By Joe Dolittle
In this all-new book review shootout, we put two books to the test. Read on to learn how Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual by Lesa Snider King, and Photoshop CS4 Channels Masks One-on-One by Deke McClelland stand up to our editorial review.
Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual
Photoshop is the world's most widely used photo-editing and graphics program. But with all its fantastic new features and options, the CS4 version can bewilder even the most seasoned professional.
That's where Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual comes in: packed with tips, tricks, and lots of practical advice, this visually rich four-color guidebook teaches you everything you need to know to edit photos and create beautiful documents in Photoshop.
Whether you're an absolute beginner or a power user ready to try some advanced techniques, author and graphics pro Lesa Snider King offers crystal-clear, jargon-free instructions to help you take advantage of these powerful tools--not only how they work, but when you should use them. You'll quickly get up to speed on new CS4 features such as:
- Photoshop's completely revamped workspace
- Smoother image display and quick zoom, including the new pixel grid view
- New Masks and Adjustments panels
- The Vibrance adjustment layer
- Hand-painting adjustments and using graduated filters in Camera Raw
- Enhanced Adobe Bridge
And much more. You'll also find out which features work well, and which aren't worth your time. Written with the clarity, humor, and objective scrutiny that are hallmarks of the Missing Manual series, Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual is the friendly, thorough resource you need.
Connected Photographer's evaluation
Photoshop CS4 is packed with wonderful new features, but if you're a long-time Photoshop user, even the basics will make you nuts. For example, did you know opening multiple files in multiple windows works entirely differently than anything else? You may not have needed a Photoshop manual in a very long time, but if you're using CS4 for the first time, you will - and if you're a long-time Photoshop user, you'll definitely need a manual. And what's better than a manual? A Missing Manual, of course. This one's another well-written Missing Manual from our friend at O'Reilly.
Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual by Lesa Snider King, published by Pogue Press, is 796 pages and has a retail price of $49.99. We give Photoshop CS4: The Missing Manual a rating of 4 out of 5.
RATING: 4 STARS
