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Adobe Photoshop CS2 One-On-One (One-On-One)

Format: Paperback
Author: Deke McClelland
ReleaseDate: 25 July, 2005
Publisher: O'Reilly Media
Rating:

Very Good Book -- Beginner's Perspective
I found the DVD-book combo to be quite helpful. I knew nothing about Photoshop when I purchased this book. The book can be used as a series of lessons done sequentially or you can use it to find techniques to solve particular problems, so it makes both a good coursebook and a good reference book.

The one thing missing in the book for me as a beginner has been commented on by others, and that is the "do this then do this" approach to achieve a result. An example is enhancing photos through levels where you are told to make particular changes. After it is over you are told that you figure out how to make the best changes by moving and nudging levels until the image is optimal. A better approach would be having the reader make the less than ideal changes and having Deke point out what is "wrong" with the result.

For a beginner, one of the challenges of Photoshop is learning not just how to use the program but learning how to see the changes, or learning to develop a "Photoshop eye. " This is mostly what is lacking in the book. However, there are places where this issue is addressed, including the section on the burn and dodge tools.

Overall I am very pleased with this book and found it to be well worth the money spent. In addition to getting across the basics, it has made using Photoshop enough fun that I am now experimenting with more artistic rather than utilitarian techniques. .

complaint

It would seem to me that I should been notified of this before I ordered the book. After ordering and receiving the book ,Iwas somewhat displeased with the fact that I had to go out and buy DVD drive in order to use the DVD that was included as part of the study process.
I now have the book,the DVD ,and no place to go unless I buy
a DVD drive for from 60-200. 00.
I don't think that my comments are unreasonable. Do you?
LarryH.

Adobe Photoshop CS2 One-on-One Book Review


The books is arranged into 12 logically ordered lessons, allowing the more experienced user to skip what it not needed and to hop ahead to new things to learn.
Title:Photoshop CS2 One-On-One Review
Author:Deke McClelland
Publisher:O'Reilly
ISBN:0596100965
Pages:475
Reviewer:Michelle LaRock
Rating:5 out of 5 stars

Holding an aversion to any type of user manual as indecipherable and confusing, I have found "Adobe Photoshop CS2 One-on-One" by Deke McClelland to be an extremely user friendly and interesting way to learn more about my favorite program Photoshop. I found this a wonderful way of setting the lessons up and I resent working through training books only to find that I could have written the lesson rather than taken the lesson. Consequently, this book is great for users at all skills levels

The easy to use enclosed CD makes the lessons vibrant and interesting. The sidebar, "Pearls of Wisdom" are excellent allowing the reader to pick up those pro tips we all wish we had someone around to explain and teach. Of course, you won't learn all you need to know about Photoshop in this book or any other, but the hands-on experience available in this book is just what I needed to learn. I've never been able to read a manual and figure out a program. Hands-on is the way to go for me so I found this book particularly helpful.

Perhaps those who learn by reading (as some of my colleagues do), will find this book frustrating, but it was just the ticket for me!
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