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Photoshop Elements
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Is there anyone else out there using elements ?
I’m a bit of a ‘digital virgin’ and only use the very basic tools (USM, cropping, desaturate and levels) but reading some
of the posts it appears that there is so much more to it, and so much more available.Unfortunately most of the adjustments spoken of seem to be in the full photoshop package.
Would the extra functionality justify the extra expense, and would I need a PhD to understand the full package?
Rgds
Kevin
Initially, Photoshop can seem THE MOST INTIMIDATING piece of software EVER :shock: I’d like to consider myself very computer literate, but when I started out with Photoshop, I felt it was the most user unfriendly piece of software I’d ever used. That said, with a little bit of effort and reading through some good online articles and books, it was easy enough to pick up. Now, I wouldn’t be without it. One obviousl downside is the cost – it’s extremely expensive, but personally I consider it as essential as my camera itself.
ciaran wrote:
Initially, Photoshop can seem THE MOST INTIMIDATING piece of software EVER :shock: I’d like to consider myself very computer literate, but when I started out with Photoshop, I felt it was the most user unfriendly piece of software I’d ever used. That said, with a little bit of effort and reading through some good online articles and books, it was easy enough to pick up. Now, I wouldn’t be without it. One obviousl downside is the cost – it’s extremely expensive, but personally I consider it as essential as my camera itself.
Once you understand a few of the basic concepts of Photoshop, especially things like layers and masks, PS becomes a lot easier to learn. As for the most intimidating software, try AutoCAD :D I’ve been using PS since ver 5.5 and have gone through the upgrade path, which has made it a little cheaper (although I’ve stopped at PS 7.0 for the moment because my machine is a little old and doesn’t have the resources required by CS or CS2). If you buy the upgrade from the US, it’s remarkably cheap (I only found out about this a few months ago :cry: ) I suspect the full package is cheaper from the US too.
To be honest, I don’t really use it that much. Rather than seeing what everyone else is doing with it, just approach it from your own perspective. I first started out trying to learn it by copying things other people were doing. It wasn’t until I gave up on that and decided that I would only learn what I needed to accomplish a particular task, that I really started to get to grips with it. So when I needed to learn about sharpening in PS, I went off and learned about sharpening. A few weeks later I needed to do a selection as I wanted to do selective sharpening – so then I went and learned about the various selection techniques. If you don’t take it one small chunk at a time you can become totally overwhelemed with the various options and will just get bogged down.
Hi Kevin,
They say that Elements is 85% of Photoshop and at less than ?90 it costs 10% of Photoshop (?850), sounds like a good deal to me. Some people seem have access to ‘copies’ of Photoshop (which is a bit of a pain in the professional world when you’ve invested hard cash in software that others ‘borrow’), so this relatively small price is suitable for those who have no friends with software :D
One of the bits lacking in Elements is ‘Actions’ but this link here (for Mac only) lets you use Apple’s ‘Automater’ to get some cool results http://www.completedigitalphotography.com/?p=445
Also there is a dedicated web site for Elements Users http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com
I’m considering setting up a course for Elements as it is cross platform (Mac/Win) as well as photoshop and seems to cater for most of what the average amateur would need.
Some of the features in Photoshop that are not included in Photoshop Elements are:
CMYK and LAB color modes
More tools and features that work with high-bit (16-bit and 32-bit) images
Combine multiple exposures to create high dynamic range (HDR) images
Channels Palette
Recording custom Actions (for batch processing)
Adjustments: Curves, Color Balance, Match Color
Layer Masks, Layer Comps, and Quick Mask mode
Smart Objects, Smart Guides
Lens Blur Filter, Smart Sharpen Filter, Lens Correction Filter
Vanishing Point Tool
Pen tool and paths palette
Some adjustment layers (curves, color balance, selective color, channel mixer)
Editing History Log
Text on a path, advanced text formatting
Advanced Layer Style manipulation
Advanced Color Management
Advanced Web features and ImageReady (rollovers, slicing)
Customizable tool presets, keyboard shortcuts, and menus
In the features and tools that are shared, the Photoshop version usually offers more advanced options for fine tuning and control.Items in bold are those which I would deem highly desireable to have (for my own work at least).
ciaran wrote:
Initially, Photoshop can seem THE MOST INTIMIDATING piece of software EVER :shock: I’d like to consider myself very computer literate, but when I started out with Photoshop, I felt it was the most user unfriendly piece of software I’d ever used. That said, with a little bit of effort and reading through some good online articles and books, it was easy enough to pick up. Now, I wouldn’t be without it. One obviousl downside is the cost – it’s extremely expensive, but personally I consider it as essential as my camera itself.
Glad to see I was not the only one who struggled with photoshop in the beginning. First time I saw it was at a demonstration. It looked so easy I just bought it, loaded it on the PC and could do nothing with it. I was convinced it
was not what I saw at the demo at all and I must have picked up the wrong software…..I then thought it must be faulty
or I got an incomplete version. I eventually erased it off the PC and did not go back near it for almost a year. It was then I was changing to digital photography and re-loaded my Photoshop 5. I then got version 6 and got help and got this far………still a long, long way to go but like the alcholic….one day at a time and hopefully I will get there or there about.I did not ever get CS 1 though, just went from 7 to CS 2 and will stay there for a while I hope unless the next version becomes an absolute “must have”.
A question springs to mind. Do you all upgrade from version to version or go out and buy the complete new version?
I am told you can have little problems in upgrading so I’ve always bought the full versions. Any views on this ?GCP wrote:
I am told you can have little problems in upgrading so I’ve always bought the full versions. Any views on this ?
There should be no problems going from version to version Gerry, years ago things didnt install over upgrades but its virtually 100% automatic nowadays
As it happens Elements 5 has just been announced.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06091202adobeelements.asp
Just thought some would be interested.
GCP wrote:
A question springs to mind. Do you all upgrade from version to version or go out and buy the complete new version?
I am told you can have little problems in upgrading so I’ve always bought the full versions. Any views on this ?I initially bought and paid for CS :shock: I couldn’t believe the price. I went to the US site, tried to buy it, but after a few links, it redirected you to it’s European store, where I ended up paying almost twice the dollar price I initally thought I could get it for. I kept it up to date in terms of updates for the RAW converter etc.
The one day, I bought my D2X – went on a shoot, came home and tried to load my RAW images. It required a new version of the RAW converter, which I then downloaded. Only to discover that the latest and greatest camera RAW converter only worked with CS2 and not CS :shock: Adobe thieved another 130 quid from me!! I don’t see myself upgrading time and time again unless there is really something which is an absolute must have and even then only after very serious consideration. But to answer your question, apart from the price and feeling that Adobe were taking the complete piss, I had no issues with the upgrade.
ciaran wrote:
The one day, I bought my D2X – went on a shoot, came home and tried to load my RAW images. It required a new version of the RAW converter, which I then downloaded. Only to discover that the latest and greatest camera RAW converter only worked with CS2 and not CS :shock: Adobe thieved another 130 quid from me!!
Boy is that annoying Ciaran. Thats bordering on criminal on Adobe’s part.
I am waiting for the time when camera manufacturers supply a one stop RAW => PRINT shop with their cameras. Canon’s DPP is getting closer to that but there is still a strong need for photoshop. It really annoyed me when Pixmantec sold out to Adobe, one less raw converter to compete with Adobe.
Fintan wrote:
GCP wrote:
I am told you can have little problems in upgrading so I’ve always bought the full versions. Any views on this ?
There should be no problems going from version to version Gerry, years ago things didnt install over upgrades but its virtually 100% automatic nowadays
There shouldn’t be a problem with upgrades – in most cases an upgrade is in fact the full version, but with some additional code to look for a previous version on the machine it’s being installed on.
Ciaran wrote:
The one day, I bought my D2X – went on a shoot, came home and tried to load my RAW images. It required a new version of the RAW converter, which I then downloaded.
You mean you paid all that money for Nikon’s top level machine and didn’t get a RAW converter with it :shock: Yeah, I know, you have to pay extra for it! You’d think that for the money you paid for the camera they’d chuck in some useful software too. As for Canon… :wink: No, let’s not go down that road again :D
Carl wrote:
Boy is that annoying Ciaran. Thats bordering on criminal on Adobe’s part.
I’d be more inclined to make that comment about Nikon. Surely they have an obligation to provide appropriate software, don’t they? Adobe, on the other hand, are supplying this as a “freebie”, so I think they’re pretty much entitled to do with it what they want to.
Carl wrote:
Canon’s DPP is getting closer to that but there is still a strong need for photoshop
Personally I think DPP is massively under-rated. I’ve produced brochure images from raw files processed through nothing more than DPP. I admit it’s far from perfect, but it’s not the piece of junk some people make it out to be either (and I know you never said it was junk!). I think Canon provide a very solid software suite with their cameras and it’s all free and they are to be congratulated for that.
I have to agree.. I never understood Nikons decision to not ship software with their cameras free of charge, especially when you get into the pro end??? It wouldn’t make me not buy one (obviously) but it is damn annoying. However I disagree that RAW support by Adobe is something they provide for free – it’s a feature that is a requirement now more so than a nice to have and to simply make the next RAW update only compatible with their latest version is daylight robbery in my opinion.
Just heard that Elements 5 will be available mid-October, expected price EU160.
This version will include curves adjustment (simplified version of Cs2) and a host of other new features including correction of lens distortion.
The gap between CS2 & Elements is drawing closer, but the price is on the up also.
Rgds
KevinRoberto,
I will post the details when I get the full list, just received teasers so far.
Rgds
Kevin
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