Photoshop Elements 4: The Missing Manual

When You Really Need Photoshop

You can do an enormous amount with just Elements, but some people do need the full version of Photoshop. For example, if you need the ability to write your own actions (actions are little scripts, like macros, that automate certain things you might do in Photoshop) or if you need to work extensively in CMYK mode, you need Photoshop.

CMYK mode is the color mode used for commercial printing—it stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and blacK, which are the colors professional printers use. If you send a file to a print shop, they usually tell you it needs to be a CMYK file. You can't convert files to CMYK in Elements. If you need CMYK files on a regular basis, it's worth the extra price of Photoshop to avoid the aggravation. If you only occasionally need CMYK, you might just ask your printer. Usually most print shops are willing to convert the file for you for an additional charge.

Note

Richard Lynch (www.hiddenelements.com) created a workaround for CMYK conversion for earlier versions of Elements. You may want to check his Web site to see what he's come up with for Elements 4.

In Photoshop you get more of everything: more choices, more tools, more settings, more types of adjustment layers, and so on.