Adobe Photoshop Cs5 on Demand

Get ready, this is going to be a totally biased, opinionated review (ha, when are they not!)... I own the CS4 version of this book already, and as a long-time Photoshop user, this is one of my favorites. It does exactly what it's supposed to do: gives you that Photoshop "how-to" on a particular subject, on demand, no pun intended. To me it's a great layout: you get a column on the side of the page with the bullet points to do the task, but then the text explains the details with plenty of photos and screenshots. Sometimes I don't need the details, I just want the steps involved, other times I'd like to see the process, and this book gives you both. PLEASE NOTE: this is not the best book if you are brand new to Photoshop, it's really geared for someone who knows the program (even the basics) and wants to expand their techniques or get a certain task done. If you are a Photoshop newbie (welcome aboard, by the way!), you really want to make this the SECOND book you get. Start out with  Adobe Photoshop CS5 Classroom in a Book  and get grounded in the program, THEN you'll want and appreciate this On Demand book. Another reviewer who is new to PS stated it very well, she said she found this book to be "choppy", and it will be if you've never used Photoshop before. But once you learn it, you'll find this title to be an indispensable how-to guide. Have at it!

I have been reading this book for a few days and so far i am a little disappointed. It has high ratings so maybe I expected more than I should have. I am new to photoshop and this book does explain the features pretty well and what they do, but the tutorials are hardly what I expected. Most of the images in the download file are already completed images from what I can tell and are pretty hard to manipulate in regard to what the book is referring to. It does not even mention when it is going into a tutorial or what steps should be taken. I do have the kindle version so maybe that is the problem but I would assume the book is the same? I may have to compile several books together to get the information I need I guess... I would not say this book is a total flop as it does explain how to use each tool but as for putting them together to create something I do not know that it will accomplish that goal...

This book does remind me of a nicely laid out camera manual. It provides a comprehensive list of features and options. But, like a camera manual, it doesn't go into great detail about what you can really do with those features.For example, where other books teach you different methods for converting a photo to black and white, this book concentrates on what to click for "Using the Black & White Adjustment". Or what to click to use the Threshold adjustment.It's as if the author has set out to provide a comprehensive list of the available Photoshop tools, rather than drawing on his own experience to teach us useful techniques. To me, this book feels like it was written by an extremely competent technical writer, rather than somebody with a love and passion for Photoshop.Finally, I bought this book to study for the ACE exam. The edition that I received did not actually include ACE objectives, even though they were advertised on the cover. They have recently become available on the publisher's website, but it took them a while. As far as studying for ACE goes, I found that, for me, working through the exercises in Adobe's Classroom in a Book gave me a much more in depth understanding.So, recommended as a quick reference manual, but not for in depth learning of technique.

Photoshop is a tool. Tools help us do things. But Photoshop is so difficult to use you need to read a textbook. Now since I grew up during the pencil and paper days, I have to also learn certain aspects of the computer. But presuming you don't have that problem, Photoshop itself is a mound to learn. I'm actually taking a year class at a community college for this tool. I mean talk about overwhelming. But if you ever do learn how to use Photoshop the results are amazing. Since I'm a bone-head I don't think I'll ever get there. But I can try.

I barely knew the basics with photoshop. Tutorials via youtube are only going to take you so far. This book starts with the basics and builds you up.I love it and I am very confident that I will be on top of my game once I finish. I was skeptical when I read other comments about the purchase, but I understand exactly why the author structured it the way it was structured and am much appreciative.Got mine used. Looks like new! Super happy about that as well.

If you need a easy step by step instructions of how to preform various cs5 actions then this is your book. This book help me stay a few steps ahead of my class. My professor was always pleased with the skill level of my assignments. The auther cut out all of the fluff talk and gets straight to the point, providing step by step pictures examples. Everything is so easy to understand.

It is a good reference manual. Explanations are simple, but useful to refresh memory. I use it when I am stumped on what to do next. I would recommend it as desk reference. It is not really good as a learning tool, but, is a worthwhile buy.