Photoshop CS3 Restoration and Retouching Bible

What’s in This Book?

This book is divided into four main parts. Part I deals with the fundamentals as they apply to restoration and retouching. This is where I show you how to create a solid foundation that supports all of the subsequent work that’s done with an image file.

Part II concentrates on the Photoshop tools and techniques that are used in the restoration and retouching processes. We focus on what are called Photoshop’s retouching tools, comparing and contrasting them. As we work with these tools and techniques together, I offer conceptual insight into why one way of doing things is often better than another.

In Part III, we focus on applying everything you learned in Parts I and II to the subject of photo restoration. I begin by showing you how to get the most from your scanner. Then I show you how to repair typical problems and add finishing touches to an image. We finish up with a hands-on restoration project that we do together — from beginning to end so that you can experience the entire workflow. By the end of this section, you’ll know everything you need to know to begin restoring your own old photos.

Part IV is all about retouching. This is where I put all the pieces together from the preceding three parts and show you how to use Photoshop to take your images to the next level. I discuss some of the conceptual issues surrounding retouching, including workflow. Then I show you how to solve some special retouching problems like glass-glares and skin smoothing. We finish off this part with two hands-on retouching projects where we work side-by-side from beginning to end with sample files. The first one is a typical portrait retouching project. The second is an architectural retouching project. By the end of Part IV, you’ll have all the tools you need to do just about anything to fine-tune an image.

As we explore these subjects together, I make every attempt to explain the theory behind the things I show you. In some cases, I demonstrate the practical applications of that theory with real-world images and step-by-step examples. In other cases, we work together on sample files that can be downloaded from the Web site. In these hands-on projects, you have the opportunity to follow along with me, working with the same files I used to create the book. You can find the sample files at www.wiley.com/go/restoration.

Who Should Read This Book?

Photoshop CS3 Restoration and Retouching Bible is intended for anyone who wants to know how to restore old photos and/or retouch new ones. You don’t have to be an accomplished Photoshop user, but it is helpful if you have some experience with the software. With that said, even a beginner benefits from reading this book. It just may take a little longer to get up to speed with the basics.

This book is not intended as a comprehensive guide to all things Photoshop. My intention is to give you the things you need to accomplish these processes, without distracting you with what you don’t need. There are times when I’d like to go into deeper detail, but I can’t because those details are outside the scope of the book. If I don’t cover some topic in detail and you want to know more about it, find a resource to help you explore it. Wiley publishes a book titled Photoshop CS3 Bible by Laurie Ulrich Fuller and Robert C. Fuller. It’s an excellent Photoshop reference book. It goes into many of the details I can’t cover here. Another useful resource is Photoshop’s Help menu.
How to Use This Book

To get the most from this book, start at the beginning and go through it sequentially. This allows you to experience this learning process in the way I envision it. In many cases, ideas in one chapter build on information introduced in previous chapters. This amplification process won’t make as much sense if experienced out of order. Also, take the time to read each chapter, even if you think you already understand its subject. You never know when you’ll turn up a nugget that will completely change the way you work with your images.

Download all the sample files from the Web site. Most of them are fairly small files. If you have a slow Internet connection, borrow a friends connection and download them all at once. After we go through a hands-on process together, take the time to explore those new processes with some of your own photos. I know from my own experience that working with personal files makes a big difference in the learning process. This is where you’ll find the time to go as deep as you need to go while exploring the content of this book.

After you’ve been through the book from front to back, you can use it as a reference guide to help you solve your own restoration and retouching problems. When a specific issue pops up, find the relevant references in the book and review them as needed.

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