As you can tell by this book's trim waistline, it doesn't take in every morsel offered by the feast we know as Photoshop CS4. And there lies the beauty of what you're holding in your hands right now. Here's why. When you go to a buffet, do you eat everything that's laid out on the seemingly endless buffet table in front of you? My guess is that you don't. You take what you want and leave the rest for others.
In the world of digital imaging, Photoshop is that seemingly endless buffet table. At that table, our host, Adobe, must feed designers, graphic artists, Web producers, special effects technicians, and, oh yeah, photographers too. That's a lot of stuff for a lot of different people. Just as no one's supposed to eat everything at a buffet, you're not required to use every feature of this application. But there are so many features, how do you choose the ones you, as a photographer, really need? The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers will help you. Think of it as your personal attendant for this event.
It's like you're guided to your own secret version of Photoshop that's just for photographers. The book takes you by the hand and says, "Start with this, then try some of that, but be sure to stay away from those!"
You see, we photographers have kindred spirits within Adobe. I know this because they have bestowed delights upon us, treats hidden within the Photoshop buffet that others won't care about, but that we will relish. We have Photo Downloader, a robust version of Bridge, the powerful Adobe Camera Raw, and some new Photoshop features designed just for shooters. Adobe has built an entire workflow into CS4 that's absolutely incredible. You can do just about everything with this application. Take a look at this list of goodies that represents only part of what Photoshop CS4 has to offer:
Selective downloading of pictures from your memory card. You pick the shots you want.
Automatic addition of your copyright and other valuable metadata during download.
Automatic backup of your files to a separate drive during download.
Simplified sorting, searching, rating, and keywording.
Virtual collections that can be automated. Your "best shots" collection, for example, can automatically grow as you go about the daily business of rating your images.
Advanced, nondestructive image editing using tools that photographers understand and actually like.
Batch processing of your images.
A simplified approach to using layers in Photoshop.
Automatic construction of panoramas and high-dynamic-range merges.
Slide shows, Web albums, and much, much more.
And that's just a taste of what lies ahead for you in this compact guide.
But even though this book is chock-full of helpful information, it's still designed to be portable. Why? More and more photographers are processing their images on laptops. It doesn't make any difference if the device runs Windows or Mac OS X, as long as it fits in your bag. So, you can take your digital darkroom to coffee shops, hotel rooms, commuter trains, airplanes, the patio, and just about anywhere else your knees will fit. That's why you need a book that won't crowd the table but adds to the conversation. This is that book.
Here's how you use the Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers. First, peruse it from cover to cover, and get to know it. Then read Chapter 1; it's a real ice-breaker, as it's a quick-start guide to the workflow. Move on to the subsequent chapters, which provide detail for each step in the workflow. Then, grab your camera, fill up a memory card, fire up your computer, and get to work.
One last thing I want to mention: It's no mistake that the word Companion is part of this book's title. For you, the photographer who wants Photoshop to be a joyous, fulfilling experience, this book is your friend. And I think the two of you are going to have a great time together.
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