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Hi.....desperate to make better images, I have started a Photoshop course at a local college.
It's only 6 x 2 hour lessons, the first has gone and I've learned nothing.
There are a dozen students and some are takeing the time up telling him their life story.
He asked me what I wanted out of PS and I said, "to make better pictures"
On EPZ they talk of Layers and Levels and Layer blending and Saturation , colour levels and dodging and burning,.......to name but a few....it might as well be Chinese.
What can I tell him I need to know to turn my mediocre pictures into the stunning images shown on EPZ ?
I have Elements 3.....Elements 5 is available for £25
...would buying this be a good move ?
...thanks for any advice....Mike
Don't forget the techniques on ePz - working your way through them should take you a while and they're free.
Unfortunately all pics require different processing. Also there is no one way to do anything in PS, many ways can produce the same result.
My best piece of advice. Ask peeps how they produce an effect, use google and most of all play with PS etc. Nothing beats sitting in front of it and learning, it is a very steep curve and incredibly frustrating at times. Unfortunately, there is no single button that you can click to make a 'WOW' image.
Folks here are friendly and do give advice when asked. Also check the B&A gallery, many people put info in there.
Oh yeah, one more thing, you'll be surprised what a camera can do, PS is not always the solution 
Simon
EDIT: Yes use the techniques here as Boyd rightly suggests.
A couple of years I enrolled on a Photoshop course, some people had to be shown how to start a computer,others had never heard of photoshop. As I had a fairly reasonable knowledge of photoshop but really wanted to improve techniques, icluding layers and the like, I asked if I could go into one of the more advanced classes, the answer was not until I had completed the basic course which took up a whole academic year, so I baled out and bought Digital Photo instead and not regretted it.
Quote: Quote:A couple of years I enrolled on a Photoshop course, some people had to be shown how to start a computer,others had never heard of photoshop.Some people actually enrolled on a course for something they'd never heard of ?
YUP!! They do - honest! Not me I hastily add, but I've spoken to 3 different people that didn't have a clue what they were going to be doing and finished after 11 weeks knowing it was 'Photoshop' - thought they were going to be given a camera to use and churn out poster-sized portraits of each other!
If your booked on its worth doing
You will want to learn how to use layers to improve your images, ask about adding adjustment layers, resizing canvas , adding borders, creataing actions, using levels
The monthly DVD from Digital photo is by the far the best to learn and of course EPZ techniques
have a look at Download Central.com to learn about actions and download free ones
watch how they run and you will learn waht is being processed
Regards Tony
Hi Mike, I've taught Photoshop & am iterested in your comments as a tutor! It sounds like the icebreaker has gone on a bit - often difficult to manage with large classes - as when you ask some people to tell the class about their reasons for attending the course, you get the WHOLE life story!! A good tutor can tactfully end the monologue if it's not relevant.
My advice is to persevere & you must have learnt something? Your fellow students are a source of valuable information too.
I give an overview of Photoshop - a quick PRACTICAL exercise in setting up a standard workspace using the common palettes & keyboard shortcuts (works across different versions). This ensures we are "all singing from the same hymsheet" when working. I have the luxury of teaching with touch screen whiteboards & adequate PC's. Some tutors do not.
Of course to improve your pics, don't forget camera skills! - many excellent pics have minimal Ps processing (and sometimes none).
Regards, Steve...
Hi,
I've taken a couple of courses in photoshop, and found that they were invaluable in helping me develop my skills. As for your particular circumstances I would suggest that you speak with the tutor and explain your concerns, you can do this quietly either before or after the class and give examples of the kinds of things that you want to be able to do. The only problem with these classes is that they go at the pace of the slowest learner, but your tutor should be able to cope with a mixed ability group and set tasks appropriate to all participants
You could also ask whether you could bring your own images and work on those in class with the assistance of the tutor, I found this really helpful as I got something concrete out of it at the end of the session.
Regards,
Esther
A brilliant site is www.radiantvista.com
Mark Johnson,s Photoshop Workbenches are brilliant.
I was average using photoshop before I started looking at Radiant Vista now I would say I was quite proficient
Another vote for radiantvista.
Their video tutorial downloads are free. I suggest you start with 'Essential Adjustment Layers'
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