'Adobe Classroom in a Book' Any Good?

[Mjausson]

When I got PSE4, I was planning on buying Adobe Classroom in a Book for PSE4 as soon as it is published. But I'm not hearing it mentioned here at all, so I thought I'd ask you guys' opinion about Adobe's books.

If you don't think it's so great, what book would you recommend for somebody who is self-taught in Photoshop? I've been using the various versions over the last ten years or so but I've never had a book or any real training, it's all been "Huh? What does this thing do?" kind of learning so there are some real gaps in what I know and understand.

Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers,
--Mjauson

[Wendy]

Hi there ...

Have you thought of doing the SCott Kelby online classes? ... they filled in a lot of gaps in my knowledge.

I think that one of the problems with buying books, when you have had quite a lot of experience of using Photoshop, is that they can seem a little basic. So I usually suggest that its better to try to visit a bookshop and browse ... that way you get to see if the book suits you.

I like all of the Scott Kelby ones :)

Wendy

[Pauline]

Hi and welcome. If you go to the search menu and type books there are quite a few links there where we discuss books. I was looking for the one where we all told what books we had, but I can't seem to find it.

My recommendation would be for both the Kelby books. I don't have Classroom in a book. They will get you up and running pretty quick and I reference them often. More often than any other book that I have.

[Mjausson]

Thanks for your recommendations, Wendy and Pauline. I've now put Kelby's "The Photoshop Elements 4 Book for Digital Photographers" in my shopping basket at Amazon. It's due at the end of November.

[Carbone]

Classroom in a book series are, often (but not always)... boring... (sorry, no bad feeling intended to their respective authors). They're not made for common users like us. I can't specifically talk for the Photoshop Elements series, but I can comment on the Photoshop series (since I read two). I've also looked carefully at the one for Illustrator. No thanks :)

Another good book is the Missing Manual. For Photoshop Elements 3, it was amongst the best :) Many people here have it and they all find it very useful (myself included)

Ray