Good place to start?

[Snubs]

Iv been reading and trying to do a lot of the tutorials Ive seen. I know were most of the tools are and what they do but when I try to do something it just doesn't work out . I dont under stand the basics or should I say the outcome from all the steps that were taken to get a certain affect or look .I know what I'm trying to say but cant really explain it but just the same what is a good place to start when trying learn Photo shop .I would really like to learn it .

[wombie]

just keep goin, things tend to click the more you do them. follow the tutorials word for word until u get the result your supposed to, then start to tweak and modify and experiment.

photoshop is basically one big experiment

[bedlam123]

Start with the tools Snubs. Make certain you know how to use the tools. Find a photo you like. Pick a tool, play with the photo. When you think you understand what the tools will do, work through the tuts. Do them over and over, use different images. Add something to what you are doing each time. Look at what others have done and try to duplicate it. Ask lots of questions, there are no dumb questions, don't be shy. Just like Wombie says, it is one big experiment, see what you can make.

[tamlin]

I know it's heresy to mention the "b-word" on an internet forum, but I'd also stress the value of investing in at least one Photoshop book. A lot of online tutorials are very good, but I also think you can't beat having a hard copy of something written by a professional writer and Photoshop expert to refer to again and again. I've got a whole library of PS books stretching back to version 6 and I'd be lost without them.

[Snubs]

Originally Posted by tamlin

I know it's heresy to mention the "b-word" on an internet forum, but I'd also stress the value of investing in at least one Photoshop book. A lot of online tutorials are very good, but I also think you can't beat having a hard copy of something written by a professional writer and Photoshop expert to refer to again and again. I've got a whole library of PS books stretching back to version 6 and I'd be lost without them.

what do you think would be a good book to get and be reasonably priced ?

[unleash]

search amazon, they thent to have some good books stored in their waerhouses

[bedlam123]

If you use Amazon be sure to check out the used books as well as the new ones. I have ordered at least 30-odd used books from them and have had excellent luck, cd's included, no mark-overs, that kind of thing. You just have to use the rating system to determine where you get the book.

[tamlin]

Originally Posted by Snubs

what do you think would be a good book to get and be reasonably priced ?

For some reason, most publishers see Photoshop books as a license to print money, but for what it's worth I think that all of the O'Reilly/Ilex "Cookbook" series are excellent learning tools, and reasonably-priced, too.

In addition, anything by Scott Kelby is worth getting. If you're particularly interested in the use of Photoshop in relation to digital photography, my bible is Martin Evening's Adobe Photoshop CS2 for Photographers, although this book is expensive, as well as being thick enough to stun an ox. It does, however, go far beyond the realms of "This is how to use the Pen Tool" and will tell you more than you could ever need to know about confusing and scary stuff like monitor calibration, ICC colour management and the difference between bilinear and bicubic interpolation.

Bedlam123's suggestion about looking for used books is a very good one, especially if funds are limited.