Teach Yourself VISUALLY Photoshop Elements 2.0

If so, then this book is for you. Open it up and you'll find clear, step-by-step screen shots that show you how to tackle scores of Photoshop Elements 2 tasks, from importing digital camera photos and sizing images to repairing photo damage, using filters, and creating a Web photo gallery.

"If I need to learn anything, I just buy one of your books. Wonders! I have even trained my friends to give me Visual books as gifts." ?Illona Bergstrom (Aventura, FL)

"You all are creating a wonderful learning environment. Keep it up!" ?Percy Khambatta (Bukit Panjang, Singapore)

• "Teach Yourself" sidebars offer practical tips and tricks
• Full-color screen shots demonstrate each task
• Succinct explanations walk you through step by step
• Two-page lessons break big topics into bite-sized modules

Mr. Wooldbridge's book attempts, generally successfully, to provide a simple overview of all the key functions in PE2. The book's main asset is, as the title implies, visual - with screenshots of the different steps. For a visual program a visual guide seems logical to me (I have found the lengthy prose-based books less useful).

The downside? Basic steps are covered, but not more complex, cumulative approaches (however, it can be argued that the book doesn't claim to do this). The photographs used to illustrate each lesson are truly awful - they are simple snapshots. Not one is a worthwhile photograph. This may or may not matter to you. The author illustrates, for example, how to change colors by changing a house's driveway into a hideous, garish color. (Arguably, this might be an asset - you might feel proud that many of your photographs are considerably better than those in used in your guidebook!) When looking for a guidebook, I hope to get exposed to worthwhile artistic photographs that will inspire some creativity. You won't find art here - but you will find the basic building blocks to PE2.


Excellent way to learn Photoshop Elements 2.0   April 21, 2003
W. Hartl (Lambertville, NJ USA)
54 out of 56 found this review helpful

I started with the Users Guide that came with the software and couldn't make heads or tails of it- mostly verbal descriptions of visual processes. The "Teach Yourself Visually Photoshop Elements 2.0" made everything clear. It is a wonderful book and learning tool. After you read it (it's a smooth fast read) you can go back to the Users Guide (which is OK once you have a feel for the program) to pick up a few more details, or feel more comfortable with the on-line help or other, less visual, books.