Blogcritics The critical lens on today's culture & entertainment
Back a few months ago I did a review of Adobe Photoshop CS3 For Photographers by Chris Orwig. That training video ran over 13 hours and was very in depth. Well, the people at Lynda and at Peachpit Press have teamed up and have put together a condensed version of that training video together with a 160 page book and called it Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers: Video Training Book.
Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers: Video Training Book breaks out into 13 chapters which correspond to the video training. The reference guide is meant as a way for you to follow along and reinforce the video training. Time codes are provided so that you can navigate to specific points in each video to watch. The exercise files are provided as well for you to work along with.
Chapter 1, "Getting started" briefly covers working with the new tools palettes and working with docked palettes. Chapter 2, "The Digital Image" gets you started with image sizing, cropping, straightening images, and rotating images.
Chapter 3, "Getting Started with Bridge" introduces you to Adobe Bridge and starts you working rating, sorting, and filtering images. Chapter 4, "Camera Raw Workflow" examines working with Adobe Camera Raw (ACR). You will learn about the ACR controls, how to white balance, control shadow clipping, sharpen images, reducing noise, and making tonal curve adjustments, as well as opening files in Photoshop.
Chapter 5, "Layers" shows you how to create a layer oriented workspace, as well as how to work with layers. Chapter 6, "Masking" takes you through the basics of working with masks, how to paint on masks, as well as a few other tricks you can accomplish with masks. Chapter 7, "Selections" gives you an overview on making color range selections and combining selections with paths.
Chapter 8, "Levels" provides an introduction to what levels are, and how you can enhance color and tone with them, as well as modifying color. Chapter 9, "Curves" begins to show you how to use curves with channels to enhance contrast, tone, and color.
Chapter 10, "Burning and Dodging" examines how to burn with blend modes, bring down highlights, and balance color. Chapter 11, "Black and White Conversion" takes you through the new CS3 Black and White conversion tool.
Chapter 12, "Image Correction" explains how to clean up dust, scratches, apply Smart Filters, and work with the Healing tools. Chapter 13, "Retouching" finishes the lessons with techniques for removing fly-away hair, brightening eyes, changing eye color, and cleaning teeth.
Compared to the full training, I was a little disappointed. Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers: Video Training Book appears to be very thrown together. Primarily bits and pieces of the online course compiled with the book. To the average person, I think, it would be very confusing.
I think to someone with advance novice to intermediate skills, Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers: Video Training Book could work to help you learn some new techniques and skills. The other thing is that if you purchase this book and have never tried Lynda, you get a one month free pass in which you could view the full 13 hour training course and that would be a deal!
