ElleM wrote:
Hell, we are all newbies at this one

The best thing about being a 'newbie' now is that there are so many people, places, and resources from which to learn. (When I first started using Photoshop [v1.04], there was one third party book on Photoshop: Deke McClelland's Photoshop Bible.)

The worst thing about being a newbie now is that all the imaging products are so much more elaborate in depth and breadth than they were even a single decade ago that it's altogether too easy to feel that you need to understand everything before getting started--when even a 5-10% understanding can be quite effective.

In an entirely different context, Charles Dickens described the situation well.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way...

Kevin_Connery wrote:

ElleM wrote:
Hell, we are all newbies at this one

The best thing about being a 'newbie' now is that there are so many people, places, and resources from which to learn. (When I first started using Photoshop [v1.04], there was one third party book on Photoshop: Deke McClelland's Photoshop Bible.)

The worst thing about being a newbie now is that all the imaging products are so much more elaborate in depth and breadth than they were even a single decade ago that it's altogether too easy to feel that you need to understand everything before getting started--when even a 5-10% understanding can be quite effective.

In an entirely different context, Charles Dickens described the situation well.

Well, Kevin, I would dearly love to be able to approach 5 - 10%.  Maybe, with your help and patience, I can get there... 

Kevin_Connery wrote:

ElleM wrote:
Hell, we are all newbies at this one

The best thing about being a 'newbie' now is that there are so many people, places, and resources from which to learn. (When I first started using Photoshop [v1.04], there was one third party book on Photoshop: Deke McClelland's Photoshop Bible.)

The worst thing about being a newbie now is that all the imaging products are so much more elaborate in depth and breadth than they were even a single decade ago that it's altogether too easy to feel that you need to understand everything before getting started--when even a 5-10% understanding can be quite effective.

In an entirely different context, Charles Dickens described the situation well.

Wow.... I remember that book... was a long time before I replaced it.  I must be getting old.   Like you    hahahaha

Kevin_Connery wrote:

The best thing about being a 'newbie' now is that there are so many people, places, and resources from which to learn. (When I first started using Photoshop [v1.04], there was one third party book on Photoshop: Deke McClelland's Photoshop Bible.)

The worst thing about being a newbie now is that all the imaging products are so much more elaborate in depth and breadth than they were even a single decade ago that it's altogether too easy to feel that you need to understand everything before getting started--when even a 5-10% understanding can be quite effective.

In an entirely different context, Charles Dickens described the situation well.

I remember.
But for me it was the worst of times.

Photoshop was really expensive, so I could only get access to it at the local college, and it only ran on Mac. I wish there had been a forum like this back then - I go SO frustrated with Photoshop that I didn't use it again for years - not until 5.0 came out!

Maybe if I had McClelland's book I wouldn't have given up so soon.