Chapter 1: Introducing the Two Faces of Photoshop

Overview

In This Chapter

• Introducing the dual world of Photoshop

• Discovering the difference between painting and image editing

• Adjusting photographs

• What’s new in Photoshop CS

• Finding images to edit

Adobe Photoshop is arguably the most comprehensive and popular photo editor around. In fact, I don’t know a single computer artist who doesn’t use Photoshop on an almost daily basis, regardless of what other programs he or she may use.

I assume that you’ve at least seen, if not used, Photoshop, and that you have a vague idea of what it’s all about. But just so that we’re all clear on the subject, the primary purpose of Photoshop is to make changes to digital photographic images. (For some clever ideas on acquiring such images, see the sidebar “Finding images to abuse,” later in this chapter.)

If you’ve used Photoshop for only a week or so, you may have mistaken it for a fairly straightforward package. Certainly, on the surface of the program, Photoshop comes off as rather friendly. But lurking a few fathoms deep is another, darker program, one that is distinctly unfriendly for the uninitiated, but wildly capable for the stout of heart. My analyst would no doubt declare Photoshop a classic case of a split personality. In short, Photoshop has a Dr. Jekyll-and-Mr. Hyde thing going on.

This chapter explores both sides of the Photoshop brain. It also introduces you to the personality changes found in the latest incarnation of the program, Photoshop CS. Finally, I get you started on the road to image-editing bliss by explaining where to find images to edit in the first place.