Photoshop CS4 Channels Masks One-on-One
Coming to terms with alpha channels (or masks) is the most sure-fire way to boost the quality of your work in Photoshop. But masking isn't easy-in fact, the elusive alpha channel has been described as the least understood feature in Photoshop's enormous arsenal.

Now, you can master masking with Deke McClelland's unique and effective learning system. Through step-by-step text lessons, DVD-video demonstrations, and real-world projects, you'll learn how to select and composite highlights, shadows, clouds, fabric, feathers, glass, flame, lightning, eyes, all varieties of hair, and then some. Deke's expert advice and guidance is like working with a personal coach. With this book, you will:

• Learn at your own speed with 12 self-paced tutorials
• Try out techniques and best practices with engaging real-world projects
• Get more than 850 full-color photos, diagrams, and screen shots that illustrate every key step
• See exactly how it's done in real time with five hours of all-new video instruction
• Test your knowledge with multiple-choice quizzes in each chapter

And more. Photoshop CS4 Channels Masks One-on-One simulates a classroom environment that provides one-on-one attention as you proceed from lesson to lesson. You'll learn to use Photoshop faster, more creatively, and more efficiently than you thought possible.

Connected Photographer's evaluation
There's blue tape on the cover. You can never go wrong with blue tape on the cover. Seriously, though, Deke McClelland is one of the masters and this is a very challenging topic. What better way than learn from a master. This is well-worth the fifty bucks.

One money-saving tip, though. You can buy a month of Lynda.com training for $25, so if you're just buying the book for the 3 hours of Lynda.com training advertised on the cover, save your money and sign up on her site. But if you want a very instructive book, this is a must-read.

Photoshop CS4 Channels Masks One-on-One by Deke McClelland, published by Deke Press, is 497 pages and has a retail price of $49.99. We give Photoshop CS4 Channels Masks One-on-One a rating of 4 out of 5.

OUR RATING: 4 of 5

David Gewirtz is the author of How To Save Jobs and Where Have All The Emails Gone? For more than 20 years, he has analyzed current, historical, and emerging issues relating to technology, competitiveness, and policy. David is the Editor-in-Chief of the ZATZ magazines, is the Cyberterrorism Advisor for the International Association for Counterterrorism and Security Professionals, and is a member of the instructional faculty at the University of California, Berkeley extension. He can be reached at david@zatz.com and you can follow him at http://www.twitter.com/DavidGewirtz.