Good how-to photoshop books?

[theosus]

I have photoshop CS2. I can use it a little, for the most basic stuff. Looking at all the post processing stuff on here makes me think, WOW! I'd like to start learning that...

Can anyone reccommend some good teaching books. or maybe a tutorial series on the web somewhere?

[doubleconvex]

There are several good sites and resources out there. Amazon is a good place to look books up and flick through a few pages online.

But the key question here is... what exactly are you trying to do with Photoshop? As a tool - it can be used by Digital Photographers, to Digital Painters, to Graphic Designers to do a myriad of different things.

Just my two cents worth, but folks in the community here might be able to give you a more useful answer if we had a better understanding of what your objective was. Consider providing a few examples of the kind of photography that you're into, and the kind of look that you want to achieve.

On another note... as far as photographs go, post-processing is all fine and dandy (I swear by it, and I do post-process all the pieces that I am proud of); but what is key is composing the image well. An ordinary looking well composed image can be made to look great, but no amount of post processing will make a poorly composed shot look good. Its easiest and best done in the camera.

[theosus]

Ive used amazon "look inside" before, however with computer and other lengthy technical books, sometimes hands on is the best way to go, but unfortunately there seem to be few choices to browse in the local bookstores, especially since I have an older version.

I'm interested mainly in the types of digital post production that create things that arent there. Compositing, etc. I was really entranced by this:

Sorceress

Ive played around with the cut and paste functions, clone stamp, etc, and even done a little chroma-keying, but I know ive only scratched the basic surface.

[JStockhaus]

Just about any book by Scott Kelby is good.

[zappo]

Yes he's right. Anyway even if you are in to composing, when you are totally new to this you would first have to learn the basics. Most books on composing, retouching etc. are rather complex and you wont't understand much if you don't know the basics.

Maybe you can get a copy of Scott Kelby's book CS2 for photographers on ebay. That would be a good start I guess.

[MovingStill]

I'd have to say use the internet. There is so much good free stuff on various websites.

Try photo magazine's websites - quite often there are video tutorials you can watch and follow. One of my favourites is Digital Cameras & Digital Photography | PhotoRadar. iTunes podcasts is another option well worth investigating, these are usually free too.