Photoshop Elements 8: Can anyone recommend a good easy to understand book for Photoshop Elements. I have taken a few adult ed. classes in the past for Photoshop, and walked away...

Digne Loc: MIchigan

Can anyone recommend a good easy to understand book for Photoshop Elements. I have taken a few adult ed. classes in the past for Photoshop, and walked away frustrated, because they don't cover enough.
I love photography it is my passion, I do not do it professionally, but want to manipulate and enhance them.
Is there another photo program besides photoshop that is easy to use for amateur.

warrior Loc: Paso Robles CA

Digne wrote:

Can anyone recommend a good easy to understand book for Photoshop Elements. I have taken a few adult ed. classes in the past for Photoshop, and walked away frustrated, because they don't cover enough.
I love photography it is my passion, I do not do it professionally, but want to manipulate and enhance them.
Is there another photo program besides photoshop that is easy to use for amateur.

Type in your search>"Understanding Photoshop elements."

EstherP

Digne wrote:

Can anyone recommend a good easy to understand book for Photoshop Elements. I have taken a few adult ed. classes in the past for Photoshop, and walked away frustrated, because they don't cover enough.

Yes, that's my gripe about adult ed classes: You pay an arm and a leg but there is not enough time to cover more than the basics - if that!

PSE8 is now three years old, and your best bet would be second hand book stores, garage sales, flea markets for books about PSE8.
I am currently working on a video of our son's wedding, using Premiere Elements 8, and have a copy of "Premiere Elements 8 for Dummies" right beside me. I find it is comprehensive and easy to understand. I would hope the same for Photoshop Elements 8 for Dummies.

Another series I have often seen recommended but have never used, is the "Missing Manual for...."

Just thinking, one place where you can buy books very inexpensive and don't even have to leave your home is www.Abebooks.com
I have bought half a dozen or so books from them, and have found the service very good, and the prices even better.

EstherP

warrior Loc: Paso Robles CA

Digne wrote:

Can anyone recommend a good easy to understand book for Photoshop Elements. I have taken a few adult ed. classes in the past for Photoshop, and walked away frustrated, because they don't cover enough.
I love photography it is my passion, I do not do it professionally, but want to manipulate and enhance them.
Is there another photo program besides photoshop that is easy to use for amateur.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZFJjHyntYE&feature=context-vrec

MtnMan Loc: ID

Digne wrote:

Can anyone recommend a good easy to understand book for Photoshop Elements. I have taken a few adult ed. classes in the past for Photoshop, and walked away frustrated, because they don't cover enough.
I love photography it is my passion, I do not do it professionally, but want to manipulate and enhance them.
Is there another photo program besides photoshop that is easy to use for amateur.

First: buy Elements 11. It is much easier to use.

Then get the book by Kelby and Kloskowski and you will be in business sooner than you think.

If you want something simpler you can download Picasa for free.

Digne Loc: MIchigan

I will give that a try. Thank you

Digne Loc: MIchigan

Thanks for the tips, I will give them a try and buy a few books, or take Mtn Man's advice and go with Elements 11. I'll probably still need Photoshop for Dummies. Those are good books!

Digne Loc: MIchigan

I was wondering if I should go with Elements 11. I didn't know if there were a lot of differences. I like that you said it's easier. I hope that's true. Are the books you are recommending on Elements 11??

Digne Loc: MIchigan

I was wondering if I should go with Elements 11. I didn't know if there were a lot of differences. I like that you said it's easier. I hope that's true. Are the books you are recommending on Elements 11??

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Digne wrote:

Can anyone recommend a good easy to understand book for Photoshop Elements. I have taken a few adult ed. classes in the past for Photoshop, and walked away frustrated, because they don't cover enough.
I love photography it is my passion, I do not do it professionally, but want to manipulate and enhance them.
Is there another photo program besides photoshop that is easy to use for amateur.

Not directly on topic but Lightroom is the place where I begin - and sometimes end - all my processing.

Ziza Loc: USA

[quote=EstherP]

Digne wrote:

PSE8 is now three years old, and your best bet would be second hand book stores, garage sales, flea markets for books about PSE8.
EstherP

Books on Photoshop Elements 8 are still widely available at amazon.com and at barnesandnoble.com.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_6_18?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=photoshop+elements+8&sprefix=photoshop+elements%2Cstripbooks%2C165
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/photoshop-elements-8?keyword=photoshop+elements+8&store=book

Ziza Loc: USA

Digne wrote:

Can anyone recommend a good easy to understand book for Photoshop Elements. I have taken a few adult ed. classes in the past for Photoshop, and walked away frustrated, because they don't cover enough.
I love photography it is my passion, I do not do it professionally, but want to manipulate and enhance them.
Is there another photo program besides photoshop that is easy to use for amateur.

I would suggest Barbara Brundage's The Missing Manual and Scott Kelby's Photoshop Elements . . . Book for Digital Photographers. Kelby's is a book of tutorials; it teaches you image-organizing and image-editing skills on a step-by-step basis. Brundage's is a manual; it tells you where to locate tools and features in PSE and how to use them. IMHO, it is worth owning both.

There is also another book I would recommend-- David Asch's How to Cheat in Photoshop Elements.

You could also check the Adobe TV episodes (PSE7 through 11)

http://tv.adobe.com/channel/how-to/elements-tutorials/

Another source of tuts on PSE is the site below. It has a Subscriber area and a free-for-all area (the Learning Center and the blog).

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/

Wellhiem Loc: Sunny England.

EstherP wrote:

quote=Digne Can anyone recommend a good easy to u... (show quote)

I've got Photoshop Elements 8 for Dummies and it was no help at all. They keep saying things like; "you can do so and so, but we don't like it", so they don't tell you how to do it. I ended up getting a few tutorials from the web and took it from there.

Jayne Loc: Wisconsin

Photoshop is still THE software for photographers in my mind. The biggest hurdle is finding the RIGHT book, class, or "whatever"! For less money than those adult Ed classes (which are getting higher and higher priced plus factor in the raising cost of gas) you can purchase an on line video class with Ben Willmore on Photoshop for photographers. He is extremely thorough, yet VERY easy to understand and follow. I believe the entire series is only $99. You can watch it as many times and whenever you want on your computer or Ipad or whatever with an Internet connection or download the entire series.

http://www.creativelive.com/courses/search/Photoshop%20for%20photographers%20Ben%20willmore

Check it out.....he really does make it easy to understand Photoshop!

Digne Loc: MIchigan

I have considered Lightroom, but didn't know if it was more than I could handle since I'm having an issue with Elements.