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Rating: 
Summary: John Nemerovski MyMac.com Book Review
Review: I "relaxed' by reading this book cover to cover,skipping only a few sections after working 11 hours with this software program. Elements is mega-ware, one of the greatest applications of all time. If you are currently (ugh!) still using another program stop immediately and get this one. This very affordable book will help you become an accomplished digital artist. Theauthors explain in clear, concise prose how to install Elements and begin using it. Digital editing and creating is non-intuitive for many newbies (including me), and Hoeschen and Dahl's gentle user-friendly approach is refreshingly straightforward. The two-column Visual QuickStart format works perfectly to illustrate written directions and tips with pertinent screenshots, divided between the three operating systems; well over half the screenshots show the Mac interface (split between 9.2 and OS X). At the heart of Elements and this guide is understanding and using the powerful LAYERS feature. Study this chapter in depth, and come back to it often as you progress. A small center section of color imagery enhances the instructive text, but don't buy the book because of it. You will get much greater benefit from immersing yourself in Elements' versatile feature set, described and displayed page after page in glorious greyscale. At current pricing, MacMice Rating: 4 out of 5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ John Nemerovski
Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful book
Review: I have had limited experience with improving digitial photographs. I was looking for a book to help explain Photoshop Elements 2. I had skimmed through the manual. I saw none on Amazon that had multiple wonderful reviews so I picked up a copy of this book. It was all I had hoped for. It was clear with step by step illustrations on what to do. I am a Mac user but it has Windows instructions equally as well. I read through most of it in 2 sittings while trying some of the steps on my laptop. On the first day I was able to make images that appeared too dark come alive using the histograms which are so easy to use when clearly explained. I could use the clone tool and easily remove a pillow on the back of a chair while it looked totally natural as if the pillow was never there and the lines of the chair were totally normal. I could remove a light over my son's head that looked as if he were wearing it as a hat and otherwise ruined a wonderful image. It taught me so much more. I have not yet gotten into layers but the explainations appear very clear. I hired someone to make a picture video for a presentation but now see how easy it would be for me to do and have anyone see a copy of it with acrobat reader. If you don't kow how to use Photoshop Elements 2, get this book. You will not be sorry.
Rating: 
Summary: Save your money.
Review: Photoshop Elements 2.0 includes a 254 page manual. This visual quickstart guide is nothing more than a rewrite of the Adobe manual with the addition of scores of low contrast black and white illustrations. It is very well written and is laid out better than the Adobe manual but it offers little that is not already in the Adobe book. If you want a reference manual you don't need this quickstart guide because the Adobe manual is quite satisfactory and comes with the program. If you're looking for a tutorial this quickstart guide is useless. Good tutorials are the books by Scott Kelby, Jan Kabili, and Shane Rebenschied
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