Photoshop Training Resources Roundup

A number of resources have been published this year to help astro-imagers learn about post processing in Photoshop. Here’s a brief roundup of what’s available.

IP4AP Website - Warren Keller
http://skyinsight.com/r/?a=ip4ap

Warren Keller teamed up with Peter Proulx to set up the IP4AP website which helps you unleash the power of Adobe Photoshop on your astro-images through online video tutorials. The first tutorials, Photoshop Basics, teaches mechanics of Photoshop for image processors of all skill levels. Since the tutorials are streamed online, the faster your Internet connection the better the experience.

Photoshop Astronomy by R. Scott Ireland
Photoshop Astronomy at Amazon.com

Scott Ireland’s Photoshop Astronomy book with companion DVD, published by Willmann-Bell, Inc., came out in the first quarter of this year. The book is full of step-by-step instructions, complete with numerous screen shots explaining various processing procedures. The DVD contains the image files used in the book, allowing the reader to go through each exercise with the author. The DVD does not contain video tutorials. The book starts off by covering the basics and uses those as the building blocks for more advanced topics.

Because a good portion of the book contains step-by-step instructions, it is not a book that you could easily read away from the computer and then later sit down and apply what you’ve learned. The images in the book are grayscale.

Making Every Pixel Count DVD by Adam Block
http://skyinsight.com/r/?a=adamblockdvdnl

Adam Block has taken the presentation skills he’s honed over the years and created the first tutorial DVD in a series for post processing in Photoshop. This first DVD lays the groundwork, covering the basics of Photoshop and how they apply to astro-image processing. Following a true lesson format, at the end of each section there’s a review of the section using bullet point and images with a musical background.

A Guide to Astrophotography with Digital SLR Cameras by Jerry Lodriguss
A Guide to Astrophotography with Digital SLR Cameras from Amazon.com

Jerry’s latest book tackles Digital SLR imaging covering all aspects from the hardware, to taking the pictures, to post processing and finally archiving and output. The book is an e-book which requires the use of a web browser to read it. The CD also contains a dozen high quality video tutorials to help you learn software processing techniques.

Astronomical Image Processing Tutorials DVD by Don Waid
http://skyinsight.com/r/?a=donwaiddvd

Don Waid has re-mastered his online tutorials and compiled them into a new DVD. Although many of these tutorials are available on Don’s website, the DVD contains a higher quality presentation and eliminates
the need of a high-speed Internet connection. Part of the reason Don compiled the tutorial DVD was because of people's interest in taking it out in the field. In addition to Photoshop tutorials, Don has included a few video tutorials on processing techniques with MaxIM DL, CCDSoft and Paint Shop Pro.

The NewAstro Zone System for Astro Imaging
Ron Wodaski with additional content by Russell Croman
The NewAstro Zone System for Astro Imaging from Amazon.com

Ron Wodaski’s latest book is the culmination of years of research of how Photoshop works and the lessons learned (by students and Ron) during his CCD Imaging Camps. For example, while most of the other resources teaches you the basics about curves, The Zone System teaches about the type of curves to use and how to integrate curves and levels. The book is printed in full color and includes a DVD with video tutorials and free software.

Summary

Overall these resources are great learning tools. Each one has its own strengths and weaknesses. While there is some overlap in content, each one provides enough unique material making it difficult to choose a single one. It you are looking for a book (eBook) with helpful video tutorials specific to DSLRs, Jerry Lodriguss’ A Guide to Astrophotography with Digital SLR Cameras is the easy choice. If you’re looking to learn the basics on Photoshop and are willing to learn over the Internet, Warren Keller’s IP4AP presents the information very well at a bargain price. Interested in learning a few Photoshop, MaxIM DL, Paint Shop Pro and CCDSoft techniques for post processing? Then Don Waid’s Astronomical Image Processing Tutorials are for you. If you’re looking for a very high quality production that covers the basics of Photoshop’s tools extremely well by a professional presenter, then Adam Block’s Making Every Pixel Count DVD is just want the doctor ordered. Finally, if you’re looking for more advanced processing techniques, Ron Wodaski’s The Zone System can help you improve your post-processing.