop proper, I found the concise override of Adobe Camera Raw extremely helpful. Essentially this book is a valuable quick reference guide for the most common tasks performed by photographers in Photoshop and the related utilities (ACR, Bridge, Photo Downloader).

Compact yet thorough book.
Great review of the Camera Raw development panels, and a graceful explanation of a complete workflow.
The Photoshop CS4 Companion fro Photographers is a helpful reference to keep alongside one's computer.