The Adobe Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter) (Paperback)

by Scott Kelby (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This update is so important, because if there was ever a version of Photoshop that was aimed at digital photographers, Photoshop CS is it, and "The Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers" by Scott Kelby (Editor of Photoshop User magazine) once again breaks new ground by doing something for digital photographers that's never been done before¿it cuts through the bull and shows you exactly "how to do it." It's not a bunch of theory; it doesn't challenge you to come up with your own settings or figure it out on your own. Instead, it shows you step by step the exact techniques used by today's cutting-edge digital photographers and retouchers, and it does something that virtually no other Photoshop book has ever done -- it tells you, flat-out, which settings to use, when to use them, and why.

If you're looking for one of those "tell-me-everything-about-the-Unsharp-Mask-filter" books, this isn't it. You can grab any other Photoshop book on the shelf, because they all do that. Instead, this book gives you the inside tips and tricks of the trade that today's leading pros use to correct, edit, sharpen, retouch, and present their photos to some of the most demanding clients on the planet. You¿ll be absolutely amazed at how easy and effective they are¿once you know the secrets.

LEARN HOW THE PROS DO IT Each year Scott trains thousands of professional photographers how to use Photoshop, and almost without exception they have the same questions and the same problems -- that's exactly what Scott covers in this book. You'll learn:

• The secrets of how the pros retouch portraits
• How to color correct any photo without breaking a sweat (you¿ll be amazed at how they do it!)
• How to unlock the power of Photoshop CS' new features for digital photo pros
• Amazing digital body-sculpting techniques
• How the pros use CS' File Browser (it's much more powerful than you think)
• Tricks that can send your productivity through the roof
• The sharpening techniques the pros really use (there's an entire chapter just on this!)
• How to deal with common digital camera image problems
• Removing noise, avoiding halos, and protecting your images
• How to use Match Color, The Color Replacement Tool, and other amazing CS tools.
• Masking techniques for photographers
• The most-requested photographic special effects
• and much more!

Photoshop CS is THE tool for digital photographers, and this book show you exactly how to put it's power to work for you today.

About the Author

Scott Kelby is President of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP), the trade organization for Adobe Photoshop users, with thousands of members in the US and 63 countries. Scott is Editor-in-Chief of both Photoshop User magazine and Mac Design magazine. He serves as training director for the Adobe Photoshop Seminar Tour and is the technical chair of the largest Photoshop gathering, Photoshop World. Scott is one of the leading Photoshop trainers in the country today and trains thousands of Photoshop users across the country each year, and is featured in a series of Photoshop training videos.

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: New Riders Press; 1 edition (December 14, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735714118
• ISBN-13: 978-0735714113
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (100 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #53,496 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

150 of 152 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb ...., March 22, 2004

By	Darwin's Bulldog (Upstate New York) - See all my reviews

This is my fifth Photoshop book, and I wish it had been my first. What were the problems in the earlier book? First of all, some had minimal use of color. Seems funny but I'm sure the publishers saved a ton of money by not using color, or using only a few insert pages for color content. For Photoshop this is silly. This book, like all the New Riders books apparently, uses full color.

Second, a number of books use dreadful images as examples. Now the authors of these books are certainly photoshop experts, but apparently only use 'left-over' images from a previous family vacation in their books. Photoshop experts, but not expert photographers. Scott uses excellent images, most of which were contributed by friends who are excellent, professional photographers! Just browse...

Third, the earlier books were often hard to read; small fonts, a ton of material, lousy layout. Sure they were comprehensive in coverage, but I think too much for a photgrapher. (I now have a good working knowledge of what features were added to every version of PS that ever was, and all about every digital camera the author ever owned. Didn't really need all that.)

Scott's book is really fun to read. He uses humor well, has great images (downloadable from his site) as examples, and covers material needed to turn good photographs into great photographs. You won't find any information on shutter speeds, f-stops, selecting cameras, printers, etc, just Photoshop. Kinda respectful of the reader...

If you're a photographer and you're going digital, you'll have some very specific needs; get Harald Johnson's book on printers and printing, and this book on Photoshop CS.

69 of 69 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource / reference, July 28, 2004

By	Shannon D. Moore (San Antonio, Texas USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a professional digital photographer, and while I'm not a Photoshop guru I have learned my way to good results through endless trial and error. Most digital photography and Photoshop reference books are either too basic or needlessly complicated. Kelby's "...CS Book for Digital Photographers" is neither -- it's exactly the right balance of simplicity while attacking advanced techniques for improving one's digital images.

This title is the one most frequently removed from my shelves and placed beside my computer for reference. When I can't find the book, it's because my husband -- also a professional photographer -- has borrowed it and placed it on HIS computer desk.

Yes, there are a number of techniques presented that are geared to portrait photographers (and advanced users who want to take better family photos). However, as outdoor photographers (wildlife, landscapes and natural light portraits), my husband and I still get good mileage from this book. In particular, his experimentation and documentation with various "Unsharp Mask" values is universally useful, as are the tips on color cast removal/color correction and Photoshop workspace optimization/personalization.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Basic stuff you need to know -- well explained, July 30, 2004

By	Dave (Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews

If you're one of those people who buys books based upon how much they weigh (or how many pages they have, or some other such measure), you may think at first that this isn't the book for you. Well, think again.

True, there are a lot of things about PhotoShop CS that are *not* in this book -- so maybe you do need one of those hernia-inducing monsters as a reference. I have one, along with a few other PhotoShop books. But Kelby's book is the one I consult most often. It was the first book I bought after I acquired a high-end digital camera, and it's still the book I refer to most often. The many basic things every digital photographer needs to know in order to make good use of PhotoShop *are* in the book. They are explained concisely and understandably.

There is, for example, a section on whitening teeth -- something most digital portrait photographers will want to do at some point. The technique is explained in a stepwise, sensible fashion. Same for de-wrinkling faces, getting rid of blotches, fixing architectural perspective problems, and probably 90% of the other things you'll eventually want to do.

Very highly recommended. If it were possible to give six stars, I would.