The Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements 4
by Richard Lynch
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Book Summary Information
Author: Richard LynchEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-04-10
ISBN: 078214456X
Number of pages: 342
Publisher: Sybex
Book Reviews of The Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements 4
Book Review: Powerful and Improved
Summary: 5 Stars
I started using Richard Lynch's Hidden Power book for Elements 3.0 in January of 2005. I've recently purchased PSE 4.0 as well as Richard's new book The Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements 4.0. In fact, the only reason I bought PSE 4 was because of the book. So Adobe can send their thanks to Richard for making a sale for them :)
This book is a great improvement over the last one (HPE 3.0). Two words came to mind when I began the HPE 4.0 book....Focus and Simplicity. The book has been reorganized to make it a little easier to follow along as one progresses through the excercises. Also, some of what was previously in the book has been removed such as animations, etc. I view this as a huge improvement because this book and HPE community tend to be more focused on image editing; the basics of editing. Do not misunderstand when I use the word "basic." I don't think most Photoshop users have mastered the basics that one can learn in Richard's book. By "basic", I mean, understaning the relationship of color and tone, and, the building blocks of images: spot color, luminosity, tone, contrast, color, c, m, y, k, r, g, b, etc...and how these combine to create the images that we see. At a time when many users are rushing to purchase the latest plug-in, this book shows one how to improve image editing with fuctionality that already exists in Elements.
One of the changes I really liked in this new book release was the use of Gradient Maps. I had given up on gradients, but, this has renewed my interest in learning more about them and how they can influence color and contrast. Gradients are native to Elements and probably one of the most underused tools of the program. This book explains how to color correct and fix contrast using Gradients, but, not only that, as is the case with most of what one will learn from the Hidden Power books, it opens the door for many more ideas. This is the real hidden power of the Hidden Power books: it's not the tools that are included that make this book worth the money, it's the ideas that are conveyed in the pages. If you purchase this book, please take the time to actually read it. That is where the real magic of this program comes to life. The author has packed over 10 years of image editing experience into less than 350 pages. At $20, this is a true bargain. This book could easily retail for $60 or better.
The new Hidden Power book also seems to have less typographical errors than its predecessor which makes it much easier to comprehend. It's packed with 100 tools, about 40 of them are new. The author has also included some hands-on image editing where he shows the reader how to go through the process of image editing from step 1 with a RAW image. This is something I would like to see more of as it really helps in understanding the whole process. Although I've been at this for over a year now, I think I only really understand about 30-40% of the material. During that time, however, I've seen a consistent improvement in my images as well as continued growth in understanding of image editing process. This is not a book that you will work through and never revisit. My HP book stays open on my computer desk as a reference at all times. There are no quick fixes presented in the pages; there is, however, a push to get the reader to think and understand the process.
One unexpected gain I've made from this book (and the HPE 3 book) has not only been on the computer but also when I'm out actually doing photography. Understanding the relationship of tone, color, contrast, etc, has helped me SEE before I shoot. This has translated into much better images before they are actually downloaded on my computer.
Lastly, the author has taken the time to answer many emails from me (no matter how silly they may have seemed)as well as many other readers. This is yet another bonus as many other authors will not take the time to back up their work; Richard tends to be open to feedback and helping people improve their image editing skills.
In sum, I would highly recommend purchasing this book if you are serious about your images and image editing. All the tools you need are there, you just have to unlock the power and make them work for you. This book will help you do that and much more.
Best of luck!
Summary of The Hidden Power of Photoshop Elements 4
"...perfect for the digital photographer.... The depth of information on all aspects of color control is astonishing. Anyone who needs detailed control over every aspect of their images will revel in this book."?Computer Arts Magazine http://www.computerarts.co.uk
There's More to Photoshop Elements Than Meets the Eye
In this unique book, expert author Richard Lynch reveals hidden functionality in Photoshop Elements-advanced features concealed in the code that dramatically extend the power of the software. First you'll learn high-level image editing from this renowned professional, then vault yourself into the ranks of advanced power users with the more than one hundred Hidden Power tools he provides on CD. You'll be amazed at what you can do!
Inside, discover features usually found only in advanced image editors:
- Add shadows, highlights, and contrast with new Curves Presets
- Get beautiful and accurate color printing with CMYK separations tools
- Use the hidden Blend If and other power tools to apply sophisticated masks
- Emulate the Channel Mixer and Calculations functions of Photoshop
- Handle an image from start to finish using only the included Hidden Power tools
- Take full advantage of the latest Elements 4 updates to color management settings and Adobe(r) Gamma procedures
- Discover dozens more high-end functions such as snapshots, clipping paths, the history brush, and others
Exclusive Elements Power Tools Included on CD!
Unlock more than 100 hidden functions to power up your image editing, including:
- Color separations (RGB, CMYK, or Lab)
- Masking
- Channels
- Snapshots and History Brush
- Clipping Paths
- Custom Vectors
- Enhanced Sharpening
- Guides
- Fade
- Align/Distribute Objects
The CD also includes numerous images and project files to use along with exercises in the book.
Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.
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