[WOODY]

AT SOME POINT I WILL THINK ABOUT GETTING PHOTOSHOP CS3. I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF GOOD TUTORIALS ON HERE, BUT WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO LEARN.

WHAT BOOKS ARE THE BEST ONES TO BUY FOR BEGINNERS TO CS3? IS IT BEST TO BUY TUTORIALS ON DVD? HOW DO MOST PEOPLE LEARN?

[Dabhand16]

I've used a combination of things. Books, cover DVD's from Digital Photo magazine, tutorials on Pixalo and some trial and error!

Choice of books is personal as different writing styles will suit different people - but there are plenty to pick from. I've got three books for CS2, much of which is applicable to CS3, so I won't be rushing to update.

I think the DVD route is perhaps the easiest way as you get to look at the screen through the instructor's eyes. As well as the free cover disks there are lots of tutorial DVD's on the market too.

[WOODY]

THANKS GRAHAM, AS YOU SAY I THINK THE DVD, IS PROBABLY THE BEST WAY,AS YOU CAN SEE IT RATHER THAN READING IT, WHICH IS CONFUSING SOMETIMES.

[Dabhand16]

The value of the books is as a reference. If you want to look something up, you can't beat a book.

[Summerleft]

A what, a book! whats that ....

For CS3 and any other apps I found the best way was online at the same time as using the application. Also the CS3 help is quite useful, one of the best things though I think is to open a picture save it as a copy (just in case) and then try everything, play around and have note pad open to remember how your did it. If you anything like me its much more fun.

[WOODY]

VERY TRUE, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY, IT'S HARD TO NO WHICH ONES TO BUY.
I HAVE LOOKED THROUGH THE BOOK REVIEWS, THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT SOTELO HAS RECOMMENDED.

[Dabhand16]

Originally Posted by WOODY

VERY TRUE, BUT THERE ARE SO MANY, IT'S HARD TO NO WHICH ONES TO BUY.
I HAVE LOOKED THROUGH THE BOOK REVIEWS, THERE ARE A COUPLE THAT SOTELO HAS RECOMMENDED.

As I said - it comes down to personal preferences.

For instance, I find Scott Kelby's writing style makes me cringe - but his books are really good in terms of content and information. Martin Evening is more to my taste - but others find him too dry. Galer and Andrews are also good - for me anyway!

I've got all three. Now I don't have to choose

[Boofers]

Martin Evening is very to the point in an understandible way , "Woody" my wife is very good at leaving little recipes around the kitchen for me so as I can always find something to eat or snack on. In that light I feel you can read and watch all the things you want but if they don't leave you with all the little recipes you end up haveing to go trial and error,,better yet,,do a little art work and use everything you can find in the tool bar. Everybody keeps those neat little recipes to them selves,,or most of them anyway. I guess you could say that's what they would feel get's them ahead of the other guy with there work. In the long run the more you dive into your own idea about what to use, the better photoshop can work for you. In CS3, just a review on the web showed me everything new, but it was up to me to make them work like I wanted.

[WOODY]

DABHAND & BOOFERS, THANK YOU I WILL CERTAINLY LOOK AT MARTIN EVENING BOOKS THANK YOU.

[Charlotte]

Yep, Martin Evening, but Galer + Andrews, as mentioned by Graham - and Focal Press books in general - are excellent, Woody The Focal Press books by Galer often have a DVD included.

EDIT: To be more specific, and if it helps, I have 2 books on CS3: "Adobe Photoshop CS3 for Photographers" by Martin Evening, and "Adobe Photoshop CS3 A-Z" by Philip Andrews. I also have out of the library "Digital Imaging" (3rd edition) by Mark Galer + Les Horvat. All are published by Focal Press, and all are excellent. The 1st + last mentioned books both have a DVD. The A-Z book is a quick reference guide. The "Digital Imaging..." book is not on CS3 specifically, but is built around Photoshop, so will still apply.

HTH

[WOODY]

THANK YOU CHARLOTTE. I HAVE JUST ORDERED MARTIN EVENING" PHOTOSHOP CS3 FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS", FROM TESCO JERSEY. I WILL LOOK FOR PHILIP ANDREWS.
THANK YOU.