Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3: A Photographer’s Handbook

5 Comments

1. 

   Thomas Crouse / September 19, 2010

   Review by Thomas Crouse for Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3: A Photographer’s Handbook
   Rating:
   This book takes a different approach than other “Photoshop” books in that it addresses, fairly completely, all four Adobe products typically used by digital photographers: Photoshop CS5, Lightroom 3, camera raw and Bridge. It does this in a fully integrated progression from system configuration through work flow and printing. When more than one of these programs might be useful for a given task, all are covered so if you have both CS5 and lightroom, it will discuss how each could be used. Each page is clearly marked with the appropriate logo so you’ll see which of these programs the page addresses. I don’t use them all so it was easy to skip the pages that didn’t apply.

   It is designed as a standalone book that covers everything you need to know to get started w/ these programs. Given the breath of the coverage, it doesn’t get too in-depth so it’s best for beginner to intermediate users. While it covers the major new features of CS5, it doesn’t cover them all – just the ones that could be part of a typical work flow. So less useful features, like “puppet warp”, are skipped. It’s not a “what’s new in CS5″ type book – it addresses the complete work flow and addresses the most used features, both old and new.

   Overall, this is a very good review of these adobe products. If you have them all, it’s one-stop-shopping. But even if you only use a few, you will find it easy to use and helpful.
   

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2. 

   Dave Johanson / September 20, 2010

   Review by Dave Johanson for Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3: A Photographer’s Handbook
   Rating:
   If you are planing on purchasing only one book this year for guidance on CS5 & LR3, make this book your choice! Starting out with one of the BEST basic technical sections I’ve read in any book, and I have literally dozens of books on digital photography/editing, through to the integration of Lightroom with Photoshop, Steve leads the reader with the recognizable skill of a polished instructor. Moreover, the book’s pages are icon (Ps, acr, Br, and Lr) tabbed allowing for rapid location of information pertaining to the area of immediate interest. The information is easy to understand, flows smoothly, and is fully complemented with hundreds of illustrations and screen shots with full explanations of how, when, and why you would employ the features being discussed. Unlike many tomes currently in vogue, this is not a cookbook designed to show you how you would get a specific photo to look a certain way, but rather a guide that will provide you with the knowledge needed to work on any image to improve it. In the process, Steve fully describes his workflow approach to creating the final output with a minimum of effort. Without a doubt, this is one of the very best books ever published for working with digital images.

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3. 

   Andrew Kavanagh / September 20, 2010

   Review by Andrew Kavanagh for Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3: A Photographer’s Handbook
   Rating:
   Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3: A Photographer’s Handbook by Stephen Lakevitch is an excellent book!
   
   Very well organized & easy to read.
   
   This book generously shows how a similar procedure can be done in either Photoshop CS5, Camera Raw 6, or Lightroom 3,
   
   and uses visual anchors/icons of the application being presented on the side of each page to remind you which application is being focused on.
   
   Technical jargon is simplified so anyone at any level can understand, and keyboard shortcuts are introduced step-by-step
   
   in a practical way as you learn more, and not as an intimidating list that you feel forced to memorize.
   
   Stephen Lakevitch is an Adobe Certified Instructor, and has consulted with Adobe to prepare the Photoshop Certified Expert exams.
   
   Stephen shows his expertise by taking you through his time tested workflow, and by sharing various photography tips such as creating panoramas and High Dynamic Range images.
   
   Like getting 3 books in one without the superfluous explanations, this book will get you up to speed in no time creating great images!

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4. 

   Troy / September 20, 2010

   Review by Troy for Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3: A Photographer’s Handbook
   Rating:
   Photographers Handbook is the first book on my shelf that I reach for when I have a question about work flow, tool tips or best practices for handling digital image processing with in Adobe’s Creative Suite. The CS5 edition is the third version that I have owned, each is updated and expanded to include the latest juicy tidbits and working methods contained with in the latest software. I appreciate the author’s dedication to core photographic principals and his explanations of how the digital work flow can be structured to maximize creative problem solving, while maintaining quality and efficiency within my photo processing.

   To our benefit, Mr. Laskevitch owns and operates an Adobe training facility in Seattle WA. where each of the concepts, lessons and tips contained with in this book have been “workshopped” though hundreds of classroom sessions. Photographer’s Handbook distills the knowledge that has been developed in this educational environment. Mr. Laskevitch’s organization and writing style is clean and concise, only the most common and useful practices of digital image processing are presented in this guide.

   The author carries the reader through the basic principals of digital photography and application set up all the way through advanced non-destructive editing and work flow methods. The information with in the book is presented with three applications in mind, Bridge, Photoshop & Lightroom. Lessons are detailed to show how tasks can be accomplished in sequence and/or in tandem by using each of these applications. There is much discussion explaining a comparison of how certain tasks are accomplished with in each application as well as the nature by which each application accesses the plugin, Adobe Camera Raw. This approach guides the reader towards a fluid proficiency through out the CS suite of photo editing software.

   Bottom line, get this book! You won’t be disappointed.

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5. 

   Conrad J. Obregon / September 20, 2010

   Review by Conrad J. Obregon for Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3: A Photographer’s Handbook
   Rating:
   When I first learned to use Photoshop, there was no Bridge, no Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) and no Lightroom. Even so, it took several books and advice from more experienced users to get a handle on the software. As new features were added, I had to keep working to learn how to edit images. Now Stephen Laskevitch proposes to initiate the new user to everything Photoshop in one swoop in “Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3: A Photographer’s Handbook.” For those not familiar with the software, Bridge and ACR are included with Photoshop but function much like separate pieces of software. Lightroom functionality overlaps with ACR and Bridge.

   The book begins by defining the terms and concepts the author considers necessary to master Adobe’s image processing tools, followed by the configuration settings he considers essential. Next the author tours the screens of Photoshop, Bridge, ACR and Lightroom and considers the steps to take to import images and organize them. There are chapters on global adjustments, local adjustments, cleanup and retouching, creative edits and output. His method is to describe similar functions in each of the pieces of software at one time.

   This is an interesting pedagogical approach. There are many functions that are similar in adjusting images in Photoshop, ACR and Lightroom. For example, tone can be adjusted in all three tools with a form of the curves tool. But each of these curve tools has just a slightly different way of being applied. For the new user, covering these subjects together can easily generate confusion. Moreover, probably because a book ultimately must have some page limits, specific instruction for any one particular mode was sometimes scanted. I would think that for the new user it would be better to deal with Photoshop, ACR and Lightroom separately, and to use one piece of software well before trying to learn another, especially since both ACR and Lightroom on their own can probably handle most of the adjustments that a new user would need.

   Add to that the fact that the new user probably would benefit from plenty of practical examples of using the functions. While the author does give a few practical examples, most of the instruction is of a narrative sort. Moreover, some of the narrative just skims the surface, such as the discussion of noise reduction in ACR and Lightroom, which presents the luminescence and color sliders but doesn’t discuss the detail sliders that go with them.

   Like virtually every book that introduces beginners to photo-processing, Laskevitch discuses the effects of the various buttons and sliders on images, but doesn’t suggest when a certain adjustment would be most appropriate to help the photographer achieve his or her vision and that’s too bad since it could be a strong motivational factor for the beginner.

   It’s easy for a tyro to get discouraged trying to learn to use image processing software. Bundling interwoven explanations of several different pieces together in a single book makes it just that much harder.

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