Online Photoshop Classes: I have reached a wall with photoshop skills. I've researched YouTube and books and much of my own trail and error. My problem is with smart objects/ layer...

ricosha Loc: Phoenix, Arizona

I have reached a wall with photoshop skills. I've researched YouTube and books and much of my own trail and error. My problem is with smart objects/ layer usage. Is there any online school which stands out? Or is this the time I register for one of the classes at a university? Background, I shoot mostly landscapes, sports, d-backs have let me shoot their games up to 9-11. Great fun but over, Nikon Kit guy.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Browse this recent thread for recommendations just in case you missed them in your YouTube searches:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-772322-1.html

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bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I'm usually ignored when I write this, but I will write it again.

To really learn efficiently, one needs to work through an organized course with structure. Most here will offer up their favorite tutorials focused on single techniques.

LinkedIn Learning, a Microsoft company, has a long Photoshop course by Julieanne Kost and a shorter one by Jan Kabili. Both are good teachers. LinkedinLearning is a paid subscription system. They offer a one month free trial and most public libraries offer access so it can be free.

Another organized course is the Photoshop System from Matt Kloskowski. He aims and what photographers use in Photoshop where Julieanne Kost covers all of the graphics arts capabilities.

Others will list there favorite YouTubers. I have them too and use them when I forget a particular technique or trick.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

ricosha wrote:

I have reached a wall with photoshop skills. I've researched YouTube and books and much of my own trail and error. My problem is with smart objects/ layer usage. Is there any online school which stands out? Or is this the time I register for one of the classes at a university? Background, I shoot mostly landscapes, sports, d-backs have let me shoot their games up to 9-11. Great fun but over, Nikon Kit guy.

https://lightroom-photoshop-tutorials.com/course/photoshop-course/?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgLOiBhC7ARIsAIeetVCA6kYpO5T3_9FBo5E9v6NS59WOeLUz7sQsLTbABti-NPOtMxKtTrEaAp-GEALw_wcB

PhotosBySteve

https://www.piximperfect.com/

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

No one has the experience or credentials of Julieanne Kost. Her title is "Worldwide Principle Evangelist" at Adobe. She got that title by being the best of the best. Her current Photoshop class/course is at LinkedIn Learning, a Microsoft company. You can have a one month free trial. You can pay for a subscription. You can get access through most public libraries. You may also be able to use your employers subscription. In other words, it is probably free. If not, sign up, pay by the month and cancel your subscription when you are done.

https://www.linkedin.com/learning/photoshop-2022-essential-training/opening-files-from-adobe-bridge?autoSkip=true&autoplay=true&resume=false&u=95231473

BArthur3

An element that seems to have been missed in this thread is that Adobe itself has many (!) Photoshop (and Lightroom) videos/resources available -- whether you're a relatively recent one-time purchaser or a subscription user you (should) have access at no cost.

vbhargava Loc: San Diego

Photoshop training channel on YouTube.com is very helpful! The author now makes videos for Adobe and some his videos are now getting integrated into photoshop.

Gibar

I believe this to be one of the better websites for learning Photoshop. It has over 275 hours of videos plus over 4500 pages of downloadable PDFs to guide you on your way.
Here is a link to the website. http://mastersacademy.com

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

bsprague wrote:

No one has the experience or credentials of Juliea... (show quote)

No one except Deke McClelland, who wrote the original Photoshop Bible and has been teaching Photoshop and Illustrator for decades. He also has a course on LinkedIn, and I would check that out first; but that's just me...

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

terryMc wrote:

No one except Deke McClelland, who wrote the original Photoshop Bible and has been teaching Photoshop and Illustrator for decades. He also has a course on LinkedIn, and I would check that out first; but that's just me...

I checked. Their are several of McClelland's courses on LinkedIn. He seems to have done a series titled "One-on-One". It may be that he has moved on because his last course is dated 2021.

There are a lot of fundamentals that don't change so his courses should still be good.

If you want current courses and do a LinkedIn Learning search for "Photoshop 2023", the result offers courses by Julieanne Kost (11 hours) and Jan Kabili (3+ hours).

MDI Mainer

A bit commercialized, but Scott Kelby is, in my estimation, a very good instructor.

https://kelbyone.com/

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

MDI Mainer wrote:

A bit commercialized, but Scott Kelby is, in my estimation, a very good instructor.

https://kelbyone.com/

Something like 30 years ago, Scott Kelby (of whom I had never heard) co-founded the National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) and I joined, thinking I was joining, well, a "professional" association. I was immediately inundated with marketing emails—"buy my books, buy my tapes, go to my seminars;" it wasn't long until I realized that NAPP was just a marketing tool, and I never saw anything of any real value come from Scott Kelby. There are thousands of beginner type Photoshop classes, tutorials, videos et al that are more informative than Scott Kelby.

He's a great promoter, though...

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

MDI Mainer wrote:

A bit commercialized, but Scott Kelby is, in my estimation, a very good instructor.

https://kelbyone.com/

Back when Lightroom 4 or 5 was current, I bought a Scott Kelby book on the subject. Inside, in fine print, it said it was written by Matt Kloskowski. In other words, Scott himself taught me nothing and Matt taught me what I wanted to learn!

Basil Loc: New Mexico

MDI Mainer wrote:

A bit commercialized, but Scott Kelby is, in my estimation, a very good instructor.

https://kelbyone.com/

I will second that. He's commercialized mainly because he has some of the best pros around as instructors. His courses are VERY well organized and structures. Different areas (such and Lightroom, Photoshop, for example), are organized into "tracks". Each track has several courses and each course has several individual classes. Is classes take you from beginning to end of dozens of photography topics in a very methodical, step by step fashion.

I've been a paid member of Kelby One for a couple of years know and find his courses and the online community (with access to many of the instructors) to be first rate (and very well and properly moderated). Well worth the price of admission, in my opinion.