Handpicked Software

Would you pay less than $10 an hour to look over the shoulder of a Photoshop Hall-of-Famer and watch him at work? Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 Unleashed, the new DVD from Total Training, featuring Deke McClelland, is a thorough course in Photoshop Elements 3 (and a good introduction to Photoshop CS) at a bargain price.

I’ve looked at a handful of software training titles over the years. Most were useless, with confusing interfaces that made it hard to find the information you were looking for, led by plodding and pedantic presenters. The Total Training interface is easy to navigate; you won’t have any problem finding your way around. And Deke McClelland is a standout instructor: a bona fide Photoshop God (author of more than 50 titles, including the Photoshop CS Bible; inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame in 2002). He’s also a true “edutainer,” maintaining just the right pace and peppering his presentation with just the right touch of humor (the jokes may wear a bit thin after repeated viewings, but it’s refreshing to have a presenter with some personality). He has a knack for keeping things simple and clear without talking down to you.

Once inside Dekester’s Lab, you’ll start working right away, retouching Deke’s mug shot. It’s a useful introduction to some basic Photoshop tools and techniques: making a selection, feathering, applying a filter, working with layers. The DVD includes 10 lessons in all, covering everything from the Art of Imaging to Making the Most of Quick Fix, Adjusting Colors, Using Adjustment Layers, Importing Camera Raw, Selection Techniques, and Photorealistic Distortions (you can read a complete list of chapters or watch some sample videos from the DVD here). All project files are included, so you can follow along. Running time is 6 hours and 13 minutes. That’s almost a full day of training for a paltry $59.95.

This isn’t just for Photoshop Elements users. It’s also a great introduction to Photoshop CS. Sure, some things will be different, or won’t apply at all, but many of the tools and techniques (making selections, etc.) are the same in Photoshop Elements and Photoshop CS and, unless you’re a newby in swaddling clothes, you’ll probably be able to figure out the differences. Of course, you could also take a look at Deke’s excellent book, Adobe Photoshop CS One-on-One, which includes a Total Training DVD with two hours of instruction. Or, for $299.99 you can buy Total Training’s Adobe Photoshop CS, also hosted by Deke. I can’t vouch for the $299.99 course, but I’ve read the book and highly recommend it (he has also published an excellent introduction to InDesign, Adobe InDesign One-on-One that I highly recommend).

The DVD also includes over $100 worth of images from PhotoSpin, but that doesn’t get you much: 15 TIFF images of questionable value. The DVD covers both Mac and Windows. If you’re a Windows user and completely new to digital photography, take a look at Digital Photography & Adobe Photoshop Elements 3, hosted by Brian Maffitt. This is a very basic introduction to digital imaging and Photoshop Elements, suitable for newbies in swaddling clothes. Everyone else will be better off starting with Deke.

You’ll notice I’ve mentioned several Total Training products in this review. That’s because everything I’ve seen from them has been top notch and the prices are reasonable. If you aren’t familiar with Total Training, order their free sampler CD containing over two hours of video training or view some sample tutorials online.

Bottom Line: Pulling your hair out trying to learn Photoshop Elements? This bargain DVD is like spending a day with a Photoshop master for less than the price of a session with your shrink.
From: Total Training
Price: $59.95
Platform: Macintosh and Windows