Loaded with the latest Photoshop tips and techniques

The secrets of digital image editing - explained in plain English!

Photoshop CS3 is a powerhouse, and here’s the fast and easy way to get up to speed on all the coolest features. This friendly guide helps you get images into Photoshop - and then turn them into dazzling works of art. You’ll see how to work in the right file formats, master the Brushes palette, get creative with filters, convert color to grayscale, and more!

• Adjust brightness, improve color, and fix flaws
• Take advantage of the Raw file format
• Composite images with layers and blending modes
• Automate your tasks with scripts and Actions
• Apply the new Smart Filters to Smart Objects

Loaded with the latest Photoshop tips and techniques

The secrets of digital image editing - explained in plain English!

Photoshop CS3 is a powerhouse, and here’s the fast and easy way to get up to speed on all the coolest features. This friendly guide helps you get images into Photoshop - and then turn them into dazzling works of art. You’ll see how to work in the right file formats, master the Brushes palette, get creative with filters, convert color to grayscale, and more!

• Adjust brightness, improve color, and fix flaws
• Take advantage of the Raw file format
• Composite images with layers and blending modes
• Automate your tasks with scripts and Actions
• Apply the new Smart Filters to Smart Objects

Loaded with the latest Photoshop tips and techniques

The secrets of digital image editing - explained in plain English!

Photoshop CS3 is a powerhouse, and here’s the fast and easy way to get up to speed on all the coolest features. This friendly guide helps you get images into Photoshop - and then turn them into dazzling works of art. You’ll see how to work in the right file formats, master the Brushes palette, get creative with filters, convert color to grayscale, and more!

• Adjust brightness, improve color, and fix flaws
• Take advantage of the Raw file format
• Composite images with layers and blending modes
• Automate your tasks with scripts and Actions
• Apply the new Smart Filters to Smart Objects

Not for beginners, not a quick reference

I’ve been working with digital images for almost twenty years, and can create amazing images using programs other than Photoshop. However, because Photshop is THE standard, when the time came for me to buy and learn Photoshop, I also got this book thinking that it could provide me with basic reference help on the fly.

I was wrong.

This is not a practical guide. You can’t look up "Text, placing in image" and get step by step directions for adding text to an image. Instead, this book deals with the concepts of and the theory of of the topic.

My biggest fault with this book is that its title is misleading. This is more an introduction to digital image theory (and Photoshop program set ups) than it is a pratical guide to making photoshop work for the causal user. If you are looking for a book that you can use on the fly, when time counts, don’t bother with this book.

Photoshop CS3 for Dummies

As a 71 year old great grandma learning seems at times a little difficult.
Photoshop CS3 for Dummies has been a real help...I have even managed to remove some of the wrinkles from my face (lol).
I would say to get the book...lots of easy to understand instructions.
Sincerely,
Lee N. Coe aka Jeleecocat

Not what it’s represented to be

Like so many other "For Dummies" books recently, this book is misrepresented, in my opinion. It is not a tutorial for beginners to learn Photoshop. In fact, the author himself posted a comment here admitting that and giving himself a five star rating!

I’m buying another Photoshop CS2 Book

I wouldn’t say it is terrible, but I’m sure there are much better books out there--in fact I’ve just ordered a different one. In general, I like the "Dummies" series. Although I don’t care to be labeled a "dummy", sometimes you don’t want to be buried in the details and fancy tricks, you just want a quick guide to getting the simple things done, and this series is very good for that sort of thing.

But by the end of the third chapter, all the author did was rehash some mind-numbing details about what is in the program, there was nary a fun project or step-by-step problem solving lesson provided. I finally accomplished a few of the things I was interested in by skipping ahead to the sections that had relevant content, but I was astonished that it didn’t cover even those superficial issues very well. So I wound up using the program’s native help screens, and I have to say those were far more useful than this book.

All the while, the author uses the trademark snide remarks of this series (I’m sure the series editor requires this through some sort of template or author’s guide for how these books are supposed to work). When I’m learning what I need to learn, I don’t care. But when I’m not, these unfunny remarks become insufferable.

So my advice is, buy one of the better rated books in the Photoshop area.

Thank YOU!!!

I am glad to report that this is a GREAT helper in my efforts to learn this difficult program......I keep it by my side and flip to the parts I need when I need them.....Thank goodness for the "Dummies" books........

not for real beginners

The author obviously knows his stuff, but I would never recommend this book if you are truly new to Photoshop. It was not at all helpful to me. Usually I can rely on the "Dummies" series for a good introduction to a topic. But in this case, the book was not the typical "Dummies" guide. Probably a good reference source if you have been using Photoshop for a long time.

winner in many ways

Photoshop CS3 for Dummies
reviewed by Dr. Eric Flescher, Olathe, KS: (dreric1kansas@aol.com)

Authors: Peter Bauer
Publisher: Wiley
Released: 2007
Pages: 396
$25 SA
30 Canada
16 UK
ISBN: 0-978-0-470-11193-2
Strengths: Well laid, easy to use and in color. Price is well worth it.
Weaknesses: No Cd
Novice/Intermediate/Advanced

Rating: 5/5

Photoshop is the premier graphics manipulation application. From humble beginnings, this program has developed into a "blockbuster," getting better and better, adding new features all the time. While there are many graphics programs that can do some of the tasks, Photoshop is the one that offers the most power and flexibility for the graphic professional. Now with the latest version, Photoshop CS3 has arrived at the next level. Using all the functions is not always easy. To meet that need, a guide for this version , Photoshop CS3 for Dummies, has been published. And many Photoshop users will find this book useful for a variety of reasons.
The author is Photoshop World Dream Team Instructor and is the author of graphic books, a host for video training titles and much more. His experiences in the field of graphics are displayed in this book and shows his excellent style, knowledge of graphics, and the Photoshop program.
The book spans 396 pages in five sections and twenty chapters. The pages and tutorials are well laid out. There is much white space so the text is not cramped and is very easy to read. Photos and and illustrations are in full color. Tutorials are aided by bold titles, numbered sections and steps. Like many of the dummies books, there are also icons which highlight tips, new features, warnings, technical stuff, remember(ing important information).
I really like this book for the many reasons. It is guidebook, resource guide and is very readable for the novice to the advanced. There is a fine and well done section learning about and using RAW images (ch.7), fine tuning fixes (ch.8), using images in text messages (ch.13), a well laid section on using unsharp mask and working with filters which includes an excellent table(ch.15).
This book is a great buy for many reasons, This book is more then a "dummies" book. The author communicates in concise, clear and understandable ways covering the strengths and versatility of the application while conveying a remarkable and easy to understand way to use program for your graphics needs. While this is a short review, I want to let you know again that this text will make a fine addition to graphic users, especially to those who are in need of a fine resource and guide to learn about or upgrade skills with photoshop CS3. You’’ll be up and running in no time and learning more graphics capabilities. That’s why I am ending this review short because not only is well done and I have said much already but I want to start using and learning now and gain some more new insights myself.

Good book for dummies

Photoshop for dummies is a straight forward no-nonsense approach to photoshop. A good reference book for anyone who has CS3. CS3 is a wonderful suite of tools for the creative web person. Still learning it because it has so many features but definitely glad I purchased the software and the dummies book. Annie Lawrence, author Love’s Secret Live Your Life In Love.

Don’t be a Dummie

I bought the book because it was supposed to be for beginners and, as stated on the back of the book, full of tips, tricks and techniques. It IS NOT. Whoever wrote this must not have looked in the book at all. If you just want to know some of what program will do get this book. If you want to learn to auctually use the program and do something with it get another book. I personally like the ones with a CD-ROM.

Very good overview of the features

It was great to be reminded of many of the features I had not used in Photoshop for a while. Now I am back on track to be more creative in what tools I should be using for any number of photo problems.

Change the book title

Not sure why this booked is titled as it is. The author himself states that, "First, this is a reference book, not a step-by-step lesson-based text ..." and "If you’re brand new to Photoshop, start with one of the beginner lesson-based books, " not with this one. Why then is the book entitled, "Photoshop CS3 For Dummies"? With a title like that you would think that this book is for beginners.

This book should be titled, "Photoshop CS3 Reference" or something similar.