Photoshop CS5 Restoration and Retouching For Digital Photographers Only (For Only) [Paperback]

Mark Fitzgerald (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 6, 2010 | ISBN-10: 0470618167 | ISBN-13: 978-0470618165 | Edition: 1

Adobe Photoshop CS5 Restoration and Retouching For Digital Photographers Only is the complete guide to restoration and retouching. Whether you’re new to Photoshop, or if you’ve been using it for years, you’ll learn lots of new tricks that will help put the beauty back into cherished family photos, and turn new photos into frameable works of art.

Follow Adobe Certified Photoshop Expert Mark Fitzgerald as he guides you through the restoration and retouching workflows. Begin by learning about basic concepts, such as proper tonal and color adjustment, selections, and masking. Then learn to master Photoshop’s retouching tools, like the Healing Brush, Patch Tool, and Clone Stamp. After you build a solid foundation, you’ll see how these tools and techniques come together to solve a wide range of restoration and retouching problems; from repairing a damaged print to removing braces and repairing glass glares.

Explore the tools and techniques with step-by-step expert instructions for downloadable practice files. Experience the total workflow as you complete three projects along side Mark from start to finish: a restoration project, a portrait retouching project, and an architectural retouching project.

This book is an update to Mark Fitzgerald’s popular book, Adobe Photoshop CS3 Restoration and Retouching Bible.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Two types of perfection. One tool to achieve both.

Restoration returns a faded or damaged photo to its original perfection. Retouching transforms an image into something more than it was. While the goals may be different, the best tool to achieve either objective is the same — Photoshop CS5. This book covers every step in both processes, from managing your files with Adobe Bridge to fine-tuning with Photoshop's powerful refining tools. Enhance your Photoshop skills as well as your images.

• Deepen your knowledge of editing fundamentals —tonality, color management, color correction, and working with layers

• Assess the damage to a photo and repair tears, stains, and missing pieces

• Work effectively with black-and-white images

• Retouch portraits to eliminate braces, blemishes, wrinkled clothing, and even remove glares on eyeglasses

• Discover how to enhance architectural photos with appropriate retouching

Companion Web site
Visit www.wiley.com/go/phoprestorationandretouching to download practice files that will help you as you work through the sample projects.

A little forethought and a few post-production tricks can make any photo shoot a success.

About the Author

Mark Fitzgerald is an Adobe Certified Photoshop Expert who specializes in helping photographers smooth out their workflow. His consulting business, The Digital Darkroom, provides classes, workshops, and private training. Mark also wrote Photoshop CS3 Restoration and Retouching Bible and Photoshop CS4 After the Shoot, both from Wiley.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (July 6, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470618167
• ISBN-13: 978-0470618165
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,831 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #63 in Books > Computers & Technology > Digital Photography & Video > Adobe Photoshop

More About the Author

I've been involved in the professional imaging industry for my entire adult life. When the digital revolution occurred a few years ago, I was able to apply everything I already knew about traditional film photography to the learning process. This is what gives me my unique slant on Photoshop and how it's used in the digital workflow. Here's how it all happened:

Before Digital
I bought my first camera right after graduating from high-school. I instantly fell in love with photography. A couple of years later I began to work for one of the largest photo processing companies in the country, Fox Photo. We had several labs across the country, but only one professional lab at that time. It was located in San Antonio, TX, which is also where Fox's corporate headquarters was located. The pro lab was in the same building as one of the huge "mother labs", so on average we had about 150 people working there throughout a 24-hour period.

In the early days, for someone who was interested in photography, Fox Photo's Pro Lab was an incredible place to work. It was like having a job in a candy store. I was not only exposed to lots of amazing photographs and the photographers who made them, I also worked with some of the smartest people in the industry. All of them were willing to share their knowledge, as well as their photographic equipment.

Having a state-of-the-art pro lab at my disposal made it possible to burn through lots of film at a fraction of the usual cost. I was able to improve my photography and technical skills at a very quick rate. It wasn't long before I was landing freelance commercial gigs, photographing a wide range of subject matter for publications, advertising - and even album covers.

I continued to work in and consult for photolabs. They ranged from large labs like Fox, to small mom-and-pop operations that were usually in the back of photo studios. I got to see how lots of craftspeople created works of art from average images. I also became an expert in color management and color correction.

In the mid-90's my wife and I moved to Portland, Oregon. I quit shooting and focused on my job at a local pro lab. In 1999 I decided I was burned-out on the lab business and ready for something different so I quit and took a two-year sabbatical. During the first few months of that sabbatical I purchased my first digital camera and a copy of Photoshop. It wasn't long before I fell in love with photography all over again.

After Digital
I worked with Photoshop every day and read every relevant book I could find. In the beginning the learning curve was steep. But I had two things working for me: I was already comfortable with computers and I knew what quality photographic prints were supposed to look like. All I had to do was figure out how to use Photoshop to create them from digital files.

Within two years I was ready to begin offering post-production services to several local photographers. In 2002 I started my business, The Digital Darkroom, (). For the first year or so I concentrated on helping photographers create really great prints from their images - (the same thing I've always done). Then, in early 2004 I began to teach photographers how to digitally edit their own images. I soon realized that it's more powerful to teach people how to catch fish themselves than it is to sell fish to them. Ever since then I've been focused on teaching photographers to manage their digital workflows and how to create high quality files from their photos.

Today
I work with a wide range of professional photographers who shoot subject matter ranging from advertising to wildlife. I help them with Photoshop, Lightroom, and digital workflow. I lead workshops and offer private one-on-one training. I am an Adobe Certified Photoshop Expert and an Adobe Certified Instructor for Photoshop CS4. These certifications, are important, but it's really all of the experience I've gained over the years helping professional photographers - whether they were shooting film or digital - that gives me my unique view of Photoshop and how it's used to help photographers reveal their true art.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Photoshop Guide, July 29, 2010

By 

YDORB - See all my reviews

This review is from: Photoshop CS5 Restoration and Retouching For Digital Photographers Only (For Only) (Paperback)

I loved this book, which is easily the most useful and accessible guide to Photoshop that I've used. Rather than spending hundreds of pages explaining in detail how each Photoshop feature works, the author focuses on what it takes to professionally retouch an image. Because he explains each basic technique he uses (curves, masks, selections, etc.) the book works well for those without a lot of Photoshop experience; because he explains his entire professional process (eyes, skin, scan repair, etc.), longtime Photoshop users should also benefit a great detail.

The book includes a number of examples and includes three chapters that each walk through an entire workflow for an image. A companion website provides sample files for practice.

I wasn't interested in some of the photo restoration stuff, such as how to best scan images and how to repair torn and faded photos, which makes up about 25% of the book. But I already knew that would be part of the book, and I'm glad I chose to get it anyway.

This is my new on-the-desk reference for when I'm using Photoshop.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 'Must Have' book for Digital Photographers, July 27, 2010

By 

JL - See all my reviews

This review is from: Photoshop CS5 Restoration and Retouching For Digital Photographers Only (For Only) (Kindle Edition)

Mark's newest book, 'Adobe Photoshop CS5 Restoration and Retouching for Digital Photographers Only is a must have addition to any photographer's library. The book is laid out in a workable, easy to navigate format, with sidebars of Notes, and Pro Tips. Notes give further in depth explanation of processes or terms presented in the body text. The additional sidebar contains Pro Tips which are extremely useful tidbits that help speed up workflow and give finesse to the project.

The entire flow of the book and the thoroughness of the explanations encourages one to jump right in doing the projects presented. Mark emphasizes the organization of photo files on your system for easy retrieval, and gives specific ways of working to achieve easy file access, all the while acknowledging individual photographers' needs. His techniques are well presented with screen shots and photograph 'before and after' examples. Mark even goes one step further to demonstrate 'during the process' examples so one can see exactly the effect of the technique and be able to work right along side on your own computer.

The companion website he provides is especially helpful in working on projects along side Mark's descriptions.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Resourse for Pros and Advanced PS Users, September 10, 2010

By 

shphoto - See all my reviews

This review is from: Photoshop CS5 Restoration and Retouching For Digital Photographers Only (For Only) (Paperback)

Mark Fitzgerald's Photoshop CS5 Restoration and Retouching is wonderfully laid out and a snap to follow. It is by title directed at retouching (enhancing) photographs and restoring old images, but most or all of the instructions for organizing files, creating adjustment layers, color correction techniques, and masking apply to every level of Photoshop use. Anyone who wants their digital images to look as professional as possible will benefit from these easy to follow, and thorough instructions. The "Pro Tips" which dot many of the pages are solid procedural hints or techniques that don't always occur to the casual user. My title suggests that this book is intended for Pros and Advanced Photoshop Users, but I should add that following it may be one of the fastest ways to BECOME an advanced user!