Books and Manuals

[elementary watson]

I've just been on Amazon.com looking for my first book (or manual) to help me work with PSE4. Big selection there. What I'm looking for is something that replicates the video tuts...quick and easy tips and tricks on putting some of the PSE4 features to use. I don't need anything too advanced at this stage. Any strong reccomendations from the gurus? There's one by Scott Kelby that looks prety good.

[Pauline]

Scott Kelby's are by far the favourites. Especially for beginners. Lots of step by step photos to walk you through the process. The writing is very humourous too so it keeps you entertained!

[CarolLHB]

Definitely Kelby!

Just started peeking through Tim Shelbourne's Cookbook-so far so good...

[elementary watson]

Actually, I've borrowed the Kelby book on Photoshop CS from the library and I get the toungue-in-cheek funnies. Great stuff. The demo images give super clear illustration of the concepts. The library isn't up on Elements yet and maybe never will be. So sad

[Chuck S.]

I hate to be different, but I think that Barbara Brundage's Missing Manual is superior to Kelby's books. Not as much humor, but more meat and potatoes.

Chuck

[virgo1]

They are both good and have space on desk. :)
Eva ;)

[Pauline]

Chuck I couldn't recommend that one because it isn't weighing down my desk yet. It's on it's way though. :D

I know the first two I got were Kelby's and because of the step by step instructions I found them very helpful. It would be the same kind of set up of the book you borrowed from the library. Don't grumble about your library, I don't think ours has ANY books on photo imagining! Any computer books they do have would be out of date. Small town, small library. :D

[GaryK]

All mentioned are good:D

What we really need (yep another book) is one that gives you the whys and not just the hows.
I'm not knocking Scotts books (I have at least 4 of them) there are fantastc techniques in them, but anybody can follow instructions.
I personally, would trade in a few examples, for a few, we use these settings because.
On the other hand I could say the opposite for Barabaras' fantastic book. There is a ton of information (at least for my wee brain) but not enough "techniques/tips".

That being said, I also would be intimitated by a 1000 page Elements book that cost $150.00. So I guess I'm just whining:D :D

[kayser]

I'm finding myself, going back and forth, depending on what I'm in the mood for. Both are definitely helpful and give you the basic foundation that you need. I'm a little worried, though, because my husband (who does a lot of photography but none of the post-processing) has started reading my books and is getting ideas for what I can do! Next he'll decide to shoot in raw...

[Chuck S.]

Next he'll decide to shoot in raw...

And well he should! There are some very good books out there to help with RAW conversion, too!

:) :)

Chuck

[elementary watson]

The other one I was contemplating was Classroom in a Book by the Adobe creative team. I'm thinking a joint effort by insiders might have more in depth stuff than any book by users, however advanced they might be.

[Pauline]

Now I picked Classroom in a book up and put it right back down. I guess I was put off by all the reading and very little in the way of pictures. Don't get me wrong, I love to read, but sometimes when it's too much like a manual, it's a struggle to stay with it. I don't think I would have touched the missing manual in the beginning for just that reason. When I want to do something I can remember what the picture example looks like and find it in the book. Then again, I'm getting so many books, that might be tougher to do!! I guess it really depends on how you learn and where you are in the learning process. Something too technical in the beginning would have just frustrated me. Kelby's books are far from technical, but Gary is right. He tells you what to do but there are no real explanations which I am now ready for. Chances are you will end up with more than one book in your library. I dare you to stop at one! :D I won't embarass myself to say how many I have. :o

[Carbone]

I'd go with the Missing Manual, it explains more than just gives you the recipe.

Classroom in a Book.. I got a few of them.. Unless you have thing for reading something like "Programming your VCR your eyes closed" at 3 AM, those books are not for the beginners in us. I have yet to understand if it's the way they're written, the sterilized environment they're in, or the lack of something around the bone... Anyway, I've learned to avoid them.

Ray

[elementary watson]

Pauline...and the rest

Thanks for the input. I like to learn from books and I don't shy away from the written word, although I must say my wife is the exact opposite. I've decided though to START with the Kelby book because if it's anything like the one I have borrowed, I'm sure it will be a great resource tool. For my NEXT one.....

[kayser]

Elementary Watson (or maybe EW :)) I like the Dusty Miller picture in your gallery. It's a really nice effect.

[elementary watson]

Thanks Kay

I was just playing around after reading a post on how to do a mirrored effect. I probably couldn't do it again with a gun to my head. I kinda like it myself.

[Diana]

EW, I just checked out your Gallery -- Great stuff!

Diana

[elementary watson]

After deciding to buy the Scott Kelby book, I got to Amazon.com looked them all over again and bought the Missing Manual. So much for firm decisions. Still, I do have a birthday coming up soon...

[Chuck S.]

EW: You won't be disappointed with either....or both!

;)

[Carbone]

I too have a birthday comming up! I will turn 25!!! (big big lyer), I know, but let's pretend I will be 25 instead of the real number, 28... (more lyer!!)

:-)

Ray

[Pauline]

My books came today!! I've been dividing my time between the missing manual and the one on blending modes. Both look excellent. My eyes hurt from reading so much!! I started out my morning reading my Painter book. You know so I could seriously start to learn it! And then go to get the mail, and there's a package notification. Of course I couldn't NOT get my new books today, so a walk down town, and the afternoon with my two new books!

EW I think you have made a very good choice. The Missing Manual is very different from Kelby books. They are great when you want to flip through and find a technique you want to do so would be a great addition to your library, but I'm thinking I wish I'd known about the missing manual from the beginning!

[Diana]

I was so happy that my husband gave me 3 books for Christmas and then yesterday he surprised me with 2 more for our anniversary: Scott Kelby's "The Photoshop Elements 3 Book for Digital Photographers" and "The Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements 3" by Richard Lynch. I also have Kelby's "Down & DIrty Tricks," Steve Luck's "Drop Dead Photography Techniques," "Fun with Photoshop Elements 3" by Rhoda Grossman and the "Classroom in a Book" which was one I bought myself when I first got Elements. They are all very good books, but the Kelby books are exceptional.

Diana

[Wendy]

Hi ....

My word of advice to people who are new to Elements is don't buy books which are written for the absolute beginner. The trouble is that they seem fine for a couple of weeks but your grow out of them very quickly ... so my suggestion would be to buy books that you can "grow into".

Try going into a bookstore and sit down with a few books ... you will find that the style of some writers suits you better than others :)

I like any of the Scott Kelby books ... for me he has nice easy style with good touches of humour and I just learn a lot from him.

Wendy

[Chuck S.]

Try going into a bookstore and sit down with a few books ... you will find that the style of some writers suits you better than others

Wendy, this is the best advice of all. A writer's style and your personal method of learning have to be in sync for the book to be a good choice for you. Some are textbooks, others are cookbooks; some have lots of written explanations, others emphasize visuals; some cover the software broadly but not very deeply; others probe the depths of a few features.

I have a few books on my shelf that I bought either sight unseen or after a very cursory perusal; regrettably, many of those began gathering dust when I realized they just didn't do it for me. And, of course, a lot of them are for earlier versions of Photoshop and/or Elements....

Chuck

[Wendy]

Hi Chuck ...

I too have several books on my bookshelf that I bought sight unseen and later regretted buying ... these tend to be ones I bought in the early days when I didn't realise that the styles varied quite so much.

Nowadays I always try to take a look at the book itself and that has worked well ... :)


Wendy

[karen donnybrook]

I am at a disadvantage, I have to buy sight unseen!! There are no book stores within cooee of me that stock the kind of books we are buying. So far I have bought three books on Amazon using recomendations on the forum. The Missing Manuals and The Photoshop Elements 4 Book for Digital Photographers (both for PSE4) and Photoshop Elements 3 Down & Dirty Tricks. If Scott brings out a version of Down & Dirty for PSE4, I will consider purchasing it and donating this one to the local library.

[Richard Lynch]

"The Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements 3" by Richard Lynch.
Was reading through the thread hoping someone would mention this--it used to be mentioned all the time.

I agree with much of the latter posts, especially Wendy's...If you are going to get a beginners book, you'll want to consider it disposable. That would mean, to me, getting a good deal on it. Deke McClelland's Dummies book for Elements ( http://aps8.com/deke3.html ) goes for about $14 new and $8 used. A good deal. His newer book, One-on-one ( http://aps8.com/deke4.html ) is considerably more meaty, and more money.

Barbara's book is really the Missing Manual: something that Adobe should have been responsible for putting together for release with the product ( http://aps8.com/brundage4.html ). You will be able to use it like an encyclopedia to look up straight-forward explanations about how to use features.

Getting a book to grow into is a little trickier. You'll probably want to get to a library or the book store and thumb through what is there to figure out what you need and what you can learn from.

The Hidden Power books are the only advanced books for Elements users that i know of. An added advantage is that they allow you to work with most Photoshop tutorials by providing a unique cache of over 100 tools (for the new edition, out soon: http://aps8.com/hppe4.html ). These add functionality that people often move to Photoshop to seek out, but at a fraction of the cost. The newest book is really a methodology for editing images; those who are computer challenged or who are seeking a quick fix won't find what they are looking for here.

I hope that helps!

[mayva]

I am loving Photoshop Elements 4 by Deke McCelland. I appreciate the video that came with the book as well. The book is well laid out and being a visual learner I can see what he is talking about on the video which helps so much more then just sitting and reading all the time. This is my first book on PSE 4 so I don't have anything really to compare it with but I would highly recommend this one. I have Scott's PSE 3 and from what I understand if you are upgrading from PSE 3 to 4 then their really isn't that much difference in the manuals. If you are new to Photoshop Elements and are starting with 4 then Scott's book may be for you. If your wallet will allow why not get both!....:)



Anna

[mayva]

Karen

I am waiting for Down and Dirty for PSE 4 as well...;)

Scott.....are you listening????........:D

Anna