Readers can browse the detailed index that offers subheadings under each chapter, making it easy to find specific points, or techniques. The book’s initial section focuses on getting started (uploading lesson files), setting computer preferences and color correction, and how to play video tutorials (requires Adobe Flash). Learning what’s new in Photoshop CS5 is found in Chapter 14. Each lesson chapter provides step-by-step instructions (no long paragraphs), and numerous lessons are provided on the DVD insert.

Extra screen shots throughout the individual sections point out various tools, or techniques identified in the individual directions. Readers can also refer to the supplemental video tutorials, which are very informative and a bonus to this tutorial package.

Self Study Section
At the end of each chapter there is a self study section, plus topic questions and related answers. The individual chapters do not state their estimated time length, but from practicing a few lessons, I would assume the average user may need 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. Video lessons are short and informative.

If you are interested in learning Adobe Photoshop CS5, then consider this book as an option.

Contact: www.digitalclassroombooks.com
Cost: $49.99 US; $59.99 CAN

Color control is vital to making a subject pop. Nik Software in Viveza 2.0 enhances their powerful color control solution with three new features.

Global Image Adjustments
Of the three enhancements, global image adjustments will be used the most.  Now apply any color, light, or structure enhancement image-wide.  Then  refine the global adjustment selectively using control points. The included levels & curves provide even more control over contrast and tonality.

Structure Adjustment
Control the level of detail in your images for the ultimate look from realistic to artistic.

Shadow Adjustments
Preserve and recover details hidden in shadows.  Yet another tool to control the look and feel of the image.

Training
NIk Software provides both live and video training.  Check out their web site for the current schedule. Downloading the demo and using the training resources is a great way to test drive the product.

For more information on Viveza’s user interface check out my earlier review of Viveza

System Requirements:

Windows

Macintosh

** Nik Software product filters are developed to integrate seamlessly into many popular image editing applications that support the Adobe plug-in architecture and there are numerous software applications that accept Adobe plug-in compatible filters. Please consult your image editing application’s documentation for compatibility and installation instructions for 3rd-party plug-ins.

Cost: MSRP $199.95
B&H Photo Video

Contact: Nik Software

Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 is a teacher friendly, student friendly and parent friendly editing software program for digital photos. Hands-on, easy to understand and oh so creative, it offers a wide variety of tools and techniques to make your pictures shine!

Lots of online tutorial services offered by Adobe:
Adobe Photoshop Elements TV
Support

Here is the Adobe Digital School Collection that offers great teaching resources (lesson plans using Photoshop Elements 9 and other Adobe products) that were developed by teachers.

System Requireements: Mac OS X 10.5.8; Windows XP ( Detailed Specifics)
Contact: www.adobe.com
Cost: $99.99 US ($20 online rebate)

Theory : Practice

When you take a picture, you have a vision of for the final result.  Unfortunately, the end result sometimes fails to  match your vision.  There can be several reasons for this failure.  David duChemin does a great job of addressing failures that result from a failure of your inner geek (left brain)  to serve your inner artist (right brain) and together serve your  vision.  He also discusses how to find your vision, and how to use your “voice” to bring your image into alignment with your vision.  The last half of the book provides the opportunity to practice a vision based work flow using Lightroom on twenty photos – 20 Visions, 20 Voices.

Chapters

1. Vision in Focus
2. Vision & Process
3. Vision & Style
4. A vision-Driven Workflow
5. Voice Training
6. The Means of Expression
7. 20 Visions, 20 Voices

Vision & Voice excels at encouraging your left brained geek to serve your right brained artist, and together serve your vision.  I highly recommend this book for beginners to experts.

Contact: New Riders

Cost: $44.99 US, 53.99 CAN

Accelerated Photography

New for Lightroom 3:

• Profile-based lens corrections
• Perspective corrections
• Tethered capture
• Drag and drop online publishing
• Import and organize video files
• Export video slideshow
• Noise reduction

Improved for Lightroom 3:

• Faster interactive performance
• Smarter imports
• Raw processing engine
• Flexible watermarks
• Multi-image print layouts
• Vignetting
• Sharpening

Smarter Imports
Lightroom 3 provides enhanced efficiency, allowing users to import images faster and simpler. As part of the import process, images can have developed settings applied, and a backup copy can be saved to a second hard drive.

New Image Process Engine
Adobe has rewritten and improved their raw processing engine. These improvements result in enhanced image quality. The images have better color tones, and sharper features. Lightroom 3 provides the user the choice of upgrading images that were processed with Lightroom 2, or Lightroom 1. Like other aspects of Lightroom, this feature is a nondestructive process.

Improved Noise Reduction
The new raw processing algorithms also enable significant improvements in both color and luminance noise reduction.  Much higher levels of noise reduction can be used without softening the image.

Lens Correction
This is a cool new feature that can automatically or manually correct geometric distortion, chromatic aberration and vignetting.  Automatic corrections uses lens profiles.  The lens profile can be manually selected or automatically selected based on the lens data saved as part of the EXIF data by the camera.  If your lens does not have a profile, corrections can be manually applied.

Perspective Correction
After applying the lens correction, a perspective correction can be applied by selecting “Manual” in the Lens Correction Panel.  By adjusting the vertical, horizontal and rotate sliders, the image can be adjusted so that it looks like it was taken straight on.   This new feature can also creatively distort, stretch and/or rotate the image.

Lightroom is now in its third generation, and with each version, has seen extensive improvements. The first two versions were good, and with version 3, Lightroom is coming into its own. All the features complement one another, and create a user friendly, dynamic product.

Contact: www.adobe.com
Cost: $299 US, upgrade $99 US

Digital Noise Tamed

New for Dfine 2.0:

• User Interface
• Improved noise reduction engine
• Image and camera profiles
• Improved batch processing
• Improved selective tool

User Interface
Dfine 2.0 opens in a clean, professional interface, and automatically measures the image noise to create a profile. The image noise may be manually measured by selecting noise measurement areas, and then measuring this noise to create the profile. Alternatively, previously saved profiles may also be applied. Custom camera profiles are easy to create for each ISO used. These custom profiles are based on the camera used to create each profile, and thus account for manufacturing differences between sensors.

Preview and Loupe views are available to review the noise reduction effect on the image. Selecting the “Reduce” tab provides controls for the noise reduction process. Both contrast and color noise reduction may be controlled. Control points may also be placed on the image to fine tune the noise reduction. A brush tool is also available to selectively apply the noise reduction.

Images
To illustrate the noise reduction abilities of Dfine 2.0, an image was selected from photos taken in the evening at Seattle’s Pike Place Market (taken with a Nikon D200 (10 MP sensor) set to ISO 800). The selected image was processed in Photoshop CS4, using Dfine 2.0. 100 percent crops of the original and processed images are presented below.

100 percent crop of the original photo

Automatic Noise Reduction

Nikon D200 ISO 800 Camera Profile

Control Point Adjustment

The above images illustrate the noise reduction abilities of Dfine 2.0. The Automatic nose reduction works well. Using a camera & ISO profile provides enhanced noise reduction. And employment of control points provides precise noise reduction control.

Training

• Training videos
• Webinar schedule
• Archived webinars

System Requirements:
Windows

• 32-bit version of Windows XP with Service Pack 3 and Windows Vista
  (64-bit operating systems with 32-bit host application)
• Pentium III 1GHz or better
• 1 GB RAM
• Adobe® Photoshop® 7 through CS4, Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 through 7.0; other Adobe Photoshop plug-in compatible application**
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom® 2.3 or later

Macintosh

• Mac OS 10.4 and later
• G4, G5, Intel® Core™ Solo, Intel Core Duo, Intel Core 2 Duo, Intel Xeon®
• 1 GB RAM
• Adobe® Photoshop® CS2 through CS4, Adobe Photoshop Elements 4.0 and 6.0; other Adobe Photoshop plug-ins compatible applications**
• Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.3 or later
• Apple® Aperture™ 2.1 or later

** Nik Software product filters are developed to integrate seamlessly into many popular image editing applications that support the Adobe plug-in architecture. There are numerous software applications that accept Adobe plug-in compatible filters. Please consult your image editing application’s documentation for compatibility and installation instructions for 3rd-party plug-ins.

Contact: Nik Software
Cost: $99.95

The Devil’s in the Details

This format and the extensive index are the book’s strong points.  However, I found covering both CS3 and CS4 distracting.  While the extensive sidebars add lots of detailed information, I also thought that the sidebars were over used and in some cases distracting.   The Photoshop CS3/CS4 WOW Book could make an exciting interactive e-book if done properly.

Detailed Desk Reference

In 11 chapters, 4 Appendices, and multiple lessons/projects for each chapter, The Photoshop CS3/CS4 WOW Book covers a wide variety of techniques for both photographers and graphic artists. With many examples geared to the graphic artist, the book may be more valuable to the graphic artist.  The first third of The Photoshop CS3/CS4 WOW Book – chapters 1-4 – cover basic Photoshop skills.  These sections are intended more for the beginner, but are a good review for more experienced users.

Other chapters cover:

• Enhancing Photos
• Painting
• Type and Vector Graphics
• Special Effects for Type and Graphics
• Putting It All Together (Composition, Layers, and Compositing)
• 3D, Video, & Animation
• Measurement & Analysis

The Photoshop CS3/CS4 WOW Book is a good book that provides extensive coverage of Photoshop.  If you are using Photoshop CS4 or CS3, this book makes a solid desk reference.

Contact: Peachpit Press

Cost: $59.99 US, $65.99 CAN

However, the quizzes located on the DVD are the book’s sole weak spot.  For example, the quizzes could be improved by referencing the page where the correct answer may be found.

Essential Techniques

In sixteen chapters, 54 video segments, and multiple lessons/projects for each chapter, Richard covers the essential techniques for both photographers and graphic artists.  The book starts with a chapter on Digital Imaging Fundamentals to make sure the basics are covered.

Other chapters include:

• Selection Tools
• Masking
• Compositing with Layers
• Color Correction and Enhancement
• Maximizing Filters

Appropriately, the last chapter covers Output – Printing, PDF, and Specialized Output.

Understanding Adobe Photoshop CS4 is an excellent book.  I look forward to reading and reviewing more books by this author.  If you are still using Photoshop CS4 or earlier, I  would recommend taking a look at this book.

Contact: Peachpit Press

Cost: $49.99 US, $54.99 CAN, £31.99

New For Eye Candy 6

• Rendering engine -  Filters are much faster and can run on much larger images than before.
• Adaptive mode -  Adaptively scales filter effects to the current image size.
• Settings - Over 1500 carefully designed factory settings that handle a wide range of common design tasks.
• Fire – Fire filter now looks more natural. Sharp edges have been smoothed to look more like realistic gaseous flames.
• Panels – Photoshop CS4 panels are provided for starting Eye Candy filters with a single click and for quickly creating attractive buttons.
• Non-Destructive Editing – All filters have the option to draw their output on a new layer and can work as Smart Filters when applied to Smart Objects.
• Professional Features – Works with the 64-bit version of Photoshop.

Start with Settings
Each filter opens in a clean user interface, similar to the interface used in other Alien skin plug-ins that were discussed in previous posts.  The filter has tabs or buttons for at least “Settings” and “Basic”.  Under the “Settings” tab, try a variety of factory preset settings to obtain a desired look. The presets provide a great place to start, and often need little, if any fine tuning (saving time and money).  Fine tuning is easy using the :Basic:, and other tabs provided for each filter.

Efficient Panels
Enabling the two Photoshop panels provides one click access to the Eye Candy Filters and button tool.  Place the panel or panels in the Photoshop desktop to enable quick and efficient access.

Nondestructive Editing
Photographers and graphic artists often use layers for a nondestructive work flow.  Eye Candy 6 complements this work flow by creating a new layer for the filter output.  In a typical layer, the filter’s settings can not be changed.  However, when the layer is a smart object, Eye Candy 6 can output a smart object.  The filters settings can be changed as often as desired.  A very powerful feature.

Pros

• 1500 factory presets save time
• Panels save time
• Smart filters and output to a new layer enable risk free experimentation

Cons

• None noted
  

Host Requirements
Eye Candy 6 is a plug-in and requires one of the following host applications:

• Adobe Photoshop CS3 or later
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 or later on Mac OS X
• Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 or later on Windows
• Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo X2
• Adobe Fireworks CS4

System Requirements: Microsoft Windows users must have at least a Pentium 4 processor or compatible and Windows XP or later. Apple Macintosh users must have a PowerPC G5 or Intel processor and Mac OS X 10.5 or later. A monitor with 1024×768 resolution or greater is required.
Contact: www.alienskin.com
Cost: $249 USD. Owners of any version of Eye Candy may upgrade for $99 USD

Delivery of content is key across multiple platforms and new delivery systems (netbooks, smartbooks, tablets and slates, smart phones), not to mention a wide variety of browsers. Adobe has delivered a wickedly smart program for photo and video production, web design, and illustration. Some key features are:

• Design – No code building required. CS5 allows designers to provide and design their products across multiple devices. New functions, like Fine Edge, allows fine tuning grabbing and moving subjects, in addition to the “smart” insert of backdrop. Flash Catalyst allows designers to insert illustrations and design without writing code.
• Video Editing – Mercury Playback Engine provides 64 bit, native rendering (share, render, move files faster, cleaner). Rotoscoping is painless, really, with the Rotobrush. Incorporate the script, specific lines or scenes descriptions as metadata using Adobe Story. Naturalistic painting tools allow touchup right on the image.
• Web Premium – Flash Catalyst allows design movement created in Illustrator and InDesign without writing code. Change flat illustration into 3D images. Display live view of web pages while clicking on Dreamweaver code to see direct results side-by-side. Open the Browser lab to display images in multiple browsers, compare side-by-side, or overlap as an onion skin.
• Photoshop – MiniBridge allows to merge photos in HDR, and with 64 bit system, photographer can choose which exposure for content. Quality increased with improved Sharpen Images, Noise Reduction, maintain saturation and contrast. Content Aware Fill is a cool function to extract a subject image, and intelligently fill in behind it. New Natural Media Bristle Tips and Puppet Work allows t make natural patterns and distortions.
• Flash 10.1 – Allows wider access to multiple desktop platforms and devices, improves navigation on lsates and tablets.

This list is a very short, taste of what Adobe CS5 offers. Adobe Creative Suite 5 products are scheduled to ship within 30 days, with availability through Adobe Authorized Resellers, the Adobe Store and Adobe Direct Sales. Estimated street price for the suites is expected to be $2599 US for Master Collection CS5, $1899 US for CS5 Design Premium, $1799 US for CS5 Web Premium, $1699 US for CS5 Production Premium and $1299 US for CS5 Design Standard. Upgrade pricing and volume licensing are available. Adobe CS5 products integrate with Adobe CS Live Services, which are complimentary for a limited time.

System Requirements: Click on Adobe Creative Suite 5 for details.

Contact: Adobe.com