Photoshop

3D in Photoshop: The Ultimate Guide for Creative Professionals is a fantastic introduction to creating 3D images in Adobe Photoshop CS5. One of my favorite things about this book is the fact that it covers, in length, each feature of the 3D menu, describes the different materials and mesh features, how cameras and lights function, and gives many examples of each before even starting the first tutorial. There is a wealth of information here, especially for users who have never operated with 3D mechanics in Photoshop or other programs.

Adobe introduced 3D tools to photoshop in Creative Suite 3. Since then, each release has improved upon and included new 3D tools and features. In Photoshop CS5, Adobe introduced a new feature called Repousse, which is used to extrude objects in 3D in new ways. This book covers the Repousse feature in-depth. As a part of this review, I completed one of the Repousse tutorials, and will be sharing the beginning steps and the final product.

I began using Photoshop around version 5 and I think I know it pretty well. But Photoshop is wide and deep. To get the most out of it after you install Photoshop, it's wise to spend some time with the manual or a good book. The learning experience will take some time: days, weeks, months. Martin Evening's book will make the journey easier. He is a top notch photographer who has for years rubbed shoulders with Adobe's developers of Photoshop.

Digital Painting in Photoshop is a great book for anyone who is interested in turning their digital images into classical works of art. As a proficient Photoshop user, I thought this book was very well written and very easy to read. At 236 pages, it goes into significant detail without dragging things out. The author has included easy to follow instructions and plenty of screenshots to show readers the way.

The first chapters cover the brush and pattern tool in great detail and explain how to go about creating your own. It goes on to explain the different paper textures that are available by default and how to create new textures. The book covers a variety of wet and dry media techniques such as pastel, graphite, oil and watercolor. All of which can be achieved primarily though the use of Photoshop's textures and brushes.

The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers contains a wealth of information about Photoshop CS4 geared toward photographers.  The book covers a great deal of photo editing techniques in photoshop, and more importantly, a lot of information on using Camera RAW.  As a photographer, I appreciate the attention to detail in covering Camera RAW, as it is one of the most important tools in photoshop for any photographer to learn.  The book covers everything from getting the photos from your camera onto your computer to the final printing process, a lot of information indeed.  And while professional photographers and photoshop gurus may not get their fill from this book, it is a wonderful resource for amateurs and intermediate users, containing techniques and information that should not be missed!