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 Best Feature: Introduction to Bridge Feb 17, 2010
I've been using photoshop for years, mostly self taught. It's a good thing I do have experience with the application or I would have been lost several times using the book. Deke McClelland is most clear and thorough when explaining the Bridge. The more complex topics and functions seem to be beyond his writing capabilities (though I'm sure he knows how to use the actual functions).
What's not to like:
1. Wasted rhetoric on trying to be hip/cool/funny. After a while it's just annoying.
2. Special tips or techniques that are confusing or just plain wrong.
3. The explanations of paths is pathetic, but at least the author tells you that he turns to these tools as last resort (which would explain why he cannot explain them). Too bad some of us would like to know how to use them!
4. Explanation of more complex functions is minimal. Instead it's a color- or dance-by-numbers approach. Don't think, just do as I do.
What's to like:
1. The video introductions are good if incomplete. (The author encourages readers to access more complete videos for a fee at [...])
2. The intro to the Bridge is very helpful and clear.
3. The working files are nice, but there are almost too many samples. It would have been nice to walk the same selections through many stages -- for instance, the dome building in ch. 4 through all the selection tools.
Buy Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks by Lynette Kent to learn more in 1/10th of the time, for 1/4 the price.
 i just have to give deke credit here Aug 14, 2009
I've been using graphic software since the early 90s and have run through the various bibles, dummy guides, missing manuals, HOT videos, etc. One thing I've noticed is that any book or course by Deke McClelland will be clearly written and easy to understand, and organized in such a way as to establish a good working method within the program itself.
This book did not disappoint. If you've used Photoshop for a while, it isn't hard to skim through stuff you already know, and it's very easy to learn the new tricks. The images and steps are large and clear, the index in this book perfectly adequate and better than most. If you're a beginner, you couldn't really ask for a better introduction to the program, and intermediate users will learn what they need quickly and easily.
Easy to understand Jul 06, 2009
I'm working my way through this and have found it really easy to follow. Photoshop fascinated me and although I'd played around with it I didn't really know what I was doing and the results were hit and miss. Now I can more fully understand the reason and workings behind the various features and while it can still be time consuming to get something just right, I know I'm on the right track. The videos are great and when you follow up with the relative chapters in the book it all just comes together. The book is written in plain easy to understand terms, not too technical for a real beginner like me.
Photoshop CS3 how-to-book Apr 21, 2009
Outstanding book. Even for advanced beginners this is an excellent book. Techniques that you would never think of using. As an example; using the "Inner Glow" layer style to remove haloing/fringe of background color. Works wonders for blending the edges and matching the color of your subject. This and other techniques and tool options you probably never realized were available. Also, a very good video is included. Deke McClelland does a masterful job of explaining both in the book and the video. Money well spent and I highly recommend it (there is also a CS4 edition)........
Great Place to Start Apr 20, 2009
I was a complete noob to Photoshop. I had zero, zip, zilch, nada, no exerience using Photoshop. This was the first book I read on the subject. It got me started immediately using Photoshop. Deke McClelland's watch, read, do approach to Photoshop worked wonders for me. Watch the video, read the lesson, follow the step by step instructions. It is a great introduction to Photoshop and, will prepare you for more advanced techniques. Although, it also includes more than a few tricks and, secrets that even experienced Photoshop users might not know. I have been using Photoshop for about a year now and, I still often refer to this book. Worth every penny of the cost.
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