Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 Complete Course by Jan Kabili
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Book Reviews of Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 Complete Course
Book Review: Perhaps the best PSE book ever written
Summary: 5 Stars
I have a library of about 10 books on PSE and have referred to them all on occasion. However, this book I will read from front to back, all 430 plus pages. There are also another 50 plus pages on the CD which accompanies the book. The CD contains all of the graphics needed for the creation of the course projects. She even lists her E mail address on the CD. Jan teaches PSE by creating 10 or so sports related post card size graphics. The projects require you to use many of the specialized tools and filters. She has some very impressive credentials (technical, literary and academic). However, her ability to convey her knowledge is what impresses me most. A five star rating implies perfection. Therefore, I might downgrade the rating to 4.9 because of the first tutorial in the book, "Confidence Builder". I believe this tutorial is too much too soon for a bare bones PSE beginner (page 7). If this tutorial seems too advanced, you can skip it and return after session 2. Amazon offers the book for about $32 with free shipping, a substantial saving and a very good investment. I wish Jan had written the book when PSE 2 was first released over a year ago. However, she has apparently been busy writing other books. P.S. I have no connection with the author or vested interest in this book. I only wish to share my discovery of a great PSE resource.Book Review: Best way to learn Photo Shop.
Summary: 5 Stars
I had received PSE 2 from a peripheral purchase (printer or scanner, I can't remember) and was intrigued by what I had heard in general about Photo Shopping pictures. However, the tutorials that came along with the help file weren't all that helpful so I put off learning the program. For some reason a bee got in my bonnet and I decided to look into the program again. I searched Amazon and found this book and after reading the reviews ordered my copy.
I can honestly say I was quite impressed. Usually, How-To books can get you headed in the right direction but for the most part you will only go to the chapters that you are interested in. This book is different. Each session leads into the next building upon what you have already learned. The instructions are fantastic. They are clear and the visuals that accompany them are easy to see and follow. The CD provides all of the photos you work with so there is no guess work. You can stop in a session and come back a few days later without having to reread everything again. At the end of each session there is an excellent review over what you have just learned. The author definitely has a good teaching style.
I can't say enough positive about the book. If you have ever been interested in learning Photo Shop here is your perfect opportunity.
Book Review: If you are serious about your pictures
Summary: 5 Stars
If all you want to do is rotate your picture, lighten it up a bit and crop out what doesn't belong, in other words if you are a point-and-shoot person, don't get PSE or this book. There are easier programs that do such elementary chores. To get involved with PSE you have to be more serious about your pictures than that. But, now, let's say that you are serious, that you are willing to invest some hours to learn a little more about the possibilities of digital photography. In that case, there really is nothing better than the combination of this excellent book and a sophisticated camera. (I use the Nikon D-70, which has provision for interchangeable lenses. Canon makes something similar.) This book, while written in simple language and not requiring any particular background to read, does require effort. You need to spend quite a few hours to study this work. But the rewards of this effort are great. The book takes you through every nook and cranny of the PSE, and, believe me, there are quite a few such nooks and crannies. Once you have studied this book, you will be a better person -- well, a better photographer anyway. But if you are not serious about spending the time and effort, forget it; just click with your point-and-shoot and let it go at that.Book Review: Another Well Deserved 5 Stars!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Why am I giving this book 5 stars like the rest of reviewers? Just to conform? Of course!! Ah...but I don't mean with the star rating thing, but with the uniformity of praises. I'm totally new to anything that starts with the word, Photoshop... All I wanted was someone to guide me through the program in step-by-step, no nonsense fashion, and Jan did a superb job of systematically fulfilling my very need. No more frustration!!
Although I'm totally new and uninitiated, I had no problem whatsover going through Jan's Confidence Builder. So I slightly disagree with another reviewer who thought the Confidence Builder wasn't for a beginner. But I do very much agree with another reviewer who stated that this book is far better than Kelby's. My first book on PSE was by Kelby's, but after having had enough of frustration trying to figure out "in-between-the-steps" with Kelby's style of instruction (when you're frustrated, none of his incessant attempts at humor helps!), I purchased Jan's delightful book. With each of her tutorial segments, my knowledge of PSE grows and builds. For the first time I feel like I know what PSE is like and what I can do with it. Yet I've only touched on the surface!! So let me get back to the tutorial...
Book Review: Great book but I had to send it back.
Summary: 5 Stars
The great thing about this book is that the author not only tells you how to do something but why. She provides far more background material than the other two books I looked at -- Kelby's and Aaland's. The tutorials are clearly written and well-illustrated. I noted one problem. On page 205, Step 4, she neglects to tell you that you must hold the alt (Macintosh: option) key to perform the workaround she describes. She does tell you this the next time she has a tutorial with that activity (on page 226) so this is clearly just an editing problem. Unfortunately I had to send this book back to Amazon because of a printing error -- the book did not have pages 267-282. However, I asked for a replacement rather than a refund because the book is so good. I hope just my copy was defective and not the entire run.