I'm completely new to the program and it's pretty overwhelming. I want to mess around with some graphic design stuff and do some photo editing. I guess I'm looking for a good book, guide or some complete walkthrough of the program. I could search around and find something but I value the Macrumors community's opinion and experience. Thanks.
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Tips for a Photoshop CS3 beginner?
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The best single book for a complete beginner is: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom in a Book, in my opinion, because it's a series of step by step tutorials, with provided files to work with, that take you through the interface and the most-used features in a structured Adobe-approved manner that helps you quickly overcome the initial learning curve.
If you couple that with the Photoshop CS3 Bible, then you've also got a solid and indepth reference work that you can supplement your learning with as you go along.
I've often found when learning new software that the two types of books one tutorial-based and the other a reference work used together can be a very powerful learning tool.
If you couple that with the Photoshop CS3 Bible, then you've also got a solid and indepth reference work that you can supplement your learning with as you go along.
I've often found when learning new software that the two types of books one tutorial-based and the other a reference work used together can be a very powerful learning tool.
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Agree to all the comments made by Blue Velvet. Classroom in a Book series is great, and the bibles are great to have as reference. I would also suggest that if you have a community college nearby, take a class. While it may take more money and a longer amount of time, but I find the classroom setting really works for me. You get good instruction (usually), and I love trading ideas/tips/tricks with classmates. Kinda like MacRumors forums, but live. 
Thanks for the advice. I was looking at "Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom in a Book". My only reservation with it is, I was reading the reviews on Amazon and someone said that the instructions were wrong in some sections. But that was just one review I believe. I'll check out these two books. Anything in the meantime I can do? Anything online that anyone would recommend?
Practice with the various selections tools.
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshoptutorialsselect/Working_with_Masks_and_Making_Selections_in_Photoshop.htm
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/photoshoptutorialsselect/Working_with_Masks_and_Making_Selections_in_Photoshop.htm
Read (or watch on video) as many tutorials as you can find on the 'net. Google for "Photoshop tutorials for beginners" and immerse yourself in what is available.
If you want to spend the $$ for training, a good starting point is lynda.com, and you can view the first few tuts in a series for free.
If you want to spend the $$ for training, a good starting point is lynda.com, and you can view the first few tuts in a series for free.
Search net for the Lynda.com video tutorials for Photoshop.
Lynda RULES for training.
They have some free vids you can watch on their website. A yearly membership to the site is 250.00 for unlimited learning vids on any topic they provide. It's very helpful and very easy.
The advantage to "buying" the software is that you get their actual tutorial files, but they can be found...
Good luck. Welcome to photoshop.
Lynda RULES for training.
They have some free vids you can watch on their website. A yearly membership to the site is 250.00 for unlimited learning vids on any topic they provide. It's very helpful and very easy.
The advantage to "buying" the software is that you get their actual tutorial files, but they can be found...
Good luck. Welcome to photoshop.
save a couple of bucks on the books and video tutorials..
i've never looked at any books or web tutorials, because i knew i would never sit myself down to learn from them. look around the web for some inspiration! create a shape, style it with texture, and then create more!
occasionally, i do visit PSDTuts.com to streamline my work process when i'm dealing with clients.. that may help you out (a lot)!
i've never looked at any books or web tutorials, because i knew i would never sit myself down to learn from them. look around the web for some inspiration! create a shape, style it with texture, and then create more!
occasionally, i do visit PSDTuts.com to streamline my work process when i'm dealing with clients.. that may help you out (a lot)!
www.good-tutorials.com www.pixel2life.com are the two I've used for a while, I like classroom in a book but it's hard for me to sit and read and try to do stuff step by step like that, but I do like Lynda.com with the video tutorials, there's also free video tutorials on somethings but the site(s) have slipped my mind, I like those two because of their search feature and I can always search for something I'm trying to figure out
I've never been a fan of Photoshop Classroom in a Book, which I used when I first learned Photoshop seveal years ago. It presents a disjointed view of Photoshop, showing how to use various aspects of the program, but without explaining how they all work together or how the technique or feature would be used in a real-life situation. I went through it and never opened it again because I felt there had to be a better reference out there.
The best book/resource I've come across for using Photoshop to edit/restore photos is Katrin Eismann's Photosohp Restoration and Retouching. The book has dozens of photos you can download and then work on along with her as she discusses different techniques. She not only shows how each technique fits into the larger Photoshop environment, but each chapter builds on and incorporates what was learned earlier. Many retouchers/restorers consider this to be the best and most comprehensive book on the subject. If you view it on Amazon, you'll see that nearly all the sixty or so reviews speak in superlatives.
I've done restoration for several years at work, and as a hobby, and still use this book as a reference. If you are serious about using Photoshop for photo work (as opposed to fine arts), this is a book you should have, must have.
The best book/resource I've come across for using Photoshop to edit/restore photos is Katrin Eismann's Photosohp Restoration and Retouching. The book has dozens of photos you can download and then work on along with her as she discusses different techniques. She not only shows how each technique fits into the larger Photoshop environment, but each chapter builds on and incorporates what was learned earlier. Many retouchers/restorers consider this to be the best and most comprehensive book on the subject. If you view it on Amazon, you'll see that nearly all the sixty or so reviews speak in superlatives.
I've done restoration for several years at work, and as a hobby, and still use this book as a reference. If you are serious about using Photoshop for photo work (as opposed to fine arts), this is a book you should have, must have.
