Customer Reviews

Professional Photoshop: The Classic Guide to Color Correction (5th Edition)

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Well, it appears that Amazon has folded all the 4th edition reviews into this new edition's page. I'm not sure what to think of that. This book is 90% new material, it is almost a new book entirely. It has similar goals to the previous editions though. So, here's a hint, if the review was written before the fall of 2006 it is about the older editions which are very different from the current edition.

What NOT to expect:

- Learn how to use photoshop, you better know this already
- Step-by-step how-to algorithms for you to follow, you are taught concepts and generic techniques instead
- 100% clarity on a first reading
- Gobs on CMYK (you'd only expect this if you'd read older editions). Thankfully the book is far more balanced to modern workflows where we often don't need to go there anymore. Older editions were more CMYK based. That said, he includes all the relevant old material on the CD and this book still has way more CMYK than anything else out there. He is very balanced in his approach in my opinion, very refreshing.
- The same as the old editions. Source and output technology change. Dan learns new tricks. Dan changes his mind on somethings. So does the rest of the community. There is LOTS that is new in this edition.

What to expect:

- Extremely powerful techniques. Their power lies in their flexibility, the problem is knowing when to use them and only experience will help you there. The book does give you some hints though, when it can.
- A bit of contraversy. Dan has opinions. He states them clearly. He usually has good facts backing him up.
- Having to play with actual images yourself to enitrely comprehend the whole. I personally have had no problems understanding each and every chapter just by reading, but you'll really need to start using what you've learned on real images to get a feel for what is needed where and when.
- Occasionally obfuscated writing style. Dan seems to like to hide where he is going to make the result that much more exciting. It is not the best way to teach. To be fair, though, the start of each chapter says where we are going and the end says where we have been. Nonetheless you'll occasionally find yourself reading something twice - and at times I think this has more to do with the writing style than the concept really being that hard.

Overall, if you are a photographer or work with photographs and are a experienced photoshop user (i.e. you know what a layer, channel, curve, and blend mode are and the very basics of using them) you will find a wealth of knowledge here not really available in any other resource. You will probably need to read it, or at least parts of it more than once. You'll probably need to read or refer to parts again after having tried them for awhile.

People like to say this book is really hard. I don't think it is myself. I think instead the plethora of really poor Photoshop books out there that have a hand-holding, show every dang dialog box but not actually teach you anything approach have set the standards very very low. Photoshop is an extremely powerful program, much of what experts do with it is well beyond what the makers ever intended. Many photoshop books could just be replaced by a CD with photoshop actions on it since the books don't teach the reader anything other than by wrote algorithms. This book assumes you are willing to think a bit about what is going on under the hood and use that knowledge intelligently rather than copying out some steps.

If you are new to photoshop this is not the book for you. I highly recommend Real World Photoshop CS2 by Fraser and Blatner as a well written in depth introduction to photoshop focusing on what photographers need from it. That said, Dan's book doesn't actually use very many Photoshop tools to begin with so you certainly only need to understand a relatively small feature set. You do need to be very comfortable with that feature set though.

Final notes: The CD is excellent, containing lots of supplementary material and images from the text to work on yourself. It includes lots of material from previous editions which is still very useful to some people. The production quality of my copy was very impressive. Apparently Dan actually slept at the press while it was being run to make sure it all went well. There are many, many cases where arrays of images are suppose to show very subtle differences. These differences actually made it into print!!! Gobs of books like this refer to figure 1.1A and claim dramatic differences to figure 1.1B but when you look at them you can see no difference at all because the press work was so poor. Not so in this case! Wonderful production work.

In short, buy this book, it might be too much for you now but you'll eventually want it later.

FINAL NOTE: As of the date of this review the "Search Inside" feature shows the previous edition!!! Ignore it!

I've had people tell me my portraits look like they were taken in a studio, or with a high-end digital camera. The fleshtones are smooth and warm and the lighting is flattering. It wasn't always that way. I use a standard point-and-shoot autofocus/autoflash compact digital camera, and I used to have problems with skin tones in my prints being too red or green or blue -- you name it. But three simple secrets turned my dud snapshots into professional-looking portraits: create visual angles when posing your subject, use a bounce flash off the ceiling, and apply the techniques in this book to color-correct your images before printing them. Correcting by the numbers is a sure-fire way to remove the bluish color cast caused by a digital camera flash or to make flat lighting more dramatic. These techniques will let you make the most out of every photo you take. Simply convert your photos to CMYK, apply the corrections, and convert back to RGB. By focusing on getting the numbers balanced, you'll get powerful results without resorting to guessing. I can vouch for it -- nobody who has seen my pictures has figured out I'm color-blind.

Unlike most Photoshop "how to" books, this one wastes no pages defining the use of tools and features. It assumes the reader is a competent photographer who is comfortable using digital imaging editing programs, and begins with the author's philosophical groundwork for image enhancement techniques. The book utilizes "all 10 channels" in the RGB, CMYK and LAB models as appropriate for analyzing and correcting images. This is a book that repays repeated study. Outstanding.

I was a beta-reader of this book, and so have had a while to read and digest in draft form.

This is a book about how to make photographs look better and more believable. In fact, I'd say it's the most authoritative work on the topic in existence. Scott Kilby calls Dan "the father of digital prepress". The National Association of Photoshop Professionals cites him as, "the most influential voice in color reproduction." Learn what Dan has to teach and you'll take a big step in the direction of producing more professional looking work.

For those unfamiliar with Dan's work, reading this book is no small undertaking. Dan makes demands on his readers quite unlike other Photoshop authors. There are powerful recipes here, as there have always been in Dan's books. But there is much more for those willing to expend the effort: a deep understanding of what the recipes do and why and when they are appropriate. Absorbed at that level, the case studies in the book lead to a kind of mastery that transcends any collection of recipes. The recipes and workflow are an outgrowth of a coherent theory. Learn this and you'll be able to recreate Dan's techniques without memorizing them and be able to shape your own new techniques as needed. <a href="http://moonriverphotography.com">Andy Williams</a> is the driving force behind the photography discussion board <a href="http://dgrin.com">Dgrin</a> and general manager of the photo sharing service <a href="http://smugmug.com">SmugMug</a>. Andy has described Dan's books as "making your eyes bleed". I'd say that "making your head explode" is a more accurate description of the reward for the diligent reader. In compensation for the difficulty of his topic and approach, Dan has a wonderfully lucid, learned, humorous, and entertaining writing style, which makes the prospect of an inevitable second reading much more palatable.

For those already familiar with Professional Photoshop, this is a major rewrite from the 4th edition. Dan says it's 90% new. As is often the case with his claims, he has the data to back this one up. There are 142 base images in the new book, and 126 of these weren't in the previous edition. The text seems at least as fresh.

There are entire areas here that weren't covered in the 4th edition. For example, there is a chapter about converting raw images with Adobe Camera Raw. There is an explanation of the shadow/highlight adjustment which didn't exist at the time the 4th edition was published. This last exists in a broader context of moves for improving shadow and highlight detail and making the best of the gamut available (for whatever output device.)

Familiar topics get new treatment and more subtle approaches. There are now two chapters devoted to sharpening, a sensible explanation of how conventional USM differs from HIRALOAM (high radius low amount) sharpening, some guidelines for thinking about how each kind of sharpening helps particular kinds of images, and a new framework for combining the two techniques in the same image.

RGB techniques, particularly curves are now given greater emphasis. In previous editions CMYK curves were the first, primary tool. Now Dan starts with RGB curves, but quickly makes the connection between CMYK and RGB and strongly makes the case that mastery of all three color spaces (RGB, CMYK, and LAB) is necessary in order to be able to get the best from each image.

Dan doesn't shy away from controversial topics, but when he enters battle he is always well armed. For example, he doesn't think much of automated color management which aims to calibrate monitors to each other and to printers (and presses) by way of spectrometers. He shuns the use of many of Adobe Camera Raw's features. He famously denies that there is much advantage in 16 bit mode. He explains why very little is lost in sRGB or even CMYK vs color spaces with wider gamuts. In every case, his reasoning and experience throw light on the subject and result in practical insights. You might not agree completely with all his controversial opinions, but you ignore them and his reasoning at peril of confusion and misunderstanding.

OK, so I loved this book. But not all of it is useful for photographers as opposed to people who deal with commercial 4 color offset presses. This latter topic is big and important and, once you get your head screwed on just so, pretty entertaining. Just think about all those great looking images you've seen in print, in magazines, in coffee table books. Now think about the issues involved. These days, the lowliest photo inkjet printer has a wider gamut and more resolution. The image will be viewed under many different color lights. Even the most expensive book will be printed on less expensive paper than we commonly use for inkjets. And for those of us who are used to viewing our images on computer screens, well, it would seem that 4 color offset presses are very limited. Yet, we all know that images can look beautiful in books and magazines. How is this accomplished? Dan gives is a view into the nuts and bolts. In fact, Dan is partial to CMYK as a final color space for his image. I've taken a few of his classes and he required that each image end up in CMYK. Partly this is because it's the most challenging requirement. But it also is a requirement of professionals that their work can go into high volume commercial printing.

As you might expect, Dan doesn't shy away here from using LAB techniques, but this is a companion book to Photoshop LAB and does not replace it. Dan emphasizes techniques in the other color spaces. But when the workflow calls for a trip to LAB, Dan makes it. Every image has 10 channels is truer of Dan's approach than ever before. It's a joy to watch Dan's mastery as an image moves through RGB luminosity blending, into LAB for color correction and sharpening, and finally into CMYK for shadow improvements. Or whatever.

Dan has no single fixed workflow for all images. He offers a very full toolbox of techniques, ideas, and ways to think about color correction. He exposes us to his reasoning about how to approach a wide variety different images with different issues. In the last chapter he offers some guidelines about how to shape your workflow to work best with particular images.

I don't want to steal Dan's thunder by outlining too much of what he has to say in his new book. Suffice to say that Dan's fans will have a great time with this book. Newcomers should find it easier than previous editions if only because it starts with an RGB orientation. I'm finding that I can get better results now from a wider array of images than before I read it. I'm still rethinking my old workflows and ideas in light of this new knowledge. And I'm very much looking forward to reading it a second time when it's published.

As Dan's books are notoriously challenging, I'm planning to lead a discussion group on this one <a href="http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=48066">here</a>. Please drop by!

I came to this book as an amateur and beginner in need of RBG output only, and I came to it right after reading one of the best-known Photoshop "cookbooks". While I certainly learned things from that other book, it was Margulis's book that brought me to an acceptable level and who injected enthusiasm into the job. My thoughts seem to echo those of A Reader from Brooklyn, who posted a review in October, 2002.

Some specific points about the book:

DM's basic method of drawing curves has helped me a lot. It made the field easier to navigate. While not making long-term experience superfluous, it really got me going in a very short time.

A thread going through the book is that the human visionary system is adaptive and flexible, making its own "colour corrections" based on the input, like seeing colour in context. The camera does not make use of these cognitive principles, so the image needs to be corrected to compensate for that. This is an eye-opening guiding principle that can make a difference for the result. After reading this book, I've started noticing how some people in online photo forums let their colour-correction decisions be guided by the opposite approach of DM's (like not correcting blue casts just because they are blue "in reality" and they're faithfully captured on film), without being aware of the alternative. Also, the guiding principle gives the most convincing explanation I've seen of why, as often noted, it helps overexposing indoor shots taken without flash: human vision "overexposes" the scene as well, seeing a scene lighter when there's less available light.

DM's handling of conversion to black and white is very clear (and even more so compared to the other book I've read): he shows ways to correct the image while it's still in colour to optimize the (only) kind of contrast that can be utilized in b&w.

DM repeatedly stresses that he's a colour-space eclectic (obviously to fight back reactions he has experienced to previous editions), and I think he shows it in practice. (His handling of LAB is very inspiring, by the way.) Portions of the book are not specific to either RGB or CMYK, and these are held in CMYK, because DM is mainly writing for professionals using CMYK as output. As he says, one can think in RBG instead in those cases. As an RGB user, I would have preferred that, somewhere in the early chapters showing the "by-the-numbers" approach, there had been a forward pointer to Chapter 8, especially to around p. 151 (4th edition).

There are a lot of interesting and apparently innovative ideas about blending channels and similar techniques. Some of it is clearly more advanced than I need or can make use of now, but I did get interested.

There's a lot on prepress work for CMYK output, such as handling dot gain for different papers. I passed lightly over those passages.

Professional Photoshop serves as an interesting (and forceful) alternative to the widespread assumptions that it's always better to correct as much as possible in 48 bits and to scan at a high resolution (although I didn't quite get what exactly is considered high and low in this context -- DM's point about resolution is perhaps relevant for professional gear only?).

As a general comment on the book, I think it's an asset that you not only get the practical methods, but also the principles. DM's views on the principles are clearsighted and tidy, and he shows how the principles can be applied. It can be added that not all beginners in need of RGB output will be equally good at extracting the relevance of what's said and applying it to their own situation: For example, people trained as university academics could be more likely than some others to favour DM's approach over the "cookbook" approach. Those who don't may also be less good at "translating" from CMYK to RGB when appropriate. I've read that Michael Kieran's book (which was praised along with Margulis's), takes a similar route as Professional Photoshop, but is more geared towards RGB and doesn't go in quite as much depth.

Although at least partly outside the main target group, I enjoyed this book very much and found it both inspiring, clear and, to a large degree, relevant. Others in my situation may find it boring, confusing and irrelevant. My modest hope is that this review will help making the latter group a little smaller...

I walked into this book knowing nothing (at any level of detail) regarding printing and color theory (beyond high school art class, but definitely could not explain the details of RGB, CMYK, L*A*B, HSB or any other colorspace). The book is a bit heavy in parts, but if read carefully teaches even a newcomer amateur, such as myself, a few things. After reading this I feel that I better understand what I am doing in any program when "correcting" a photo. I read it the first time without really trying the examples. I am now going back and following through. The time you invest in reading, and rereading, this book clearly seems to be worth it. The corrections I have been able to do on my own photos improved drastically after reading just the first few paragraphs.
Only comment, maybe it is just proof of my lack of professional training or experience, but I had a hard time noticing the difference in some of the before and afters. Most of the time I could see the difference.

If you're in the color correcting business, you most likely already know Dan Margulis' work well. If your serious about getting color right and don't know Dan's work, now's the time!

Although the book's title says it's the 5th edition, most all the images and discussion are new ... the primary difference is that the new edition is increasingly aimed at those of us shooting digital, and working in the RGB color space.

In the first half of the book, the author teaches color correction 'by the numbers' and you'll spend lots of time checking the Info palette. He uses a minimum of the many fancy tools included in Photoshop, primarily focusing on Curves and sharpening (USM). His color correction objectives for each image are to use the full tomal range possible and to give the viewer no colors they won't believe. There are numerous worked examples, all of which are on the CD included with book. Working along with Dan is far the best way to learn these techniques.

Once you've absorbed the basics, the second half of the book shows you the moves that separate the pros from the rookies. This is not an easy read, but the author provides interesting diversions along the way, and once again works with images included on the CD. As with Dan's earlier book: 'Photoshop LAB Color', I found myself revisiting chapters and going over examples again and again. And every time I went back over an example I found myself learning something new. The three most important issues dealt with in this part of the book for me were: the advantages of RAW, alternative sharpening techniques used in conjuction with masks, and a number of ideas presented throughout which help one optimize color correction workflow.

Like a fine meal with a great wine, this is a book to be savored, again and again.

After reading enough books and websites on Photoshop, you'll probably come to the conclusion that all Photoshop books are the same- the techniques for color correction, color management, image sharpening, etc. Until you read this book. Many of the methods in the book is different and unconventional, not for the sake of being unconventional, but simply because it works better. And it's not just plain technique- Margulis gives adequate background for each topic for a fuller understanding (although he also has a 'Quick & Dirty' section) with his signature wit laced with generous sarcasm which makes an interesting read.

Professional Photoshop is the revised editon of the latest techniques on color correction by this "Photoshop Hall of Famer". He goes where no "others" have gone before. His latest techniques in color corection. Using the "overlay blend","the false profile". Trouble finding neutrals in your images? Chapter 6(new), "Inferences,Illusions,and When to Bet the Image" will help you with that. This Chapter even gives you a color recipe page.. Some say, images should only be in 16 bit mode if your serious about editing your images. Well, let me tell you. Chapter 15 proves the evidence. Not only does this "Photoshop Hall of Famer" shows you. But he shows("shows". The key word here.) the original images on the CD(just apply the curves he has on the CD for them or apply your own). There are more images to work on than the last version.Some are new ones,easy and tough ones. As always, curves is the tool for high end color correction. As well as his know how. If you want the best in color correction for images. Be born again. This is "the book" for color correction. Amen.

John Opitz Photographer

I've been using Photoshop since 1991. It's my bread and butter. I've read through at least 10 Photoshop books and this is by far the best one. I've even worked for one of the major computer book publishers and I have to say that as nice as that companies books were, they still don't even touch Margulis's books on Photoshop. WARNING: this book is NOT for the novice, and it is difficult to read. But it is worth it! I would estimate that 50% of all Photoshop books are crap, another 40% are good for novices, another 9% are good for intermediate users, but Margulis's book is part of that rare 1% of Photoshop books that is good for both Intermediate and uber-pros. This is the one book every professional user of Photoshop should own!