Photoshop Elements 2 Bible
Laurie Ulrich
Wiley Publishing
US $29.95 CAN $42.99
SBN: 0-7645-4391-1
Photoshop books arrive in bookstores by the truckload. Without standing in the aisles for hours, it can be hard to distinguish the good from the bad (and the ugly).
Photoshop Elements 2 Bible is one of the better instructional books on Photoshop Elements. If you’re a raw Elements beginner, you’ll find this takes you from the raw newbie stage to Elements intermediate/advanced user in an easy to read fashion. If you’re already an Elements intermediate user, as I am, you can use Ulrich’s book as a much better reference work than the Adobe reference book that shipped with Elements. Plus, you’ll be able to learn a gaggle of techniques and tips that Adobe doesn’t tell you.
Author Laurie Ulrich has a clear writing style. When graphics jargon and Elements-specific terms are introduced, they get clear explanations.
Examples and tutorials are well done. Don’t expect to be doing professional level work when done with examples: this isn’t a pro-level book. You will be comfortable doing solid intermediate-level work, and that’s more than enough to astonish and amaze most of your friends.
The best section, for my money, are the chapters on how to scan and restore old photographs. I’ve plenty of old photos that could stand some repair. Digitizing them, then repairing the insults of time will result in better preservation of those irreplaceable images.
The second chapter that became near and dear to my heart was Chapter 7 Mastering Color and Light. The concepts explained here are fundamental to becoming an effective Elements user. I came away with a better grasp of the concepts and tools for working with Levels, Contrast, and Color modes.
The production values are good, with 34 color plates included. At 553 pages, the book is comprehensive, yet manageable enough to hold in your lap.
Of the many Elements books I’ve read, this is one of the best.
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