How did you learn...

[ladybugamanda]

to use PS? Was it a class, a book, a friend? I want to learn more about it...I know very little...but I don't know how to go about it. If you used a book who was the author? There is so much about it that I don't understand! Thank you for sharing!:thumbsup:

[poker]

No books but trial and error in developing graphics for websites. I once watched a series of PS tutorials on tape but I fell asleep.

When you open a file up in PS you ask yourself what you want to do with the photo and simply ASSUME it can be done since PS can do almost everything. To find out how to do something specific, you use the help screens and search the internet for help.

This is just one way to learn it of course.

[schrackman]

About three years ago I took a night class in Simi Valley on Photoshop. The class fees prevented me from taking another semester, but I learned some good basics there. After that I just began to teach myself. I bought a book by Elaine Weinmann called "Photoshop for Windows & Mcintosh 5.5" that helped me along. While I've become somewhat proficient in Photoshop I still have much to learn. There are things you can do in PS that are just amazing, and I feel like I've only scratched the surface as of yet.

[racingpinarello]

I learned most of it from Adobe's Classroom In A Book because it gave you exercises, and then the final image for comparison. The images and details are on the CD.

I still look back at it as a reference, otherwise I learned by trial and error. It's the most frustrating part of photography in my opinion which is why I still shoot film. If I could have somebody maximize my photos for me I would do it....

So...learn at your pace and since everybody learns differently take the advice and apply it to you.

Loren

[pyxel]

The best way to learn PhotoShop is to start off by reading basic tutorials which can easily be found by doing a simple search on Google. Personally, I learned PS just by playing around. It truly is the best way to learn, trying out different filters and such. It takes a while, but there is always something new to learn with PhotoShop; the possibilities are endless!

[drg]

Get thee to a bookstore (B&N, Borders, etc.)! Spend some time and find a book/manual that you like. I could recommend 3 or 4 Very good authors but they all do their own thing well.

ADOBE publishes several aftermarket books on the many versions of Photoshop and related products. The Photoshop Professionals Association has several books, plus several monthly guides and magazines.

You will probably find that for instruction, a Community College, Adult Extension, Returning scholars program at your alma mater, etc will offer the most for the money.

Official Photoshop classes or those conducted as standalone classes for professionals are quite costly.

If you get very serious about this kind of thing, with the complexity of the software some formal instructions starts becoming necessary at some point. If you have a Graphic Design/Art background or similar you have already covered a lot of the underlying principles (non-computer) and will be several step ahead of the average users.

Depending upon your computer savvy/literacy/comfort zone, the built in help/recipe/suggestions/manuals are quite comprehensive along with many on-line tutorials.

There are several members here at PR who can answer many of your questions, including detailed, step-by-step directions.

Someone who already knows the way around your version of software is always a good place to get started. Or, just open an image file, and start playing around.

Remember to ALWAYS save your originals in a safe place and NEVER write over them!

The beauty of this is one can always start over. Have fun and feel free to post images for suggestion!

[Max P D]

Get thee to a bookstore (B&N, Borders, etc.)! Spend some time and find a book/manual that you like. I could recommend 3 or 4 Very good authors but they all do their own thing well.

You will probably find that for instruction, a Community College, Adult Extension, Returning scholars program at your alma mater, etc will offer the most for the money.

DRG gives some excellent advice. Yeah, go to a bookstore and browse - remember, you don't have to buy them. Most of the books are tedious to read anyway. IMHO, probably the best way to learn is find someone who's willing to show you the ropes - take a class mentioned above by DRG - it's easier than you think. I've been using it for over ten years and I always meet someone who can show me something new.

Dive in. You won't believe how easy it is.

[ladybugamanda]

Thank you everyone for the wonderful advise! Taking a class is prohibitive because I live SO far from the community college - like an hour and a half away. I'll start checking out books and the internet. And I'll continue to play - and IF I alter an image I do a "save as" so that I have the original! Expect questions! Who wants to explain what curves does?

[schrackman]

The curves command is meant to "...make color or tonal adjustments...You can correct highlights, quarter tones, midtones, three-quarter tones, or shadows separately." Or so my book says. I mainly use this on the RGB channel as a whole (as I tend to underexpose my shots) but you can use it on individual color channels as well. You can click your eyedropper on a certain point of the image that you wish to adjust and it will show you on the graph just where you should begin to move your curves line.

To give you an example of how useful curves can be, this picture was shot today at Evergreen Estates, a new housing development in Banning. As you can see the image is underexposed and there is a yellow cast thanks to the incandescent lights:



To correct this I simply adjusted the shadows in curves, adjusted my levels a tad, and then reduced saturation in my yellow channel. The final result is a much better looking image:



I don't always have time to set my camera up properly for every different situation, so on many occasions I just shoot and fix later. This has worked for me for quite some time, particularly if I shoot in JPEG, although there are situations where I will take the time to set up properly. This just wasn't one of them, and I still came away with a useable image for our Chamber newsletter.

[pyxel]

The curves command is meant to "...make color or tonal adjustments...You can correct highlights, quarter tones, midtones, three-quarter tones, or shadows separately." Or so my book says. I mainly use this on the RGB channel as a whole (as I tend to underexpose my shots) but you can use it on individual color channels as well. You can click your eyedropper on a certain point of the image that you wish to adjust and it will show you on the graph just where you should begin to move your curves line.

To give you an example of how useful curves can be, this picture was shot today at Evergreen Estates, a new housing development in Banning. As you can see the image is underexposed and there is a yellow cast thanks to the incandescent lights:



To correct this I simply adjusted the shadows in curves, adjusted my levels a tad, and then reduced saturation in my yellow channel. The final result is a much better looking image:



I don't always have time to set my camera up properly for every different situation, so on many occasions I just shoot and fix later. This has worked for me for quite some time, particularly if I shoot in JPEG, although there are situations where I will take the time to set up properly. This just wasn't one of them, and I still came away with a useable image for our Chamber newsletter.

That is pretty impressive! I've mainly used PhotoShop to do some graphic, web design and some photo-manipulations but never did so with pictures. It's a whole new thing to learn PhotoShop is wonderful!

[ladybugamanda]

Wow, Shrack, that was awesome! And so understandable. When I was shooting the deer today some of them were in the shade. This could be used to lighten that area by itself?

[schrackman]

Wow, Shrack, that was awesome! And so understandable. When I was shooting the deer today some of them were in the shade. This could be used to lighten that area by itself?

Sure you can. I've done it myself. But don't get too carried away or you will lose valuable shadow detail.

[Asylum Steve]

The HELP section of the program is extensive, and while yes, it is a bit clinical, there is still a ton of useful info there. It is the obvious starting point until you are ready to start spending money on more specific learning tools...

[megan]

On the job in... '94? Aided by a tutorial I got at B&N with a cd.
Photoshop 3.0. I don't think it had layers yet. Definitely did not have the "History" docker.
Wow.
There are plenty of great books out there with tutorials if you're really motivated - you can teach yourself.

[ladybugamanda]

The version I have is old now. I have PSE 2.0. I sure appreciate all the replies!

[Tom_Proctor]

Tought myself. I've only read a few tutorials on how to make like signatures for forums and stuff.