Foreword

In the early days of image editing, only professionals had the expertise and financial means to run the complex computer systems needed to digitally process image files.

Nowadays, almost anyone can get set up with the right tools for creating professional results when editing images. So, how about you? You have the digital camera, the scanner, the computer, and the monitor. You even have Adobe® Photoshop®. With all of the pieces in place, you feel ready to start editing your image, but what's the best way to go about doing so? The process of adjusting a digital image is not only very subjective, but it's also a highly technical experience. But pixel-pushing doesn't have to be relegated to professionals who charge a lot of money to remove a scratch from your scan or adjust the contrast in your digital image.

This book is meant to dispel the myths that image editing is hard, by helping you become a methodical and efficient Photoshop user. Other Photoshop books simply go from feature to feature, explaining every little detail of this expansive program. But we wanted to make it easier to find the information that pertains to your particular image-editing need, so we've divided this book into eight chapters that deal with the main aspects of working with images in Photoshop. This way, you can keep the book next to your workspace and reach for it whenever you need the perfect solution to an image-editing problem.

We've also included a Problem/Solution section at the end of each chapter. These are specific techniques you can apply to the most common image-editing challenges. Our streamlined fixes are sure to become your most valued editing techniques.

In this book, we'll assume you have the software and an understanding of how to do the basics, such as open files and navigate through the user interface. Please note that we've decided to use the Microsoft^® Windows^® version of Adobe Photoshop as our lead version, but we've included Macintosh^® equivalents to all keyboard shortcuts and anything else that might be different. Essentially, Photoshop works the same on either platform; it just looks a bit different.

Image editing is both a skill and an art. By following along with this book, you'll be able to develop techniques that will bridge these disciplines and allow you to create images that are technically perfect, but that are also great to look at. Taking an image from blah to beautiful doesn't have to be hardand we'll show you the best ways to do it.

Wishing you the perfect image,
The Element K Journals Creative Team