Photoshop courses and/or books

[Spooky]

Can anyone recommend a good photoshop course run in Brisbane or a good book?

I realise it is a program with a lot of applications and functions. I
want to learn how to tweak my shots in photoshop to increase the quality
and impact of my images, so ideally the course would cover this sort of
stuff and presentation things like putting borders around images etc.

Thanks

[big pix]

this site will help
http://www.good-tutorials.com
A photoshop site for all levels

enjoy

[Alex]

Sorry mate,

Can't really help you with the course. Wouldn't mind going myself, especially if I can trick my employer into paying for it.

But I can recommend a good book: "Photoshop CS for Digital photographers" by Scott Kelby.

Cheers
Alex

[Matt. K]

Second that book by Kelby. It's the best available.

[Greolt]

I'm going to second Alex's recommendation.

I have a few books but this is the one I liked the best.

Especially aimed at photography.

Greolt

Edit: Drat, Matt beat me

[birddog114]

Agreed, I posted few times and well recommended his books for PP skills, you don't need to read all his book, just pick what you want to do in the index and you can go quick with it.

[kingsley]

Hi not a book or course but check this guy's site out

http://www.davrodigital.co.uk/

I bought one of his early CD's and found it invaluable,had read many books but still couldn't get my head round "layers" and what you used them for etc
But watching one of his tutorial movies the penny dropped with a very loud thud,seem to remeber saying out loud,"ahh so that's what layers do"

Notice he now has a photoshop CS dvd out

[birddog114]

Hi not a book or course but check this guy's site out

http://www.davrodigital.co.uk/

I bought one of his early CD's and found it invaluable,had read many books but still couldn't get my head round "layers" and what you used them for etc
But watching one of his tutorial movies the penny dropped with a very loud thud,seem to remeber saying out loud,"ahh so that's what layers do"

Notice he now has a photoshop CS dvd out

kingsley,
Scott Kelby's books don't make you read hard to understand all, and most people here always want a quick way to do short cut and quick learning how to? therefore his books take you to the right question and answer step by step, in 5 minutes you can PP or doing the hard task you want, some other books for PS/PSCS, you have to learn from page 1.

[Spooky]

I have struggled with a number of photoshop books. I have one here at present about 4 inches thick. When I wanted to turn a colour image into black and white I couldn't find how to do it! It is probably in there somewhere amongst "channel paths" or some more mysterious topic I don't understand but I don't have 6 weeks to work throught the book from cover to cover.

Thanks for your tips guys.

[birddog114]

I have struggled with a number of photoshop books. I have one here at present about 4 inches thick. When I wanted to turn a colour image into black and white I couldn't find how to do it! It is probably in there somewhere amongst "channel paths" or some more mysterious topic I don't understand but I don't have 6 weeks to work throught the book from cover to cover.

Thanks for your tips guys.

Spooky,
Truthfully, if you're in Sydney, I can show you one of the books I have from Scott, then you'll understand what I meant.
Pop into some local bookstores and have a look on the books which I mentioned, you don't need to go from cover to cover to find out what you want or how to?
Just go straight to the index page and you'll find the answer for your question as in few short steps.

[Alex]

The book is sure easy to follow and you are right there is no need to read it from start to finish, just pick the section you need to. The only problem I have with his book is it doesn't explain any theory behind his actions, but I guess that would spoil the 'quickness' of advice.

He also has a DVD, I think.

Cheers
Alex

[birddog114]

The book is sure easy to follow and you are right there is no need to read it from start to finish, just pick the section you need to. The only problem I have with his book is it doesn't explain any theory behind his actions, but I guess that would spoil the 'quickness' of advice.

He also has a DVD, I think.

Cheers
Alex

Alex,
That's the way his books aimed for, I have several of his books, help you quick doing what you want, say: 2-5min, but not deeper in details, which I don't have time to play with them and preferred.
Great book thought!

[Nikkofan]

Hi Spooky

As it happens, I did a (basic) Photoshop CS course today so have the course notes on hand so, at least, I can direct you where to go to get the black & white effect you want.

According to today's course notes, it's as follows:

Image - Adjustments - Desaturate, OR

Image - Adjustments - Hue / Saturation, where you have the settings as follows:

Hue = 0 / Saturation = -100 / Lightness = 0

For Sepia, it's Hue = 34 / Saturation = 25 / Lightness = 0

Hope this helps

Nikko

[NewbieD70]

Not that I would endorse such blatent disregard for copyright laws ect, however I know of someone who got Photoshop for Dummys from a P2P program like Kazza... and I believe they found it very useful.

[Link]

You can also check your public library, I've borrowed a Photoshop CS book at mine here in Canberra and learned a few tricks (can't remember the title though).

Whichever book or tutorial you're using, I'd just recommand one thing: practice what you're learning in PS straight away. Once you've done a PS technique by yourself, you're less likely to forget how to do it.

Link.

[Spooky]

Thanks very much for all your help. I have gotten quite a few books out over the last few months on photography and Photoshop from the library.

The Kelby one seems to be more what I am after from your descriptions. I have it on hold at the library now. If it is what I want I will then buy myself a copy. I just don't like to drop $80 on a book and then not use it because it doesn't meet my needs. The other books I have got to date have not helped me that much with Photoshop.

Thanks again everyone for your guidance.

Cheers

[Greolt]

Your library must be a lot better than our local one.

Any photography or photoshop type books are about PS ver 1 or
written in 1960 or so.

Not much up to date stuff at all.