Adobe Photoshop

[Chris Hammond]

Is anyone able to reccomend an evening college course or similar which would teach me advanced usage of this software? It would need to be photographer orientated and applicable to PC users (Most of the stuff I've found on Google is design specific and only relevant to Mac users.)

If an evening course then it would also need to be relatively local, say no further than fifty miles from me. (Newmarket in Suffolk.)

I don't really want to enter at 'complete idiot' level, but I'm not great with technology. I can use the basic adjustments, so I don't really need to learn how to crop, resize, adjust lighting etc, although I appreciate that there would probably have to be some sucking of eggs..

Regards Chris

[ron1863]

There are lots of photography courses advertised that include photoshop classes. I don't know if they would be suitable for you though.

[badger426]

Try a site called Elements Village it's very much like this site but for Photoshop and photography.
Cheers,
Badger.

[Badllarma]

To be honest Chris I'd get myself a good book on Photoshop from a photographers side of things take some photos and work on them you will learn much more.

Or have a look at the hands on courses in the photographic magazines. I find courses at collages etc...are either AT a 'complete idiot' or the tutors are not very good and come from a totally educational back ground (teaching, which is what they do of course). But there is a huge difference in prating around for and hour on one image and commercially editing 100's of images.

BTW if you can do Photoshop on a PC the only difference is the short cuts on a MAC it's just commercial snobbery that still makes it a MAC platform.

I work commercially on Photography, Video, CGI and web design and I've done or tried 4 courses heres my experiences I wont mention the collage names but they are mostly Nothwest based.

1) C&G Photography (commercial level) tutor was never there or when he was there was very poor , with very little interest, teaching out dated skills.

2) Days course Photoshop (all levels apparently catered for) left after an hour as the tutor agreed I was wasting my time as I knew more then her.

3) Web Design 12 months collage course half way though the course ended up helping others on the course with the tutor, needless to say I passed.

4) Wildlife filming course hands on with assments in front of your entire group by guys who worked on the BBC Survival series camping and filming (how it should be ) Private course cost a abit and took me 6 1/2 hours to get there (poor weather). Best money I ever spent beside the camera of course

There is one place you may want to try not only will you be like minded individuals but you will always find others with more experience .....................your local camera club

[galanthus]

I got a cs3 for dummies book. This covers all of cs2 plus new bits. There's a weeny sucking of eggs bit but most of it is quite a challenge and a fab read. 9 books in one I believe. I paid around £18 for it last year. I also subscribe to digital photo which is monthly and gives video step by step guides for projects in photoshop.

[DavyG]

Hi Chris,

I'm based in Suffolk also and couldn't find any training locally that I thought worthwhile.

I bought Scott Kelby's book: The Adobe Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers, and I've found it very useful.

The book is available for previous editions of Photoshop CS also.

Another good way of learning is via Lynda.com, they have online video tutorials on all versions of Photoshop and they allow you to subscribe monthly.

Although they only allow you to stream the video tutorials, the videos can be found on your pc for later use or storage.

I hope this is of some help.

Dave

[jay37]

hello chris
i came across this on my searches its an on line diploma in photograpy with £600 off photoshop Diploma in Digital Photography - Amateur Photographer - news, camera reviews, lens reviews, camera equipment guides, photography courses, competitions, photography forums
if for some reason this dont work let me know
jay

[Chris Hammond]

Thanks folks, some excellent advice there.

I only have Elements Five at present and I have brought an idiots guide, but I am much happier with an expert on hand to explain the head banging bits.

I take the points about colleges and the quality of learning. And I would concur, having attended several adult education classes over the years (including a photography one)that, in my experience too, more often than not the classes are aimed at complete begginers.

The first year of a photography degree course I once attended offered next to nothing in terms of learning, and I gained a distinction at the end of the year for basically nothing. Worse still the college pulled the plug on what had been advertised as a three year course at the end of that first year and the nearest college at where I could have carried the course on was over sixty miles away. That's partly why I put it up as a question on here. I thought that perhaps there would be some positive experiences put up.

Perhaps it would be worth persevering with the books and DVD tutorials afterall.

[Chris Hammond]

Originally Posted by jay37

hello chris
i came across this on my searches its an on line diploma in photograpy with £600 off photoshop Diploma in Digital Photography - Amateur Photographer - news, camera reviews, lens reviews, camera equipment guides, photography courses, competitions, photography forums
if for some reason this dont work let me know
jay

Thanks Jay. I'll have a look. Though I must admit it's the distance learning that I have trouble with. (In truth I suppose it's part laziness on my behalf too. )

[Rob Jones]

Hi Chris, I'm not familiar with Elements only the full photoshop package.

I haven't searched for a while but there are loads of tutorials on the web. I downloaded an ebook from somewhere once that was brilliant for teaching the array of tools in the program.....I'll see if I can find it for you. I use to buy PS books and booksellers stalls are often a good place to look for cheap used books. They maybe written for older editions of PS but the principles are much the same. I gave a load away to a school a while ago......sod's law or you could have had them!

To be honest though the use of Photoshop in the context of nature and wildlife photography should be minimal.