Photoshop Review
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Photoshop is great! Don’t be scared of it – trust me!
You can order Photoshop (PC or Mac) from the Adobe website – that’s where I got it! And, even better, you can download right from there, so you don’t have to leave the comfort of your slanket!
I have been using this for many years and it is absolutely indispensable in my workflow.
Whenever I give workshops, or in the HDR Tutorial, I insist that people have at least Photoshop and Photomatix. To achieve the final look I desire, these two products form the absolute foundation.
How long does it take to learn?
You can start using Photoshop effectively in the first 15 minutes! For my HDR Tutorial, I really only need you to understand a few simple things like layers and masking. Photoshop has about 10 million OTHER things you can do too, and you will learn those over time. But, do not make the mistake that you have to understand everything in Photoshop to be able to use it. Believe me, I work with many Photoshop experts that still don’t know everything!
Is there an alternative?
Yes, you can use the vastly scaled down and cheaper Photoshop Elements (click to order from Adobe – PC or Mac). Now, Photoshop Elements still has layers and stuff, but I do not recommend it because it does not allow all the other plugins that I like to use. For example, if you check the Reviews section of the site, you will see I recommend many other plugins – and these won’t work with Elements. I think that you should be prepared for the future. Get started first just the regular Photoshop, and then later you can get the plugins and stuff.
Do you use other Adobe products?
Yes! I also use Adobe Lightroom to organize all my photos. It is a fantastic product, and I recommend it over using the default File Manager on your computer.
Conclusion
Look, Photoshop basically has no competition. They own the market, and that is for good reason. There indeed “free” alternatives out there, but I don’t think they have the expandability and pluggability of Photoshop. I use it — and if it is good enough for me, I hope it is good enough for you. I figure you know that I demand the best, and Photoshop falls squarely into that category!
Sample Images
Below are some sample images that Photoshop helped me to achieve:
I hope you enjoyed the Photoshop Review – let me know if you would like to know more information!
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There are several versions of photoshop, which one do you suggest using with photomatix? Thanks for your time.
Farouk – Well, I always recommend the latest version — and just the “Basic” version of it. The extended stuff is usually a bit of a rip-off, unless you use those features.
I use CS4 now, but I am about to get CS5 as soon as it comes out. You are also in good shape if you get one version behind – that is one way to save money.
I’m very interested to see if you keep using photomatix after the new HDR Pro feature in CS5… I can’t wait for the review!
Hi Trey,
I just purchased your HDR book and trying out your instructions on the book. The Photomatrix instructions are very clear and easy to follow… However, the layer/masking directions for Photoshop isn’t exactly the same as mine (Elements 8). Do you have a more detail instructions on how to work the layering/masking? (the help link in Photoshop isn’t as helpful…)
Thanks!
Do you need the full photoshop?
No – the basic photoshop is all I recommend ! Unless you are a hard core graphics person
There is no “basic” or “standard” Photoshop that I could find on the Adobe site. The closest thing I could find to basic was Photoshop Lightroom at $300. That’s just crazy! It may be worth it to a professional, but not to someone who’s just trying to make his snapshots better.