Comments about oreilly Photoshop CS3 Photo Effects Cookbook:

I have used these projects with some of my photo students and the content is GREAT. The projects are engaging and not too long for most.
In some cases, commands seem to be missing from the directions, but anyone knowing a fair amount about Photoshop should be able to work things out without the extra information.

Comments about oreilly Photoshop CS3 Photo Effects Cookbook:

I noticed this new book on the shelf at my favorite book store, and flipped it open to find an amazing selection of visual and verbose tutorials in an easy to understand style of teaching which covers many of the classic effects I have painstakingly attempted to create through trial and error in my 11 years of using Photoshop.

Creating realistic fire using only elements shipped with Photoshop, such as Blending Layers, Cloud Filters and eraser brushes, explained in such a fashion that I felt silly for not having considered this before.

Although the book gives a web site address where I can download the practice files used in the tutorials, I felt the true test would be to use my own images, and I was not disappointed in the lease.

Changing a sunny daytime scene to surreal night time scene, or snow covered winter storm scene, or rainy lightening scene were too much to pass up. So with camera in hand here are my before and after images:

http://www.new.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1804046&l=eacba&id=744126279

http://www.new.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1804043&l=ffb62&id=744126279

http://www.new.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1804044&l=a2fe5&id=744126279

http://www.new.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1804045&l=6df0c&id=744126279

and all four in one:

http://www.new.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1804042&l=6a77f&id=744126279

There's allot of exceptional tutorials here, 53 to be exact, and simulating natural phenomena are just a few.

The price is what got me. Most books of this caliber are double the price.

I'm giving this puppy 5 stars, and will definitely be looking for more titles once I'm done.

- Brian D. Watters

Here's my public portfolio for the Realistic Fire Sample and some of my other works:

http://www.photoshopuser.com/members/portfolios/view/gallery/1164901

http://www.photoshopuser.com/members/portfolios/files/uploads/1164901/full/oops.jpg