Book suggestions for CS5

GP Images

Looking for book suggestions for Photoshop 5.
A little background, I have been an amateur photographer for 30 years. I know my way around most software but I am new to PS. Can anyone suggest a good book to get me headed in the right direction?
Thank you,
Glynn

Ric Grupe

GP Images wrote: »

Looking for book suggestions for Photoshop 5.
A little background, I have been an amateur photographer for 30 years. I know my way around most software but I am new to PS. Can anyone suggest a good book to get me headed in the right direction?
Thank you,
Glynn

I find this extemely useful.

sara505

Ric Grupe wrote: »

I find this extemely useful.

This link is useful, but not if you're new to PS, necessarily, as it brings you in, beginning in CS5.

I am in a similar boat, have been a photographer for 40 years, had even been using a basic version of PS for years, but only skimming the surface.

In the past 6 months I have finally had the kind of time I've been needing and wanting to pursue my photography more full-time, and what has been most helpful to me was joining NAPP and subscribing to Scott Kelby's on-line training courses. This has enabled me to tap into such tutorials as CS5 for Beginners - where I finally learned the interface and the tools - wow, what I got away with, knowing nothing, astounds me - and where I have also been learning about layers and masks and cloning, dodging, burning etc. etc. etc. Stuff I should have learned years ago but didn't have time. It's fantastic, and I am in love with photography all over again.

arodney

Photoshop for Photographers by Martin Evening...
http://www.photoshopforphotographers.com/

Ric Grupe

sara505 wrote: »

This link is useful, but not if you're new to PS, necessarily, as it brings you in, beginning in CS5.

Worked for me.

There are so many online resources, all one has to do is look for them.

http://www.peachpit.com/topics/topic.aspx?st=61435

http://tv.adobe.com/product/photoshop/

http://www.thedigitalphotographyconnection.com/PFDP.php

http://www.thelightsright.com/

etc.....

sara505

Ric Grupe wrote: »

Worked for me.

There are so many online resources, all one has to do is look for them.

http://www.peachpit.com/topics/topic.aspx?st=61435

http://tv.adobe.com/product/photoshop/

http://www.thedigitalphotographyconnection.com/PFDP.php

http://www.thelightsright.com/

etc.....

Glad to hear.

Yeah, lots of stuff out there, sometimes overwhelming, however, because there's so much, and some of it isn't so great, and the whole process can be very time-consuming. Your list is very helpful. Remember, sometimes a beginner doesn't even know what to look for.

racer

sara505 wrote: »

and what has been most helpful to me was joining NAPP and subscribing to Scott Kelby's on-line training courses.

I agree with this, this has to be one of the best ways to learn photoshop, and it makes learning the really advanced stuff really easy!

I have read some books, and it was always hard to grasp some of the different techniques. I would sit there and read how to do something, try it, then scratch my head, read everything again. For me, it is like trying to learn the art of painting or tuning a guitar from a book.

I started with the Kelby Training videos, but am currently using Lynda.com.

If you really want to learn everything there is to learn about photoshop, and are really commited, then the Deke McClelland "One on One" series at lynda.com is probably the most comprehensive you will ever find. It is three parts, that total over 60 hours of video :wow
Way more comprehensive then any book, and membership at these places cost $25 a month.
If your cheap like me, you can watch two hours of video a day, and learn everything in one month for $25

sara505

racer wrote: »

I agree with this, this has to be one of the best ways to learn photoshop, and it makes learning the really advanced stuff really easy!

I have read some books, and it was always hard to grasp some of the different techniques. I would sit there and read how to do something, try it, then scratch my head, read everything again. For me, it is like trying to learn the art of painting or tuning a guitar from a book.

I started with the Kelby Training videos, but am currently using Lynda.com.

If you really want to learn everything there is to learn about photoshop, and are really commited, then the Deke McClelland "One on One" series at lynda.com is probably the most comprehensive you will ever find. It is three parts, that total over 60 hours of video :wow
Way more comprehensive then any book, and membership at these places cost $25 a month.
If your cheap like me, you can watch two hours of video a day, and learn everything in one month for $25

ha ha, yeah, there's learning, and then there's absorbing.

sara505

PS - while I love the video instructions at Kelby, I do keep a small library of books right next to my computer for reference, including Kelby's CS4; CS5; McClelland's one-on-one.

I've also seen Lynda.com and they are very good, but $25/mo adds up to $300/yr; Kelby is $179/yr for NAPP members - and NAPP is also a font of information and tutorials and latest news in and of itself.

racer

sara505 wrote: »

I've also seen Lynda.com and they are very good, but $25/mo adds up to $300/yr; Kelby is $179/yr for NAPP members - and NAPP is also a font of information and tutorials and latest news in and of itself.

What is NAPP? I just looked, and both places are still listed for $25 per month.

sara505

racer wrote: »

What is NAPP? I just looked, and both places are still listed for $25 per month.

Ah - Nat'l Assoc of Photoshop Professionals.

You're right - there's the membership fee for NAPP, and then once you're a member of that, you get a discount for Kelby, so my math is a bit off.
But as a member of NAPP, you also get discounts on other stuff, like books and workshops, and as mentioned, NAPP has a plethora of tutorials and info.

This works for me for now, for this year, anyway.