Customer Reviews

Photoshop Elements Drop Dead Fantasy Techniques (A Lark Photography Book)

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

 

 

A good photoshop technique book will let one work alongside the author as each technique is built up. Unfortunately, this is not such a book, because the pictures the author uses are not included with the book.

If you're really, really observant, you'll locate the website address on the book flap (printed in 4 or 6pt type) where you can find _some_ of the picture files the author used in the book (hint: it is not the publisher's website, which is pretty much useless itself). Want to follow along on the techniques for which there are no pictures? Too bad, bubba.

If _all_ the files were in a CD attached to the book, then I'd give it 4 stars--good, but not great. As it is, he gets only 2. If you're new to Photoshop Elements, then avoid this book because it is too hard to follow without the files. If you're an advanced PSE user, you most likely already know everything this book might teach you. If you're in-between, you'll probably want to look elsewhere anyway.

I purchased the book and was really looking forward to using it. Like others reported, there were no files available to use alongside the examples. So I contacted the publisher by email and got a reponse within 24 hours which stated the files were available. They included a phone number; so I called them. I had a great conversation with the representative and she directed me to the link found in the book. It's difficult to find, it's at the bottom of the page with all of the Library of Congress information and says, "For more information" and then the web link.

After I found the link, everything is great. My original 5 star rating dropped to 1 star and then back up to 5 after my experience with Lark Publications.

This could be a good book, but there are problems. The first 3 exercises have missing steps or wrong instructions. The link to the files is missing several sets of images. The step by step instructions are in very small type and worse, are set on colored backgrounds making it hard to read for lack of contrast. The ideas, however, are still very good and, if you are very conversant with Photoshop, you can fill in the omissions and correct the errors.

I bought this book with great expectations. I've attempted to go through 5 of the exercises. While I've learned some great stuff, there is a great deal that is NOT included in the most recent version of elements 8 for mac. It took me 4 hours to partially recreate the hand butterfly image today. I had to google a great deal of the steps for "back door" steps. If you're going to write a book for "elements" please make it for elements, not for photoshop.

Yet another useless book by Lark. I did a similar review of Drop Dead Photography Techniques book by Lark and did not suggest it for a novice or an advanced user. Unless you just want some ideas for a projects or to use some of their images in your own project. Their examples are very hard to follow and you have to download their images one at a time from a web site if you can find the site. Good luck.

This book is useless without the images and they apparently are not available.

easy to understand. Was able to learn more than what it teaches since it explains things cristal clear. I would purchase a similar book again. Thanks.

Good book. The images would have been easier to access on a CD, but they are available here: [..]

It give some very good advice on working in photoshop lots of art to show how it was done