This inspirational guide to creative image editing will help you master the essential features and tools of Adobe Photoshop CS4. Broken into three parts to form a structured, self-study guide, Photoshop CS4: Essential Skills covers the foundation skills and more advanced techniques you need to enhance photographs creatively and professionally. Practical, step-by-step imaging projects then give you the chance to practice your skills and see what you can achieve with the right tools and knowledge.

Written by two internationally recognised authors and Adobe Photoshop Ambassadors, this established book and DVD package cuts through the complexities of Photoshop to deliver essential, clear guidance on how to get the best results. Fully updated with the latest CS4 features, it also contains vital information on how to optimize your photography and digital imaging workflow.

Now includes a free DVD, packed with more than 10 hours of detailed video tutorials to accompany the projects in the book, royalty-free hi-resolution images, indispensable RAW files for editing practice and much more.

* Learn to retouch and enhance your photographs, produce sophisticated montages and create special effects with clear instruction and step-by-step practice projects that show the why and the how-to

* Develop an efficient workflow from capture to print, saving time and hassle, and helping you to achieve professional-looking results in Photoshop CS4.

* Watch and learn, with more than 10 hours of movie tutorials on the accompanying DVD to support the practical projects - worth the cover price alone!

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Unleash the hidden potential for professional image editing in Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 7 with this essential book and DVD guide.

Using step-by-step instructions and movie tutorials, Mark Galer leads you through the less well-known and most powerful post-production editing techniques Adobe® Photoshop® Elements has to offer. Cunning tricks and clever workarounds in this book show you how to create inspiring, professional-looking images and perform tasks you only thought possible in the full Adobe® Photoshop® package.

Whether you're an imaging professional or a photography enthusiast, this book and DVD will help you get the maximum performance from your software. Learn how to:

* Create striking effects with no commercial lighting or studio equipment

* Extend the dynamic range of your digital camera by merging multiple exposures

* Optimize, enhance and montage images with stunning results

The DVD provides extensive support to the book with movie tutorials for all projects, high resolution images, multilayered files of completed projects, a stock library and a keyboard shortcut guide.

* Save money by unleashing the hidden potential of Elements 7 for professional image editing rather than upgrading to the full Photoshop software

* Practical, step-by-step projects show you how to solve real-world problems and create stunning images using clever workarounds and powerful, little-known techniques

* Full DVD support with more than 5 hours of tutorials, image files, a stock library and keyboard shortcut guide--worth the cover price alone!

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Brimming with beautiful pictures, this successful book guides you through a project-based, progressive curriculum so that you can build all the essential skills to enhance photographs creatively and professionally with Photoshop CS3. If you are an aspiring professional, enthusiastic amateur photographer, or a student learning photography, digital imaging, art and design, or design graphics, you'll be amazed at the stunning results you can achieve!

New! DVD is included FREE. Additional learning materials include * full-resolution, royalty-free images to download for trying-out your new techniques * over 8 hours of QuickTime movie tutorials to support the practical projects * Presets from layer styles to curves, shapes, and gradients * indispensable RAW files for editing practice

And don't miss the companion website with updates, practice material, and more at www.photoshopessentialskills.com!

"The perfect companion guide for Photoshop users of multiple levels."
Photoshop Creative Magazine

"This book provides excellent coverage of Photoshop as a digital darkroom tool, as well as covering a truly amazing amount of background information. It is very readable and is truly a gem."
Mark Lewis, Director, Mount Saint Mary College, USA

The Essential Skills Photography Series from Focal Press uniquely offers a structured learning experience for photographers of all ages, with both the underlying theory and loads of invaluable 'how to' and real-life practice projects - all from the most talented photography practitioners/educators in the world.

Each subject includes:

* learning objectives for each section - for class use or self-study
* color images of student and teacher/author work
* activities to check learning outcomes
* assignments to put theories into creative practice
* full glossary of terms

Other titles in the series:
Studio Photography: Essential Skills by John Child, Photographic Lighting: Essential Skills by John Child and Mark Galer and Digital Photography in Available Light by Mark Galer.

*An affordable resource that distills the complexity of Photoshop CS3 to the essentials
* Retouch photographs, create makeovers, produce sophisticated montages, and create special effects with clear, step-by-step projects
* Practice with activities that show the 'why', along with the 'how-to'
* Follow a structured learning approach to gain fundamental skills...and more...