Photoshop: A Tool that Can't be Denied

    I have had the newest version of photoshop for the past 5 or 6 years now.  But truthfully speaking, I have never   bothered to tap into the powers of photoshop or the rest of the Creative Suite.  I have always used the creative suite on a task by task basis, only learning enough to get what I need done.  I have often felt that my final results would be much better if I were to take the time to truly learn the software (like I have with FCP, DVD Studio Pro, AE, and others) and unleash all of its potential on my projects.
    Over the past few months  I have found myself using more and more of the Creative Suite.  But still, I have avoided taking the plunge. Last week I came across a website and video that have finally convinced me that I cannot afford to wait any longer.
    The a video entitled, "The Evolution of Beauty."  This short video documents the transformation of a girl from ordinary to super model in time a time lapse fashion.  The clip starts out withe the girl appearing quite bland with no make-up and ends up zooming out of a billboard of her evolved beauty.  The video has a portion which shows the photoshop manipulation of the final photo. The changes are amazing to say the least.

    The website that solidified my trek into the world of photoshop was something that I found on the front page of DIGG several days ago. The DIGG link was to the portfolio of Greg Apodaca.  The images that caught my attention were his digital retouching photos.  It is amazing to see what photoshop professionals are able to achieve when retouching shots.  On the portfolio page of his website he has the retouching images displayed with a rollover feature which beautifully illustrates the power of his digital manipulation.  The still shots are displayed below. But for the full effect you should follow the link above.

Now that I have decided to dive in to CS2, I have spent some considerable time looking for instructional resources.  I have found several great resources for video netcast tutorials.

1. Adobe Creative Suite Video:  Thus far, this is my favorite video CS related video netcast.  These netcasts are straightforward and easy to understand.  They are also very concise.
   
2. Photoshop Mechanics:  This is a video netcast offered by none other than Greg Apodaca.  The netcast is good but is not released regularly
3. Photoshop TV:  This one has some good content but is quite long.  During the show they have News, Tips, Plugs, and Giveaways.  If you are looking for more than tips and tutorials this may be a good place to stop.
   
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   Picture 5
   Photoshop Online:  Jan Kabili does a good job demonstrating some essential photoshop techniques. Some of the tutorials are very elementary though.  This might be great for the true novice.