Dynamic Learning: Photoshop CS3 1st Edition

This is the best book, for learning Photoshop, that I've found. Even though I have Photoshop CS5, now, I still find myself going back to this book. This latest copy was bought for my daughter because I didn't want to part with my copy!

I was not a total noob when I started this book, but wasn't very accomplished in photoshop either.The problem with this book, is that they teach you how to create the lesson final product, but just have you push some buttons on the keyboard to reach that point, without ever giving you practical reason for why you're doing it. It does a very poor job of showing the different menu choices and what those menu choices accomplish. For example, very little was done with filters and showing how they work and what they accomplish.The DVD/CD that comes with the book is virtually worthless. It just takes you through a series of button pushing sequences to get a final result, the exact same sequences the book walks you through. Totally redundant and without purpose.Although in the end I learned a few things, overall, this book was a disappointment to me. I would not reccomend it to anyone that wants to learn photoshop from ground zero or has a remedial knowledge of it like I had.

I learned through this book for my class. Would recommend for beginners and students who are interested in Photoshop CS3. However now we are at CS6.

All in all I have to say that the information in this book is pretty good. It has a reasonable and understandable flow and is very easy to follow. I like that there is one chapter just dedicated to what is new in CS3 and also there is a chapter that is easy to follow that describes what Adobe Bridge is all about. I am loving Bridge!The three star rating is because I am EXTREMELY frustrated with the included lesson files on disk. I was going along great, enjoying the usefulness of files included, then when I was told to save them, they don't save. Possibly this is a glitch on my disk or not. But at any rate, all of my files are "read only" (yes I copied them onto my hard drive, I'm not trying to save on the DVD) and I cannot properly execute the tutorials without saving the files progress as I go along.The book seems to be excellent. I am having a lot of trouble with the included DVD,

For anyone intimidated by Adobe's Photoshop CS3 mountain of information and how to approach it, there is the helpful book, DYNAMIC LEARNING PHOTOSHOP CS3, which includes video tutorials and lesson files on DVD. Dynamic Learning has a series of books, and Photoshop CS3 is easy to find, just look for the blue frog! Also included is Jennifer Smith, certified Adobe expert, who will instruct you through the thirteen DVD lessons which are explained in much greater detail in the corresponding thirteen lessons outlined in the book.System requirements for Windows or Mac, how to load the lessons and the lesson files, the importance of resetting your defaults for each chapter and everything you could possibly ever need to know is covered in careful detail. A newcomer to Photoshop could easily follow these instructions. Each and every step is explained down to the smallest detail, in a clear and concise way.I found it helpful to watch the video first, read the lesson through and then actually do the lesson in the book using all the expanded explanations. (We all know a video is worth ten thousand words.) This allowed me to set my own pace, quickly glossing over what I already knew about Photoshop and to spend more time on what was new to me.After the start up session, Dynamic Learning digs right into doing a little creation. Instead of the boring part of getting to know your way around the tools and palettes and the layout of your workspace, you get to actually do a project first. I found this interesting and a way to encourage me on to the following lessons.The tutorials are great, Ms. Smith whisks you through the lessons and a slider makes it easy to back up and go over the instructions as often as is necessary for you to grasp the concept of that lesson.Each chapter concludes with a self study project and review questions along with the answers right there where you need them. The projects reinforce what you have learned and can be fun, whether you use the provided images in the lesson files and/or substitute your own, which can make it more interesting and personal. These projects also let you evaluate how much you have learned or if you need to reconsider backtracking on the lesson.Overall, I found a wealth of information spread throughout the lessons regarding color and its importance as to how it conveys when printed, displayed on a monitor or viewed on other devices. And, if understanding color is the life blood of Photoshop, then layers is the muscle to support and manipulate it. Two lessons are devoted entirely to learning the effectiveness and value of layers. If you can master layers, you have unlimited flexibility to generate creative images, your creative images!In case anyone wants to further pursue their Dynamic Learning experience, there are resources beyond this book and DVD. Training videos and conferences are available as are in person seminars conducted by the authors of the Adobe Suite series. Information is also available for educators on line.Considering the expense of Photoshop CS3 and Photoshop CS3 Extended, the small price paid for Dynamic Learning Photoshop CS3 seems like a worthwhile expense. The books step by step learning process is a great aid to becoming proficient with Adobe Photoshop CS3 and that's why you bought it in the first place.