I’m an avid reader of Photoshop books - whilst there are lots of online tutorials that can help you learn a number of different techniques and tricks, there’s nothing like having a book that takes you through whole the process and demonstrates how all of the different features fit together.
In this post I wanted to provide a quick overview of my 10 favorite Photoshop books - I discuss the pros and cons of each of them and focus primarily on books that cover the most recent versions of Photoshop (i.e. CS3 and CS4).
I think these are all books that should be in every Photoshop user’s collection and they will go a long way in helping you to become more advanced and effective in building stunning and awesome graphics and photos.
Adobe Photoshop CS4 - Up To Speed
This book is ideal if you’re making the upgrade from Photoshop CS3 to CS4.
It shows you all of the new features that are available and, as the title suggests, enables you to get up to speed as quickly and efficiently as possible.
I also like how the author describes “why” a particular feature has been added, in addition to explaining how to utilize it.
This provides you with a much deeper understanding of the new features which is of great value.
Click Here To Get “Adobe Photoshop CS4 - Up To Speed”…
Adobe Photoshop CS4 Classroom In A Book
This book assumes that you have no previous knowledge of Photoshop, so is absolutely ideal for newbies and beginners.
It has 14 lessons in total that teach both basic and more advanced techniques - in particular, it covers areas such as retouching digital photos, the use of layers and masks, how to use and navigate the workspace, and also touches on all of the latest features.
The presentation of the book is also very nice - there are lots of attractive photos used throughout the book which makes it a pleasure to read and use.
The book also comes with a DVD that contains some valuable information.
Overall, this book is very up to date and current, and ideal for those who are just starting out.
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Adobe Photoshop CS4 One-on-One
This book is great value for money - it is organized in an easy to follow manner and the presentation is simply great!
The book also comes with a DVD which contains lots of top quality content.
I particularly like that the videos do not just repeat content from the book (as is the case with many Photoshop books/DVDs) - the content actually complements what’s in the book and this means that it provides much more quality.
Overall, a very nice book at a great price!
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Photoshop CS4 Essential Skills (Photoshop Essential Skills)
This book is primarily aimed at beginners who are looking to build and develop toward intermediate and more advanced users.
It is divided into three parts and shows you both the foundation skills that you’ll require and builds on from these to cover more complex and advanced techniques.
The book also comes with a DVD that contains over 8 hours worth of content - the quality of these videos is very high, as is the quality of written tutorials in the book.
If you are relatively new to Photoshop, but have a solid understanding of some of the basics (i.e. you can load and manipulate photos at a basic level) then this book would be a great addition to your collection.
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The Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book For Digital Photographers
Whilst this is not the most comprehensive book on Photoshop CS3, it is a very useful book as it focuses only on those topics that are essential to digital photographers and provides clear and concise instructions on how to complete these tasks.
The presentation of the book is also fantastic, with lots of stunning images and photos being used throughout the book.
One downside is perhaps the overuse of humor from the author - it can get a little tedious at times and personally I don’t think it’s necessary for this type of book.
However, this is only a minor gripe and the book contains lots of great value - a must-have for all those interested in digital photography.
Click Here To Get “The Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book For Digital Photographers”…
Layers: The Complete Guide To Photoshop’s Most Powerful Feature
Layers are essential to the way Photoshop works and if you want to create some great graphics and photos then you need to understand them in detail.
The book covers all the main uses of layers - from blending and adjustment layers, to layer masks and smart layers.
Everything is presented in the form of short and “straight to the point” tutorials - this is great as it enables you to get things done quickly and efficiently.
All in all, this book is ideal for those who do not have a deep understanding of Photoshop Layers - working your way through this book will enable you to master this area in a relatively short period of time.
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Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom In A Book
This is a comprehensive book that is extremely well written and explores many of Photoshop’s main features.
Each chapter builds on nicely from the previous one which means that everything being introduced makes sense and that you have the necessary skills to do what’s required.
The book also comes with a CD-ROM that contains lots of photos that you can use for practice. It also contains some videos which are well worth a watch.
Click Here To Get “Adobe Photoshop CS3 Classroom In A Book”…
Adobe Photoshop CS3: Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks
I love this book - it’s important to note that it assumes that you already know the basics when using Photoshop, but it’s great for offering useful tips and tricks quickly and efficiently.
The organization of the book is ideal as it enables you to access any tutorial/tip within the book without requiring you to read any previous material.
The presentation of the book is also great (as you would expect!).
I highly recommend this book - it’s very direct and provides lots of value - you’ll pick up lots of useful tips and tricks that you can easily had to your skill set and start using straight away.
Very good value for money!
Click Here to Get “Adobe Photoshop CS3: Top 100 Simplified Tips & Tricks”…
Photoshop CS3 Essential Skills
This is a beautifially designed book that is accessible and relevant to both digital photographers and web designers.
It also comes with a DVD that contains lots of useful information - in fact, there is over eight hours of great content that is a must watch!
There are also numerous royalty free images that you can play around with and practice on which is a nice extra addition.
The instructions within the book are very easy to follow and enable you to develop your skills in an efficient manner.
Well worth adding to your Photoshop book collection.
Click Here To Get “Photoshop CS3 Essential Skills”…
Adobe Photoshop CS3 For Photographers
This is a very broad and comprehensive book that covers a vast array of Photoshop’s features and tools.
It is certainly not an introductory book as it goes into great technical detail about the tools and techniques covered.
I would highly recommend this book to those who really want to gain a deep understanding of how different features work and what their purpose is.
If you’re more of a beginner, then I would strongly advise you to get one (or more) of the other books recommended in this list.
Click Here To Get “Adobe Photoshop CS3 For Photographers”…
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