Customer Reviews

Photoshop Finishing Touches

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

First let me start off by saying that I am far from a Photoshop beginner so I am cautious when choosing a book, but this one didn't disappoint. I was introduced to many tricks and tips or "Finishing Touches"... such as (patterns, custom brushes, burned edges, selective blurring and delivery) among others that have recently added that extra "pop" to my photos. I noticed in the other reviews that people are disappointed with the amount of "border effects" but what they are forgetting is Photoshop is a program that produces the best results with experimentation. Dave isn't trying to create clones (not the stamp), but is giving us insight in how the pros create such stunning imagery.

My favorite sections in this book would have to be the following: Burned Edges, Spotlight Effect, B&W Conversion, Slide Mounts and Film Strip. Those last two are really neat because everyone else has static images that almost look pasted on their web site. My images will now stand out from the others thanks to that added presentation step.

The last section is one that other books simply forget, the delivery of your imagery, both in print and on the web. Yet Dave once again thinks of everything and delivery is no exception. You will learn how to build PDF presentations, web galleries and contact sheets to present your work to colleagues and clients.

Don't let me forget the awesome web site that sits along side the book, (www.photoshopfinishingtouches.com). Where the readers can submit their creations achieved from the book, another thing I have yet to see a book offer.

I will be recommending this book to many of my fellow Photoshop users, both beginners and professionals. Five starts because 6 wasn't an option.

This book helped me re-fresh my take on Photoshop. There's always been lots of hidden (not immediately evident) secrets in the software and this book helped me expand my use of an already great software program.

Thanks Dave for your passion and great ideas. Keep them coming!

Steph - Western NY

If you want to cut through my verbiage, which both expresses my perplexity with why some reviewers here think this book is ill-titled (and why I think it is perfectly titled), coupled with how I came to purchase the book myself, skip down past the first six paragraphs. That'll take you straight to the reason why I love the book and find it worthy of its purchase price. So much so, that I'd spend the money to buy it again immediately if my lovable Springer Spaniel mistook it for his rawhide chewie on a bad hair day. That said, onward!

After receiving this book a few weeks ago and finally going through it pretty thoroughly, I am a little perplexed by some of the reviewers who think it is ill-titled. However, let me point out that before purchase, especially since these computer books tend to be so pricey even at discount, I decided to head over to the book's web site first. I downloaded the PDF file which beautifully renders the colorful Table of Contents exactly as it appears at the outset of the book. If you are contemplating purchase of this excellent book, I suggest you consider doing likewise if you have any doubts about whether it will suit your PhotoShop "finishing touches" needs and/or expectations.

So, I based my purchase loosely on reviews, but mostly on the thorough TOC PDF file, along with (and to a lesser extent), the more in-depth publisher (and Dave's) description at the book's site, which URL is listed here on the book's page on Amazon.

All of the above notwithstanding, I take no issue whatsoever with Dave's choice of titling. "Finishing Touches" means to me something you add for overall enhancement of your photo AFTER you've completed all of your photo editing and related adjustments in PhotoShop. So, in that sense, I do believe Dave has titled his book quite well ... but, then, "finishing touches" can mean a whole host of different things to different folks, I suppose.

I was looking for a book which would give me some ideas, concepts and of course some techniques and general direction about how to achieve it all in PhotoShop. I was looking for some ideas for those photos I want to do something extra-special to - most especially to some of the photos of my super-pricey wood art, where a full color product photo is included on the gallery's "artist statement" certificate which is presented to the buyer with the prototypical dating and artist's [that'd be me] sig/distinctive mark, etc.

In that sense, I found this book to be quite excellent and don't regret my expenditure for it at all. But, then, I already knew from a careful perusal of the actual ToC pretty much exactly what I buying in advance and I was not disappointed when the book arrived.

This book is and isn't, all at the same time, a "cookbook" type tutorial, but first things first: I love its visual Table of Contents with its full color mini-samples of the actual technique[s] being described and pictured. Speaking of which, quality of the cover, binding, paper and photos are all excellent. Once the reader becomes familiar with the various sections, the color-coded page edges are nice for a quick "thumb-to" without having to reference either the TOC or index.

It's a "cookbook" in the sense that Dave presents you with a series of techniques, which are understandably heavy on border treatments since we're talking "finishing touches" here, but there is much more included as well. No matter what your level of PS experience, I'd highly recommend giving the "Key Concepts" section, some 32 pages, a good, thorough reading at the outset.

It isn't your prototypical "cookbook" type tutorial in that Dave doesn't give you fixed settings in the examples. I can't recall how many times I've read book reviewers complaints about cookbook type PhotoShop books which give them specific settings for filters, etc., but offer zero explanation for WHY the author chose those particular settings, etc. Dave doesn't do that, he encourages you to take each "recipe", so to speak, and let loose your own creativity.

If you are someone who is looking for a perfectly measured out recipe of PhotoShop steps in a "step 1, step 2, do this, set 'x' slider to 'X' value" type of recipes to achieve the techniques, this probably isn't the book for you. Dave gives you the basic concepts, but is heavy on encouraging you to use those concepts and specifics as only a "jumping off" point to unleash your own creative instincts. He's giving you concepts and techniques to get you going without binding you to a fixed set of settings and "step 1, step 2..." don't dare deviate type recipes.

This is exactly my kind of book, personally speaking. I don't like fixed steps and settings without understanding WHY what I'm doing works, but that's just me. There are so many ways to achieve the same thing in PS, that I always want to understand WHY what I'm doing works (or, conversely, doesn't work in a given circumstance).

So, if you're looking for some awesome "finishing touches" concepts that you can run with and make uniquely your own, you're going to love this book, methinks. However, if you're more inclined to how to get a specific technique accomplished without regard for why it works - and that's okay, too - this probably isn't the book you're looking for.

Above all, I highly recommend you coast over to the book's web site and download the TOC PDF file to take a look through it so you'll know what's covered and whether it meets your needs/expectations before laying out the purchase price. Because that is available online, I've not gone through a more thorough list of techniques and concepts covered - you can see it all for yourself in the excellent TOC file.

Mr. Cross has put together a great collection of Photoshop effects.

It is a great reference book as it is easy (thanks to the inventive Table of Contents) to go directly to an effect you'd like to try, rather than reading the entire book page-by-page, beginning on Page 1.

It is also easy to see how to apply the effects in the book to other photos.

Clear examples and clear, informative writing.

A must-have book for those just beginning with Photoshop as well as experienced Photoshoppers.

I'm an experienced (but not as good as I want to be) Photoshop user. I utilize the program every day in my job as a magazine editor and photo design/layout person. When I saw the words "finishing touches" in the title of the new book by Dave Cross, I thought it was one that I needed to buy, because I'm always looking for creative techinques to make the magazine layout look better. And Dave's book gives me a ton of new possibilities. But, like Dave says in the introduction, the book is not a "follow the steps one by one" tutorial. He encourages us to experiment and that's exactly what I usually do. There's always the good old "step backward" Photoshop edit command. If there is any person who has helped teach me the ability to do good things with Photoshop, it's Dave Cross. I've attended his seminars, and view his online tutorials all the time. All his writings are helpful, but this newest book will have a permanent place next to my keyboard. Thanks Dave!

I meant to write a review sooner, but every time I pick up this book, I find something new to try. This book is chocked full of detailed tutorials and variations to the tutorials. The book is divided into 4 sections: key concepts, frames and border effects, color and artistic effects, and presenting your work. My favorite part of the book is the table of contents - the TOC has pictures, so it's easy to find the exact effect that you are looking for. Another favorite - each tutorial has a short summary sentence or two, list of key concepts, and a sample picture of the end results.

I am delighted with this book and am delighted that I purchased it!! Dave Cross has done a wonderful job of mixing instructions for the beginner and moving on through more complicated techniques!

Mr Cross has once again demonstrated, through his authorship, why he is such an excelent developer and educator.

I especially like the photo section that shows each procedure. If you are fairly new to Photoshop or even for some of us who have been around for awhile, the Key Concepts section is worth the read I would advise not to skip over that section. He has also added a very handy "Key Concept Quick Card" to the back of the book. It is a fold out that describes each key concept. The procedural steps are clear and concise and he gives you several variations of each effect. This book also has one of the better indexes I have seen in a How-To Photoshop Book.

A really great book to have on the shelf. I know I will refer to it on many occasions. I have a whole pile of photos I have been wondering what to do with and now It looks as if I will be burning some mid-night oil for awhile just discovering new concepts.

Thanks, Dave Cross, for another excellent book.

Fabulous book! I will keep right by my computer for continued reference! Excellent, easy to understand techniques to move your images to the next level! Throughly enjoyed the book and the author! Highly recommended!

Author: Dave Cross
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
Publisher: Peachpit Press (June 27, 2005)
ISBN-10: 0321337042
ISBN-13: 978-0321337047

Review by Karen Stansel
June 23, 2008

I know the book states CS2, and since the only version of Photoshop that I own is CS3, I was a little leery of buying a book that was written specifically for another version of this software. Was I going to end up with a book that made no sense to me? After all, I am a newbie to Photoshop and everything he is talking about may have been changed in the newer version. Well, I 'm here to tell you "no", that is not the
case at all. This book isn't just for CS2 users. It goes great with CS3, too.

Now where to start? How about the little things first.

I really like the feel of the paper, although it tends to reflect the light almost to the blinding point if you tilt the book the wrong way. However, it is a thicker paper and if you are anything like me and must highlight the stuff you find important, you will be pleased as punch to know that it does not bleed though to the other side. As it turns out, this is a good thing in my case, or my book would be one big puddle by now.
The book has 21 Chapters that are split up into 3 sections, which we'll go through as my review progresses.

Now let's move on to the really important stuff. The heart of the book.

The first thing that I learned is that Mr. Cross is a man of his word. In Chapter One, he begins to teach us how to be our own help desk when it comes to Photoshop.
He tells us it will be a short chapter. Well, yours truly had to stop and go look to see exactly how short it was. After I counted the pages, I was sort of stunned to find that this chapter was only 5 pages long. Yes, I said only 5 pages. I know...why bother right? As I flipped back to page 2 and started to read again, I was actually surprised to see just how much important information was in those 5 pages. It turns out to be a powerhouse chapter, that is essential to building a very strong foundation of how one works in Photoshop. This is especially true if you are new to the application as I am, or someone who has been struggling with Photoshop for a year or two.

To be honest the whole book is a powerhouse. In Section One, he gives us the building blocks to work in Photoshop the correct way.

Mr Cross shows us how to categorize problems so we can then concentrate on correcting them, instead of yelling NOOOOOOOOOOOOO at the screen and
just closing out the whole picture to start over again ( Oh come on, you know you've been there!).

Why resetting Preferences is a better option most of the time then reinstalling Photoshop, because a file became corrupt and will not play nicely...and of course he tells you how to do it.

A list to live by, as far as I am concerned, when it comes to preventing
potential trouble. Oh and wait till you read his feather suggestion on page 7! Nope, no hints. You will have to buy the book if you really want to know.

Specific settings in the option bar for specific tools. Well, I believe it covers just about all the tools in the tools pallet. He also made sure to include nice, clear B&W pictures in this section.

He has a section on warning dialog boxes...66 different ones if I counted right. What I like, is that he has put them all into their own proper class, together with a picture of each warning box. This includes reason the warning has appeared, how to fix it, and when suitable, how to prevent it. Furthermore chapter 4, Creating Flexible Documents, is a must read for anyone who wants to become a proficient Photoshop user.

Section 2 is what this book is really all about; nothing but Questions and Answers!
Woohoo!!!! 13 Chapters of Q&A to be exact. Yes, like the warning Dialog boxes, he has taken the questions and put them into their proper categories. Chapter 5 is General Operations, Chapter 6 is Preferences, Settings, and Colors. You get the idea. However, I thought chapter 7 was really cool. It's the Tools Q&A chapter! Need I say more? I could go on about this section because Mr. Cross has just covered so much information though out this section, but for the sake of time I won't.

Section 3 is Customizing Photoshop. Oh yeah, make that software yours and show it who is really boss! In this section Mr. Cross shows you how to create actions, brushes, patterns, picture package layouts, contact sheets and much much more.

This is one book that will sit on my desk with a select few others, because I believe it will be a book that I will reach for often. This book is the Ace bandage for your Photoshop woes. Mr. Cross provides us with the information and the techniques to work the correct way in Photoshop. If you do nothing more then just read the first 2 chapters, you will save yourself a lot of time and frustration when it comes to dealing with Photoshop. I really just cannot recommend this book highly enough. Mr. Cross has a great ability for explaining things, and it shows though out the book. He obviously enjoys helping other people help themselves. He has taken the time to explain in a clear, concise way, that even someone new to Photoshop will understand.

You can find this book at Amazon. It is reasonable priced and in my opinion worth
every cent.