I bought "Photoshop For Dummies" and it was perfect for me.   I don't
have the time or the patience to read a whole book.   With "Photoshop
For Dummies"  I could go right to the one thing I wanted to do, follow
the instructions and get the job done.    Also, I don't like ebooks,
I'd rather have a book I can thumb through.

Jim,

You might want to post this query to both alt.graphics.photoshop & comp.
graphics.apps.photoshop. You can score a lot of input on the CD/DVDs there, as
well as many useful links for tutorials.

Adobe Studio is a good place to start for tutorials, plug-ins, etc.

I will also recommend two books:
Adobe Photoshop CS Studio Techniques, Ben Wilmore, Adobe Press (heavy
photorapher's use of CS), and Adobe Photoshop Classroom in a Book, Adobe
Press.

You might want to think a bit about what it is that you wish to do with PS,
and include that data in your post.

Hunt

I had been noodling with ps7 for awhile before i got a book. Of the
ones i got, i cannot recommend more highly  "The Photoshop Book
for Digital Photographers" by Scott Kelby. Probably $24.00 US.

It pretty much covers in a sufficiently dumbed down (yet precise and
funtional) manner most of the stuff you will want to do as a novice
and intermediate user; and addresses work flow a bit.

Later on you might try "Real World Photoshop" by David Blatner and
Bruce Fraser..later.

The first book will enable you to have a better photoshop lexicon to
search for useful tutorials, actions, textures...etc.

Lastly, the news groups alt.binaries.e-book.technical; and if you've
a scurulous tatse for warez - alt.binaries.multimedia.utilities
(beware). You get what you pay for....hmmmm

Kelby's is the best IMHO, based on my casual perusals.

Have Fun

Ken

In case you don't want to go the hassle of deciding on a book just yet...
It is my experience that everything you ever wanted to know about doing
stuff with PS is available on the web...  I feel I'm at a medium level with
PS, and any of the books I've bought lately haven't gotten my any further
then I am already from following any of a number of multimedia tutorials
available for free.

Have a look at the links here:  http://www.porg.4t.com/

Al...

On 3/16/05 10:10 AM, in article
UUYZd.37747$Jd2.907599@news20.bellglobal.com, "Jim Locking"
<jlocking@sympatico.ca> wrote:

If there is a community college in your area you might check if they have a
Photoshop course.  Many colleges do have such courses and often admit adults
on a continuing education, non-credit, basis.  While even a full semester
course will not make you an expert you will learn all of the essentials and
have face to face coaching available.
Chuck

I strongly recommend the following...

Adobe Photoshop CS One-on-One
Deke McClelland (O'Reilly Press)
ISBN 0-596-00618-7
Well done and includes a very nice CD with some additional lessons.

The Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers
Scott Kelby  (New Riders)
ISBN 0-7357-1411-8
Most of this type of book tells you what the functions do but leave
you guessing what settings to actually use.  
However
This book approaches it from the other direction... You pick the thing
you want to do, say compensating for too much flash, and then go to
the chapter on that and it'll walk you through it step by step.

Drifter
"I've been here, I've been there..."

Another strong recommendation for Adobe's Photoshop Classroom in a
Book.  It's very tutorial-oriented; it's not at all a reference.
It's relatively short compared to the 500 to 1000 page books that
some lines offer. It will get you up to medium profficiency in a very
quick time period, and it's a lot of fun.

Diane

Adobe has some tutorials available on their site.  you follow a project or
two along and you get a feel for using layers and masking, layer effects,
filters etc.  all leading to a finished image.

a couple tips, do everything in a separate layer, use adjustment layer
instead of setting levels etc.  then you can go back and readjust, click on
or off the effect by clicking on the eyeball in the layer's pallet.  Later
when you make a print, and remember the screen is just a representation of
the image, you can go back and redo, or lighten or erase whatever retouch
etc that you did that now looks over done.

join a camera club or pro association, most of them have libraries of such
tutorials.  check your local library, also neighboring libraries and then
request the item via interlibrary loan through your local.