new to photoshop

[abzphotoz]

I am trying to learn how to use photoshop. I figure I'll just keep playing with it until I get the basics down. I am

finding it quite complicated though. I sat for 2 hours trying to figure out how to put a simple black frame on a photo

and I couldn't for the life of me figure it out. I went online for help, used the help topics and everything I could think of.

Is there any simpler software than photoshop that will allow you to do what photoshop does? Also-what is the best

and easiest way to learn photoshop? ....Elements 6

[cj bartis]

Hi Abner, It surely is a complicated and powerful tool. Be happy you "only" want to learn Elements and not CS3! I just did a quick Google and came up with a few books: Photoshop Elements 6 for Dummies, Photoshop Elements 6: The Missing Manual...

Also I really like video tutorials. It depends on how serious you are going to get and how much you need to know, but something like the Total training, Deke McClelland or Lynda.com training DVDs are a great way to watch and work along with an expert instead of just reading.

Good luck!

[richam]

I got a lot of good info and training from Photoshop User magazine and a couple of podcasts/RSS feeds:

 

feed://feeds.feedburner.com/PhotoshopKillerTips

 

feed://www.newmediamanuals.com/podcast/videos/video.xml

[aubreyp]

I've been using Photoshop for about 16 years now. I still don't know everything about it, especially the newer versions. I would be incredibly daunted to try learning it now, but I would suggest taking a class. Initially, that's how I got up and running, and I don't think there's a substitute.

 

You may consider using Lightroom, unless you plan on doing a lot of compositing. It's got a much easier learning curve, and does a pretty good job with standard photo processing. I happen to use Photoshop for all my high end processing, but that's because I already know how. Maybe you'd never need it.

[JAPster]

The computer book publisher "O-Reilly", famous for its legacy of putting out fine UNIX books, has a very nice series of books called "The Missing Manual" series. Each book in this series is written by a Subject Matter Expert in that particular topic. They explain everything in a clean and intelligent way, at a level meant for the intelligent non-expert.

 

Here is a link to a page showing you all the titles in the set

 

http://missingmanuals.com/library.html

 

Here is a link to The Missing Manual for PSE 6 on The Mac

 

http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596519360/?CMP=ILC-MMh0me

 

 

And here is the link to The Missing Manual for PSE 6 (no mention of the OS)

 

http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596514440/?CMP=ILC-MMh0me

 

I think this last book is probably the one you want, unless you are using a MAC, in which case you would get the one for the Mac.

[travismcgee]

There are several podcasts on Elements and a bunch more on Photoshop that you can download for free from iTunes. You can then watch them on your computer or your iPod.