Texas Chicks Elements Tutorials - Any opinions? Texas Chicks offers 3 video 1.5 hour tutorials to learn Elements (layers, masking, basics on actions, etc.) for about $125. Has anyone...

amanda303

Texas Chicks offers 3 video 1.5 hour tutorials to learn Elements (layers, masking, basics on actions, etc.) for about $125.

Has anyone tried this company and what were your thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Photographer Jim Loc: Rio Vista, CA

amanda303 wrote:

Texas Chicks offers 3 video 1.5 hour tutorials to learn Elements (layers, masking, basics on actions, etc.) for about $125.

Has anyone tried this company and what were your thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

$125 for 4.5 hours ot tutorials seems pretty high priced to me. There are lots and lots of free tutorials available on line. For $25 a month one could get a subscription to something like Scott Kelby's online training sight which would have a wealth of good tutorials. Unless these tutorials offer something very special I'd be hesitant. I'll be interested in reading any posts from those with first hand knowledge

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

Go to barnes noble or of type book store trainIng dvd's about $50. Look for video to brain. Or adobe tv on internet.

Annie_Girl Loc: It's none of your business

Youtube = free

I have found that these type of course are full of info you could have found for free on youtube. Sadly there is huge business selling classes, actions, presets, etc to photographers. It's better to save your money and use the internet.

Unless its a one on one class, doubt you'll learn anything you couldn't have found on youtube.

dirtpusher Loc: tulsa oklahoma

Funniest part annie some same people have thier own utube video.

Forgot about this.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-29212-1.html

Annie_Girl Loc: It's none of your business

dirtpusher wrote:

Funniest part annie some same people have thiper own utube videos

True!

I am amazed at the "stuff" other photographers try to sell to fellow photographers. There is a photographer that has amazing pictures. Her editing style is so beautiful, other photographers stalk her web page, facebook page and blog. She offers a web conferencing class teaching her editing style. The class is over $250, what does she teach? How to edit using actions, actions she has purchased from another photographers. No where on her page does she tell people she uses actions or that after her class you will need to purchase the actions from some one else too get the look you are after, those actions cost over $100. So by the time all is said and done, you just spent over $350 and what have you learned? How to run an action!!!

I almost paid for her class, but after I did some research, talked to others who took the class and found out she doesn't teach anything about using levels or curves, just click run and adjust the opacity levels, I changed my mind. I would have been upset and felt like I got taken if I paid to take her class.

Ziza Loc: USA

Photographer Jim wrote:

For $25 a month one could get a subscription to something like Scott Kelby's online training sight which would have a wealth of good tutorials.

Scott Kelby's training is not geared to Photoshop Elements. The focus of his tutorials is on Photoshop and Lightroom. Because Photoshop and Photoshop Elements share some features, some of the contents of the tutorials will apply to Photoshop Elements, but most of it won't.

amanda303 wrote:

Texas Chicks offers 3 video 1.5 hour tutorials to learn Elements (layers, masking, basics on actions, etc.) for about $125.

Has anyone tried this company and what were your thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

4.5 hrs of tutorials and they promise you will learn Photoshop Elements? No way! Unless they mean you will be just dipping your feet in the water. The price is too high! From reading the topics covered, it looks like you wil be getting very basic and skimpy training.

I also noticed that they don't specifiy which version or versions of Photoshop Elements will be covered in the videos. This could make all the difference in the world. For example, they have a section on layer masks. What about if they are talking about layer masks in PSE9, 10, and 11, which have built-in layer masks? Will they also be talking about how to create a layer mask in earlier versions of PSE? In these versions you either install a third-party layer mask or you hijack an Adjustment layer to use its layer mask.

skidooman Loc: Minnesota

amanda303 wrote:

Texas Chicks offers 3 video 1.5 hour tutorials to learn Elements (layers, masking, basics on actions, etc.) for about $125.

Has anyone tried this company and what were your thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Ouch!! Seems pretty spendy to me. Your time may be better spent at this site first. Plenty of information to get you going.

http://tv.adobe.com/show/learn-photoshop-elements-11/

EstherP

amanda303 wrote:

Texas Chicks offers 3 video 1.5 hour tutorials to learn Elements (layers, masking, basics on actions, etc.) for about $125.

Has anyone tried this company and what were your thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Even though I have a subscription to Texas Chicks newsletter, I have never taken any of their classes.
But if you are interested in a guided class, may I suggest you have a look at
http://www.lvsonline.com/
I only took one class from them, and a self-guided one at that, but the reviews I see for the classes here, are always very good. And the classes are inexpensive: I think $30. for new students, $24 for returning students.
I will be taking one or two of their guided classes later this spring - when I have more time ;-)
EstherP

amanda303

Thanks for everyone's inputs; I appreciate it! I will pass on the Texas Chicks one and explore the suggestions.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

amanda303 wrote:

Texas Chicks offers 3 video 1.5 hour tutorials to learn Elements (layers, masking, basics on actions, etc.) for about $125.

Has anyone tried this company and what were your thoughts?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Adobe and Adorama are free!

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

Got a ccourse titled "Fundementals of Photography" from the Teaching Company - 24 1/2 hour lectures for $69.00. Instructor is one Joel Sartore a photographer for National Geographic. I like it - clear, easy to understand, good examples.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

There are loads of free podcasts that are free, too. You can get subscriptions to weekly sessions.

Hypno Loc: Miami

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/magazine/

Order a subscription and get free dvd. All you ever will need with the training and access to all the magazines.

Frapha Loc: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Another good source for online is http://www.lynda.com/
$25 per month or $250/year and that's not just for one topic or course. They have courses on a wide range of software and you can take all you want during the month (or during the year).