Please recommend a way to learn photoshop

[Triggaaar]

I have photoshop elements 3, and I have no idea how to use it. I could just ry and read through some tutorials online, but I don't know if it would be better to go to a local college course. Also, can you do HDR with elements 3?

Thanks

[mikim]

There are loads of teach yourself books available, I know a few people who have successfully managed to master it via this method.

The best way is to get somebody to show you methods and techniques bit by bit.. that way you can master those yourself, then move on to the next bit etc.

I'm sure that there are some good courses out there too.

Personally I taught myself, with the assistance of a graphic design mate every once in a while.

Not sure about HDR in elements, but you can in CS2+.

cheers, Mik

[DrPepper]

try something like this online

http://www.vtc.com/products/Adobe-Ph...-tutorials.htm

[pixelpixel]

youtube

[rizingstar]

Originally Posted by pixelpixel

youtube

Agree,picked up a lot of info from those.

Also there are magazines aswell with some great tuts,like Photoshop Creative

[Triggaaar]

Originally Posted by mikim

There are loads of teach yourself books available, I know a few people who have successfully managed to master it via this method.

I'm happy to try a book. I'll have a look on amazon, and read the customer reviews to find a good one.

Originally Posted by pixelpixel

youtube

Good idea - just had a little search, and I think there could be a few winners there, thanks.

[beachy]

i would highly recommend scott kelbys books, his tutorials are really easy to follow, just try ignore his crap jokes throughout his books.

[pixelpixel]

I started to learn photoshop before youtube was around and what I done was went into photoshop and did the tutorials that come with it. Then I moved onto what each tool did and tried my best to remember it all. Several months later I was working as a web designer more luck than anything else but you can pick it up very quickly.

Some more videos for you - http://www.adobe.com/designcenter/video_workshop/

also you can find videos from http://www.lynda.com very helpful and very good

[sim667]

adult education course?

I learnt CS2 on my degree

[Triggaaar]

Originally Posted by beachy

i would highly recommend scott kelbys books

EDIT - agoing to start answering my own questions here:
I would like to buy a book on photoshop, but I'm not sure if it matters what version of photoshop I use. Which leads me to a quick off topic question:
What is the advantage of Photoshop CS2 or 3, over Photoshop Elements 3?
EDIT - Looks like ELements 5 is a good upgrade from 3 (curves included to some extent, although maybe not as thorough as in CS2). Not sure about Elements 6 yet, any advice?

I have Elements 3 and will no doubt spend weeks learning how to use it, and if there was much advantage for an amateur to use the pro version, I'd consider it. That may then influence which book I buy, for example:

Scoot Kelby's:
"The Photoshop Elements 5 Book for Digital Photographers (Paperback)" would probably be fine for Elements 3 that I have.

Steve Caplin's
"How to Cheat in Photoshop CS3: The Art of Creating Photorealistic Montages"
EDIT - I'll get a book that matches the exact photoshop I settle on.

[blackbrickblock]

Originally Posted by Triggaaar

I have photoshop elements 3, and I have no idea how to use it. I could just ry and read through some tutorials online, but I don't know if it would be better to go to a local college course. Also, can you do HDR with elements 3?

Thanks

Try here, http://iit.bloomu.edu/vthc/ps.html

[senu]

Originally Posted by Triggaaar

EDIT - agoing to start answering my own questions here:
I would like to buy a book on photoshop, but I'm not sure if it matters what version of photoshop I use

.
In general it doesn't but newer versions have a lot more and over time the GUI has had subtle but real changes..Get a book for the version you have or latter version

What is the advantage of Photoshop CS2 or 3, over Photoshop Elements 3?

There is a list (Too long to detail) but If you read Scott Kelbys book youll find there are workabouts for many of the features CS has.

EDIT - Looks like ELements 5 is a good upgrade from 3 (curves included to some extent, although maybe not as thorough as in CS2). Not sure about Elements 6 yet, any advice?

Simplistic comparison Its not just curves. Elements is designed to be easier to use . Some of its effects / Filters (ect) are a bit more automated.
Layer Masks ect are also better implemented in CS
But speaking as one who has various flavours of PS and Elements on several machines some Mulltiboot. ( Elements 3-6) and CS to CS3). I wouldnt worry too much about the version differences. Most recent versions are more than capable. the only limiting factor is the user (and hardware)

I have Elements 3 and will no doubt spend weeks learning how to use it, and if there was much advantage for an amateur to use the pro version, I'd consider it. That may then influence which book I buy,

Read the above

Scoot Kelby's:
"The Photoshop Elements 5 Book for Digital Photographers (Paperback)" would probably be fine for Elements 3 that I have.

Yes.. but their GUIs are rather different.. Ver 6 even more so ( I've been "trialling" ver 6 for only the past 3 weeks now)

Steve Caplin's
"How to Cheat in Photoshop CS3: The Art of Creating Photorealistic Montages"

This is a bit too specialist for now I think

EDIT - I'll get a book that matches the exact photoshop I settle on.

..
You can actually have both Elements and PS itself you know.
The slightly older versions cost far less ..
The reason for having CS ect would be to perhaps use it with tutorials to do "intermediate to advanced stuff". Elements is IMHO far more than capable for most simple to intermediate things and even then it is mildly amusing that by the time you get to actually master one version, another is out!

I have some video tutorials Id promised to send to several folk on here but have been so hamstrung by work and life Issues , I've stopped offering until I honour past offers. maybe this weekend

Many magazines run very useful tutorials on thier cover mount CDs ( Digital Photo is one of the better ones) but even they have a tendency to repeat the same topics periodically and may not feature what you particularly want a any one time

[Paranormalist]

Photography Magazine tutorials are good.

[pixelpixel]

Oh forgot computer arts do photoshop special magazines.

[Triggaaar]

Thanks for all the replies.

Originally Posted by senu

There is a list (Too long to detail) but If you read Scott Kelbys book youll find there are workabouts for many of the features CS has.

I doubt I'll ever use half the facilities available, but I imagine I'll want to use some features that aren't in older versions of elements.

In general it doesn't but newer versions have a lot more and over time the GUI has had subtle but real changes..Get a book for the version you have or latter version

it is mildly amusing that by the time you get to actually master one version, another is out!

So you think that's funny huh I'll follow your advice and get a book for the latest version. Scott Kelby's book for elements 6 won't be out for a few months yet, so I guess that means 5. I assume it would be easier to learn with the book if I also upgraded my elements 3 to 5, but I could get the book first and see how I get on.

Yes.. but their GUIs are rather different.. Ver 6 even more so ( I've been "trialling" ver 6 for only the past 3 weeks now)

So they don't want to make upgrading nice and easy then. How have you found version 6 compared to version 5?

Elements is designed to be easier to use . Some of its effects / Filters (ect) are a bit more automated.

Yes, I just wasn't sure if they'd be missing anything fundamental.

"How to Cheat in Photoshop CS3: The Art of Creating Photorealistic Montages"

This is a bit too specialist for now I think
Quote:

Indeed