Photoshop CS3 Book Recommendations

[Wes]

I've just purchased PS CS3 and will be looking for a good book to help me get started. I've always liked Scott Kelby's stuff but I'm wondering what other authors I should be looking into.

Thanks.

[DJ.]

Wes,

I'm not one to be close-minded and only read one author but I can say that Kelby's 7-Point System is an excellent read. Lots of tips, examples, and smart workflow.

Good luck on your search.

[Duffy Pratt]

For a comprehensive overview, look at Martin Evening's book.

Of the Kelby book, the new one outlining a seven step approach to images looks better than his typical box of tricks. It teaches something resembling a method.

Katrin Eismann's books are great, especially the book on masking and compositing. The retouching book is also really good.

Dan Margulis' books are also fantastic. They are the only PS books I've read cover to cover and then re-read. I've read the LAB book a few times.

And Bruce Fraser's books are all worth reading.

Duffy

[Duffy Pratt]

One other thing: if you are working quickly (5 mins or less per image), then most of what is in any book is moot, and even more so if you shoot raw and do most of the work in ACR or Lightroom. There hasn't been too much detail work done on ACRs capabilities. I was disappointed with the follow up to Real World Camera Raw. There are some sophisticated capabilities in Camera Raw, but none of the books I've seen really explore these techniques. (Even the Kelby 7 point system only gets into the bare basics here.)

Duffy

[fstops]

"cs3 classroom in a book" by adobe. good starting point.

[JohnT]

I like both Kelby's and Fraser's books, but I don't have specific book recommendation for CS3.

Edit: My copy of the 7-Point System just arrived in the mail today so I'll be digging into it over the next few days. Should be fun! (I love new books :-)

[fishcat]

Ditto on all the above recommendations. I browsed heavily through Abobe Camera Raw for Digital Photographers Only - 2nd Edition by Rob Sheppard before going ahead and buying (with a 40% off coupon ). I'll have to read through it in more detail, but it does seem fairly comprehensive.