As already stated, this book doesn't get going until you are most of the way through, a book on channels and masks shouldn't have to describe all the other nuances of photoshop especially as one shouldn't be diving into this area unless they already have a basic understanding of all the tools and bridge etc to begin with. However when it does get down to it, it does it well and I would still recommend it if you are a novice.
As for the negative on Windows comamnds and the lack of Mac commands, come on! You only need to know two things to do it both ways already, Control=Command and Alt=Option/Alt key!! I for one am tired of reading the lines "Command on Mac, Control on PC" when every shortcut key gets mentioned in a book lately, just state the command equivalents at the beginning and get on with it!

I had really high hopes for this book at first, because it had a lot of pictures and step-by-step tutorials in it. The instructions *seemed* clear enough at first, but I'm now on page 335 and have grown increasingly frustrated with the left-out steps in the tutorials. I have only been able to duplicate about 35% of the tutorials; the others leave key steps out, and with my limited knowledge I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong. There are sample images throughout the tutorials, and the some of the images don't match the instructions that are given. It's very frustrating.

Another reviewer is correct in that the book doesn't come with a CD or provide online images so that one can follow along step-by-step, without coming up with one's own photos, and some of the images needed have certain prerequisites that make it difficult to just come up with a photo on the fly.

I'm still trying to muddle through this book but I'm just as confused as ever by masks and channels.

Stephen Romaniello's PHOTOSHOP CS3 CHANNELS AND MASKS BIBLE probes the heart of Photoshop's strength - and one of its potentially most confusing aspects. From using channels and masks for faster workflow and understanding how digital color is converted to working with single and multiple document selections and layering masks, this is a pick any serious Photoshop library can't miss.

When I first opend the book I was a bit dismayed as it seemed like a basic review of Photoshop information. This was true for about the first 145 pages or 30% of the book. Once I arrived at the channels and masks area, I found the book that I was looking for. The remaining 70% of the book, almost 350 pages, covered all aspects of channels and masks. There was significant information regarding power selections and the creation of masks, as well as clipping masks and the creation of selections in channels. Mastering channels and masks pushes the Photoshop user to the next level in terms of being a power user.

The book does not come with the images used in the book. You cannot follow along and work on the images.
THIS BOOK is a COMPLETE WASTE of time without the images.
Who thought leaving out the images was a good idea?

Channels and Masks are a mystery to me. I know more having read the book, but not that much. It was a disappointment. For starters, all key commands are given for Windows. Never mind that a large number of MAC people are creatives using Photoshop. Explanations are not clear. I'm told what to do, but not where to find the menu to do it. Although I have used Photoshop for a long time, this is an area that was unfamiliar to me since I didn't need it before. It's still something of a mystery. I feel I wasted my money. I'll try Scott Kelby's book.

Very helpful for understanding color channels, alpha channels and other masking techniques; comprehensive, accessible and clearly written. Especially good is the section on lab color and on mixing and offsetting channels-- there are techniques described that I haven't seen anywhere else. I find this book much more thorough than Scott Kelby's book on channels-- I am grateful for the overview of channels, color management and color adjustment in the first part of the book. Cool, full-color images thorughout--

This book makes sophisticated techniques easily accessible. I am a professional photographer and Photoshop user for 11 years. I appreciate the way this book is laid out and the ease of accessing techniques I had previously overlooked or avoided.

The introductory section (image basics and color management) of this 500 page book contains nuggets for even the most experienced Photoshop user. The type of information in this section is usually dispersed and tougher to find in most manuals.

The meat of this book (70%) is a wealth of information on channels and masks, including layer masks and Lab color. I found the the Lab Color section easier to work with than other, more turgid, approaches to this subject. Creating cast shadows is a snap using Romaniello's clear and simple instructions. The section on masking ambigous edges is particularly good. There many more well presented techniques which show the user how to gain control of the color, tonality and content of digital images.

This book is a standout in a forest of Photoshop manuals.

Unfortunately, almost half of this book is wasted on introductory Photoshop instruction. Around chapter 6 or so, the author finally begins to discuss channels and masks. If the book had a different title, then I would have no complaints about such a distribution of content. But given that this publication is alleged to be a bible of channel work and masking (intermediate to advanced aspects of image manipulation), I just don't appreciate its level of filler material.

The author also doesn't give particularly detailed attention to Photoshop's newest selection utility: the Quick Selection Tool. In fact, only a few paragraphs are devoted to this excellent addition to the Photoshop tool arsenal. Since selections run concomitantly with the the use of masks and channels, how can this important time saver be so lightly regarded?

With all of that said, the book does at least afford the reader some useful instruction on leveraging the power of layer masks, alpha channels, and color channels. The author explains the basics -- saving selections, for example -- and eventually moves on to displacement maps, advanced sharpening, fly-away hair masking, etc.

Personally, I find Kelby's book on channels to be a better bet for the money. But if you want some guidance on more than just channels and masks and prefer to avoid Kelby's humorous delivery (which I like!), then this just might be the alternative perspective for which you've been waiting.