Recommendation and Information Please!

[nebgranny]

Good Morning All:
I am going to purchase Photoshop in the next few weeks. What is the most recent version and what is CS? I could ask the retail business but I feel it a better choice to ask those of you here who use various versions to give some input. I would appreciate any help with this decision from those of you that use this program. Thanks Neb

[Swampy]

PhotoShop CS is the upgrade version of PhotoShop but runs as a stand alone program. (I guess you could say it is "version 8"). It is the default application for digital "pixel" manipulation for prepress, photographers and web design. Although it has artistic capability (look to something like Painter if you want chalks, oils, watercolor etc. effects) it's about the best you can buy for pushing pixels. There are a number of plug-in packages that add things like frames, smoothing etc, but many of these also work with other image manipulation programs.

[nebgranny]

So , which program is the best to purchase? Version 7 or CS? Which might be easier to learn to use? And BTW..Thank you so much for your reply. Much appreciated!! Blessings Neb

[DannyRaphael]

So, which program is the best to purchase? Version 7 or CS?

Within the next few months, perhaps only weeks, Adobe is going to release the successor to Photoshop CS, rumored to be named CS2.

Here's what I'd suggest: If you can get your hands on a legitimate copy of PS7, you will pay much less for it than CS. Then at a later date when you're ready for it you can acquire the upgrade version of CS2. The cost of PS7 + CS2 upgrade should be a few hundred dollars less than CS or CS2 standard versions.

Books for PS7 will be much less expensive, too, perhaps 1/3-1/2 the cost of books for the latest versions... and 1/2 of $40-$50 a pop is a significant savings.

Which might be easier to learn to use?

About equal. The only difference would be the additional functionality in CS.

Make no mistake: Photoshop is an exceptionally feature rich piece of software, but is probably the most unintuitive program you will ever have to learn.

It doesn't have wizards to walk you through tasks, the HELP is OK, but not terribly useful and I can assure you that in order to learn to use it effectively, you'll need to invest in some sort of supplemental education, e.g., books, online classes (www.EclecticAcademy.com is very good, reasonably priced), community college courses, etc.

Why not Photoshop Elements?
That said, have you considered Photoshop Elements as an editing program? For less than $100 Elements does 90% of what Photoshop does. Skills learned using Elements would be transferable to Photoshop down the road because there is a high degree of functional overlap between the two programs.

If you haven't read this article by Richard Lynch, it is simply excellent:
http://www.graphic-design.com/Photos..._elements.html

Elements, too, will require additional education to learn how to use it, but not nearly to the extent as Photoshop. Elements was intended and constructed to be more "user friendly" (wizard-like assistance, better help, etc.)

~Danny~

[CJ Swartz]

Danny -- excellent post!

Neb, take some time to read all that Danny has written and the link to Richard Lynch's info. Richard Lynch uses a forum here at RetouchPro to help new users of Photoshop Elements who buy his instructional book with software add-ons for Elements.

There is also free video instruction (from a Photoshop guru) on some important skill areas in Elements 3 at this website --
http://www.photoshopsupport.com/elements/tt.html

You have already paid for PSP, and you said that you had downloaded the trial copy of PS Elements 3 (if I remember correctly). Don't you think it would be a good idea to spend some more time to learn how to use one or both of those before deciding whether you need to spend hundreds of dollars on another program that you'll just have to spend a lot of time learning?

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're thinking of getting Photoshop because you can better follow what people here are telling you in their tips and tutorials (because many use Photoshop) rather than any superiority of the Photoshop program over what you already have. But there are places (some that I've listed before) that "speak PSP", and forums here that "speak Elements" -- it takes time to learn ANY new program, and everyone feels frustrated sometimes while they are learning. Take a look at the tutorials I listed before for PSP, the ones above for Elements 3, and if you end up deciding to spend a lot of money on Photoshop -- consider doing what I did, and sign up for some course at a community college nearby and then you qualify for a CHEAPER copy with an academic license.

[nebgranny]

Thank you Danny and CJ.

Points very well taken!!

I have really been struggling with this whole Photoshop decision . I love to work on pictures and want to do a good job, and learn all I can!!

I sincerely appreciate all the responses to my posts..and this was one of the best. I have made a few decisions by it. THANK YOU!!

Blessings to All. Neb