This book is not your everyday Photoshop book and not a book for casual reading. It is a journey that provokes thought and requires the reader to often take his steps over again to fully appreciate what is being taught. As Vincent Versace has said many times, his purpose in writing this book was not to do a step by step answer book, it was to write a book which would inspire the reader to ask questions and look at things in a different way.

As an example, after reading about image harvesting I created an image composited from 20+ separate photographs to achieve enough depth of field using a 180 macro lens. By working through the lesson, I finally understood how to do the compositing it would require and I was surprised how well it worked. That the warp tool was required to get the leaf the way he wanted it only serves to reinforce the concept of interpretation.

For those who may be disappointed to find out Kismet is a composite, I have to wonder why. Are Jerry Uelsmann's images less photographic because he composites them in the darkroom? Are landscape images by Ansel Adams less iconic because they were manipulated in the darkroom? Photography has always been created from what the photographer saw and felt and how he wants to interpret that onto the print.

I recommend this book to anyone who has the patience to take the time required to understand what Vincent is sharing and I am hoping he will add more books to my library in the future.

I call this a Method actor's how to book because invariably Versace starts with the artistic motivations and aims before getting into the techniques to satisfy them. This approach really works for me.

I have spent most of my time with his B&W conversion techniques, trying out some alternatives not included in the book, but that derive from its motivations. I've found the techniques are extremely adaptable and customizable to one's own vision. This I think is rare for a book such as this, and therefore it receives my highest esteem.

The book is useful for those who want to move up from basic use of Photoshops image enhancment tools to a more advanced level. The use of various layer masks and how to develop an efficient workflow is described. The book is laid out as a course and the reader should do the exercises using the images from the included CD. The style of the results is of course a reflection of Versaces own style, however by learning the described teqnique the reader can gain a platform to develop his own style. The example images are portraits and close-up nature. There is also a small collection of the Versaces images nicely presented which shows that the author has achieved his goals.
This is not a general encyclopedia on Photoshop rather it is an introduction on how to use the toools in Photoshop to achieve a specific photografic result and to get inspiration from a master.

Vincent Versace's Welcome To Oz is quite possibly the most innovative and best digital photography title I've ever come across (excluding my own books, of course!).

Versace is a superb photographer. So this is not one of those digital photography books that is written by a Photoshop guru without the creative gifts and guts to make images. But it is still largely a Photoshop book.

Versace's subtitle tells the story of his book: "A Cinematic Approach to Digital Still Photography with Photoshop". After reading this book, I felt better able to view photograph-making from the perspective of what would happen to the photo in the computer as well as in the camera. And, as I said, the images are splendid (and the step-by step accounts of how they were created very thorough).

If I have one caveat here, it is that Versace provides versions of his original images, and encourages readers to duplicate his work on these samples. Personally, I prefer to try things out on my own images, and I enourage readers and students to process their own work. Otherwise, the whole thing becomes a slavish imitation of a master rather than an original creative endeavor. But that's a matter of individual taste and a quibble, this is a really, really good book.

Vincent Versace's Welcome To Oz is quite possibly the most innovative and best digital photography title I've ever come across (excluding my own books, of course!).

Versace is a superb photographer. So this is not one of those digital photography books that is written by a Photoshop guru without the creative gifts and guts to make images. But it is still largely a Photoshop book.

Versace's subtitle tells the story of his book: "A Cinematic Approach to Digital Still Photography with Photoshop". After reading this book, I felt better able to view photograph-making from the perspective of what would happen to the photo in the computer as well as in the camera. And, as I said, the images are splendid (and the step-by step accounts of how they were created very thorough).

If I have one caveat here, it is that Versace provides low resolution copies of his original images, and encourages readers to duplicate his work on these samples. Personally, I prefer to try things out on my own images, and I enourage readers and students to process their own work. Otherwise, the whole thing becomes a slavish imitation of a master rather than an original creative endeavor. But that's a matter of individual taste and a quibble, this is a really, really good book.

This book is inspirational; there are 4 or 5 very detailed step by step exercises. There are, also, many example pictures of finished work, like the one on the cover. It is a pity that the author has chosen the "less beautiful" pictures for developing the exercises. Don't expect to find how to make the one of the cover.

Versace's book introduces some great concepts about seeing and handling images that are not found in your typical Photoshop book and are always given from the perspective of a practicing photographer rather than a computer jocky. It is designed however as a tutorial with the intention of having the reader actually do all the exercises not just once, but several times. All great advice, but there is one aspect of this book that is exasperating. The editing is terrible. I have found this problem with many technical tutorial books. I believe it is because the editor does not have the knowledge to know when something is amiss in the instructions and the author is too close to his material to see the ambiguities and layout mistakes are never picked up. In layout mistakes, the author never sees them and the editor has no clue if they exist or not. It is only the poor reader trying to follow very detailed instructions that picks up these gafs.

In this book, I found every tutorial had mistakes in the instructions with steps out of order, ambiguity in instructions, mismatched example images for the step involved, layer masks that did not match the instructions. Truly maddening. These types of books should be proofed by a student so that these mistakes can be reported and fixed.

So I have started doing the exercises, but when I come to a step that has mistakes, I just have to wing it. Frustrating for an expensive book.

One reviewer mentioned that the exercises depended on using proprietary plug-ins. Well, he does encourage the use of Nik plug-ins, but does usually give you a work around with the exception of the Nik Skylight filter. He also notes that you can freely download time-limited trials that can be used to do the exercises. I agree that the arrangement between Versace and Nik is just a bit to tight in this book.

Overall I am glad that I am working through this book, but poor production practices have made it a struggle and thus my 3 star rating.

Also it should be noted that Versace's handling of images is quite theatrical with very strong lighting effects that will strike some viewers as phoney looking. This however is this photographer's style. I believe that the concepts he is trying to impart can all be used but much more subtly if his style seems way over the top to you.

Looking for a wild ride or an interesting trip? This is the book for you. Along the way, you'll get a few important glimpses of the future. This a highly personal, idiosyncratic, at times eccentric, thoroughly original, book.

The contents include: The Tao of Dynamic Workflow; Image Harvesting: The Unwitting Ally; Classic Studio Lighting; Creating a Black-and-White Image from an RGB File; It's About Time.

Vincent shares his personal experience with and passion for how digital tools have changed the way he sees and makes photographs. He invites you into his world.

His `cinematic approach' is fascinating and timely, as the nature of visual culture and still imagery becomes more and more impacted by moving pictures.

In this book you'll get a first-hand glimpse of how Vincent struggles to achieve original authentic expression with the basic building blocks of photography - light and time.

He uses compositing to represent how the human eye sees in more compelling ways, controlling depth of field, time, and light.

Ultimately the concerns of this book transcend Photoshop. It's really about perception. He draws on other fields (acting and science) to expand our understanding of this process.

If his sentence structure is extended at times, Vincent more than makes up for it with passion and insight his reveries contain.

Vincent's shares more than what he knows about Photoshop. Vincent shares how he's come to see in new ways. He offers many valuable opportunities to you in this book.

See other books I recommend here: http://astore.amazon.com/johnpaulcapon-20

The ideas and the methods in this book are fantastic. Versace is more interested in teaching you an approach and methodology which you can take with you to future projects, rather than just listing off a bunch 'tricks' or quick step guides. The results are stunning pictures.

One problem however. While this book is designed mainly for Photoshop users, Versace extensively uses 2 plug-in filters from NIK Software. For me, this is its downfall. His lessons are taken from Photoshop CS2, I am using CS3 on an Intel Mac.

I initially downloaded the plug-ins, and they were not recognized by my system, I read through NIK's website and they reported a work around... to run Photoshop in Rosetta. The problem with that...every single time i open photoshop in rosetta, it would crash. After

So, if you're in my situation... Photoshop CS3 on an Intel Mac, don't bother. The fact that almost every lesson in the book uses these plug-ins, and after several emails back and forth with Nik Software, there doesn't seem to be much interest in making this right.

Now, with all that said... if, or when, they (Nik) updates the software offer to the compatible CS3 version... then this book goes to a 4.5

The way it stands now... it's a $40 paper weight.

I can certainly see why Versace has earned his reputation as a first-rate professional photographer and Photoshop techniques expert, but... this book would benefit from a little less of the pseudo-philosophical art theory and cute jargon, less on recommendations to buy the products of his pals, and lot more on explicit details of the how-tos of producing quality images. Note that this edition is primarily based on the CS2 version of Photoshop. And be prepared for a fair number of editorial errors -- misnamed images, layers, etc.

A worthwhile read, but it could certainly be better.

Just received this book as an X-mas present from my mom. I eagerly dove into the first chapter which begins with a somewhat blah photo of a model. After correcting for color casting, she is looking like a pretty hot and fiery redhead, but by the time Vincent is done with her digital makeover, she looks like she's in liver failure in need of a transplant. As noted by other reviewers, the book requires third party plug-ins which are heavily used throughout the book. Some of the PS instructions are poorly written which leaves you hanging in the middle of a tutorial. You cannot argue the fact that many of his insert photos are great, but as a tutorial, it leaves a lot to be desired. I am disappointed that his "Kismet" image of the Golden Gate Bridge (and apparently most of his work) is merely a composite of several images. I had seen this image previously and had assumed it was a "special capture moment". Should I go out and photograph a rainbow, a lightening bolt, and a clown and see if I can combine them into an interesting image? I guess this is where we are going with digital imaging... take a hundred free photos and get one good composite out of them. Save your money and buy a subscription to Lenswork instead.

Thought I knew something about photo editing...not! Versace goes far beyond the usual. He starts with the "perception" that has to happen even before you pick up the camera. This is equilivent to creative concept or artist vision in painting. You must learn to visualize the end result of the process at the beginning. How do you do that? Learn the process and then practice a lot. This is written for Photoshop, but I'm using Paintshop with some success.

My editing usually involves very basic moves because I wanted to retain the "truth" or fidelity of the scene that I captured. This book, especially with the techniques on lighting, has changed that. It shows me that a bit more complicated moves would allow me to attain the scene I wanted to capture. This is more about enhancement rather than "colorizing" the scene. It is about facilitating how the "vision" can be realized,i.e., better lighting. It is a lot of fun to learn it.

It would help if the author writes more about why he makes such moves with lighting techniques.

I have quite a few PS books and this book certainly ranks among the top for me.

My editing usually involves very basic moves because I wanted to retain the "truth" or fidelity of the scene that I captured. This book, especially with the techniques on lighting, has changed that. It shows me that a bit more complicated moves would allow me to attain the scene I wanted to capture. This is not really about "colorize" the scene but it is about facilitating how the "vision" can be realized. It is a lot of fun to learn it.

It would help if the author writes more about why he makes such moves with lighting techniques.

I have quite a few PS books and this book certainly ranks among the top for me.

Although his final process images are beautiful, the process he is trying to convey I don't seem to follow or able to understand his objective. This could be me. Another disappointment is the title of the book "Cinematic" which I was hoping to learn how cinematographers create these wonderful effect using light and post production processing.

Vincent Versace has shared with us his techniques for helping to uncover the soul of a photograph. This is book to work through slowly and thoughtfully while you unveil the hidden mysteries of your photographs.

Welcome to Oz by Vincent Versace
Subtitled "A Cinematic Approach to Digital Still Photography with Photoshop"
ISBN 0-7357-1400-2
New Riders
Reviewed by Hal Work of the Eureka Photoshop Users Group

Finally, someone wrote a book about the process of vision in Photography using Photoshop. Versace shows how to add drama and depth to an image through subtle, though involved, means. The efforts are worth it.

While Versace introduces a number of compositional philosophies, this is not just a touchy-feely book. There are a number of carefully thought out exercises that demonstrate his points. Each takes hours and are well work the time. A CD is included with example files. The book is using Photoshop CS2. That will have no effect on the lessons being taught.

He shows how to direct the viewers eyes through an image. By using image maps, variable opacity masking, and creative render lighting for the most part , he accomplishes this.

The back cover of the book truthfully states:
- Adapt your workflow to the image so you always know how best to use your tools
- Turn a seemingly impossible photographic scenario into a successful image
- Practice "image harvesting" to combine the best parts of many captures to create an optimum final result
- Create black and white prints that have the look, feel, and "richness" of traditional silver prints without ever leaving the RGB color space

I am taking his lessons to heart. I've begun incorporating some of these philosophies into my own work. It is making for a much more interesting ride.

I like this non text book style, contemporary and philosophical in thought. The book is filled with beautiful photoshoped images. Unfortunately there are quite a few image typeset problems the before and after images reversed and the colour cast removed image looks worse than the before image, this can be annoying until you realise they are publishing problems. This is very surprising and unfortunate for this high quality book.

Vincent Versace has clearly articulated the principles by which our eye moves across an image (the "grammar of seeing") and applied them to the enhancement of images through Photoshop in a very detailed step-by-step guide. He spends an entire chapter on each of six images of different types (portrait, nature up close, figure study, etc.) showing how the careful management of light in an image can turn a good photograph into a great one. Follow his lessons, with the enclosed CD-ROM, and you will emerge with a deep grasp of Photoshop tools that you can use on any kind of images. Highly recommended.

A postprocessing photoshop book. But a bad one of its kind. The first example he uses is a portrait of an female actor he tries to make better in photoshop. It ends up with very very yellow skintones. Im surprised he didnt see it himself before publishing. He uses a lot of time, too much, explaining about selective focus done with gaussian blur and layermasks. Why not get a fast lens and save all that paintwork- it didnt take me to OZ!!

After much anticipation and excitement....This book requires third party plug-ins, to complete the lessons as described..only good for 15 days. Sorry to say I am disapointed because nowhere in the Descriptions, Editorial reviews etc... does it mention this oversight!!!. I'm feeling kinda deceived right about now!!..... made it to page 17.

In my opinion, this book is aimed squarely at the photographer aiming at exhibition quality work, with no concessions. Having said that, there is a lot of valuable information for others as well. It requires a willingness to push the philosophical boundaries of the ethics of manipulated image, because Versace's approach is to take multiple shots of the same subject from subtly diferent viewpoints, then combine them to produce a single image that matches his artistic vision. He is quoted as considering Photoshop an imagination enhancer, and says in his forward that one of his aims is to teach the reader to be able to make magic, starting at the point of capture. Indeed, this is what he proceeds to do. His methods require that you take pictures of subjects that move you, capture the image with spontaneity while being able to conceptualise the end result, and have advanced Photoshop skills. He then offers an insight into the ensuing conversation between photographer and image, with a great deal of the "how" and the "why" along the way. The final results are stunning, but the process is somewhat tortuous, and not for the faint-hearted. This is not your generic "how-to-do-it" Photoshop book, but a glimpse into what drives one man's quest for as near to perfection as possible. It wasn't what I expected - I bought it on the strength of the review in Photoshop User - and it won't be one of the books that lives by my Mac for constant reference. It will, however, be one to which I refer to be reminded of the potential of digital imaging towards which I might aspire for my art prints.
I gave it 5 stars because Versace succeeds in what he set out to do. It won't be for everyone, though.

This book is excellent. Rather than writing another how to use Photoshop book, Vincent Versace teaches you WHY you use Photoshop and some of the key techniques that can make an incredible difference in your digital photography. If you already have a basic understanding of Photoshop then this book will help you kick it up a notch!

Approximately two weeks after ordering my copy of "Welcome to Oz", I received an email stating that they were sorry but Amazon had switched over to a new computer system and my order would be delayed. Then after a while I received another email telling me that they had received my book back from the postal department totally damaged. They then told me they have refunded my credit card for the amount for the book which I have not had the statemnet to verify. Now they are still advertising that the book is available. Why did they not contact me again and tell me the situation and that the book would be coming shortly. It seems to me that
something is wrong, when a book is still advertized and they cannot get me a copy. If they don't have the book available, don't try to cover it up with stupid excuses, have the courage to tell the truth.

Allan C. Moberg

This book is aimed at photographers who have never worked in a darkroom before. If you have started working as a photographer in digital, there is a lot to be learned from this book. However, if you know how to dodge and burn, and you know how to do it in Photoshop using layers, you will find nothing new here.

This book is both beautiful and genius! Vincent Versace is a painter at heart - a true artist . He takes the technology available to man and works it like paint and brush (along with a great amount of artistically calculated intellect) to bring forth the beauty and reality of what the mind's eye sees. Photographic tools can in no way capture the true essence of what is seen, and Vince has the incredible talent to bring forth the true vision of the senses (all 5 - that's his secret) in any subject he captures. And best of all - he's willing to share his technological approach with anyone else talented enough to utilize it for their own vision. :)

WELCOME TO OZ: A CINEMATIC APPROACH TO DIGITAL STILL PHOTOGRAPHY WITH PHOTOSHOP comes from a master fine art photographer who spent his career teaching perception and how to translate it into exceptional images. WELCOME TO OZ tells how to adapt workflow to the image, offering tips on how to locate such images, harvest them for maximum results, and how to create black and white prints without leaving the RGB color space. Any collection strong in Photoshop or photography books must have this: it creates a different perspective and approach to using Photoshop which relies as much on perceiving image potentials as on manipulating them.

I really loved Welcome to Oz. There are so many photoshop books that are great user handbooks or technical effects books, but few bother to approach the subject of photography from the standpoint of an artist or explain the artistic rationalizations for using one effect over an other. While this book provides many useful photoshop "tech tips", it also helps make the reader a better photographer and visual artist in general. Learning the "how" of photoshop techniques is something that folks can do easily from a wide range of sources, but explaining the "why" of photoshop techniques is something that few books explain as well as Versace's.

The fact that a photographer of the caliber of Versace is willing to "pull back the curtain" (to stay with his Oz reference) is highly commendable and shows deal of security with himself as an artist.

I experienced a presentation by Vince Versace on this topic at PhotoShop world convention last fall-06. This book is both a great companion to the presentation and a full course in its own right.

I have worked in the film industry and was curious to see how he would handle the beautiful quality of lighting that we experience watching a well crafted movie.

Unfortunately most photographers have never been behind the scenes of a feature film production. The expertise and equipment that goes into beautiful lighting is at times immense. Most amateurs and even some pros do not have the resources to duplicate that quality of light. Now with Photoshop it is possible to approximate it.

Mr. Visace does at great job in giving us a software digital solution. Truly shooting it in great light in the first place is preferred. The better the source file the more enhancement is possible and the less correction is needed.

It is nice to know we can have a second tool for recreating it if our budget, time, and expertise do not allow us to get it right in the camera.

The only down side is Mr Versace's personality is very dominate which at times may cloud the readers view of the material Mr Versage is so passionate about teaching.

This book is awesome. It is my new photography Bible. It is not a Photoshop tutorial book. It is a philosophy book that teaches you how to envision your photos before you take them, how to strategically take the photos, and THEN how to use Photoshop to refine the images to your original vision. It is not a book for the latest/greatest Photoshop tricks, nor does it have any place in a School of Journalism. It is a book by an artist, for artists who want better artistic photographs.

Vincent Versace is a very talented photographer and "Welcome to Oz" does a great job in sharing his vast experience with his readers. I particularly learned a lot about the importance of lighting and how it can significantly impact an image. This book is as much a guide to the "philosophy" of picture taking as it is a revelation of raw technique and I liked that about it.
If I were to change one thing however, it would be the choice of images used in the book to demonstrate the various techniques. Versace's website has a wealth of really outstanding photographs and I would have preferred that he used images other than the ones in his book. I did not find the picture of the model in front the fence particularly interesting nor the one with the leaves of different shades. This somehow took something away from the enjoyment of doing the exercises in the book but I was still able to get a handle on the essence of each chapter.
All in all it was well worth the purchase and I feel that I am that much better a photographer because of this book. I shall always keep it for ongoing reference.

The content is excellent. Be forewarned though that if you are running an Intel Mac with Photoshop CS3, the plug-ins he provides (Nik Skylight and Contrast Filters via download from Nik) will not work. Unfortunately they are used in most of the lessons.

"Welcome to Oz" is quite possibly the most useful and informative book on using Photoshop to create great pictures from good ones. This is not a "how to" cookbook of "tips and tricks." This is a serious book providing an indepth understanding of what photographic art is and how to achieve it. Vincent Versace takes Photoshop literature to a new level as he leads the reader through the creative process like a sage mentor. Prepare to be enlightened.

Also worth noting is that the CD that accompanies the book contains full resolution 8 and 16 bit files of the pictures used for instruction, not the standard scaled down versions that are typically supplied by authors so worried about picture copyrights.

For me photography and Photoshop are a hobby, however, I have found that I can apply the creative and observational skills taught by Vincent in this book to my other interests as well.

I highly recommend this book.

Vincent Versace is an artist. Yes he is an incredible photographer, a master at Photoshop an an accomplished teacher, but it is how he transforms these gifts into art that is the real magic. In this book you get an insight to the thought processes and skills of an artist. You can follow him from his creative insights through his master techniques to the creation of a piece of art. It is not an easy trip, but if you put in the effort, it will transform your own work and your ability to recognize and understand the profession of artistic photography. If you are serious about your photography and getting everything you can out of your talent this is a book you MUST have.

At first I wasn't sure what to expect, as I've seen Vincent lecture and can tell you, his lectures are invigorating--well his book is different, it's more than invigorating. Not only can you feel the passion Vincent brings to his seminars and lectures in this 244-page book, it also gets you creatively thinking beyond your current style. It will take your photography and post-production to a new level.

As a Lighting Master at Photo Plus Expo, I can speak from experience when it comes to lighting, and I was impressed by some of the techniques in this book--in fact, I'll probably "steal" a few of Vincent's tips from his book and revise my lectures to include them. My favorite chapter dealt with "Stardust" lighting, or "board-to-board reflecting" and I was impressed how Vincent took an old technique and incorporated it with Adobe Photoshop post-production.

It's no wonder why Epson, Adobe, Nikon, Lexar and others love Vincent--he not only knows his "stuff," but he provides an equally impressive end result--the finished print, often sold in top auctions. It's one thing you can write, it's another that you can prove in your final images what you write will come to life in a print. It's also nice that this book includes high-resolutions images from the book in a DVD format so you can reinforce what you've read. As an author myself I rarely recommend books as I prefer to stay neutral, but this is one I highly recommend as a "must buy." --Rolando Gomez, contributing writer, Studio Photography magazine

I just purchased the book and I find it quite educational and easy to follow. I have a question regarding the Skylight and Contrast filters that he recommends on the first tutorial. [...] I definitely recommend the book for those people that want to take their photographs to the next level.

A great look at the creative process and choices made using Photoshop to complete your vision. This is a very good book but it is not a quick read because it is packed with tutorials that you work through in Photoshop to follow Versace's steps (especially using lighting effects).

It was tough going for me at first. I was forced to follow each step very mechanically. Halfway through the book his techniques seemed familiar to me and I was cruising.
Regarding his multiple-photo technique: I like it. Other than the first chapter, the source photos are not mistakes but purposeful harvesting of several images of a subject. (And the erroneous image is there to show you what you can inject into a photo such as shallow depth of field.) Imagine a video clip of flowers swaying in the breeze and dappled sunlight moving over and around them. Then imagine putting together 3 or 4 moments in time into one image that captures that experience. That is Vincent's idea. Thank you for sharing, sir!
There is certainly room for a volume two here, giving examples of work with other time-invested images such as the rolling of clouds or the setting of the sun.

Almost 40 years ago I spent six months studying with Ansel Adams. His most important lesson was to pre-visualize the photo you wanted to make before you even picked up a camera. Adams' next most important lesson was how to capture light to define form and create mood Everything else Adams taught was to give you the tools -- both in camera and in the darkroom -- to make an image that looked as good as your pre-vision. Vincent Versace's book, Welcome to Oz, does the same thing for the digital photographer. It opens our eyes to more powerful images and teaches us how to use our vision, our camera and Photoshop to make images we only dreamed of before.

This book is not for the Photoshop novice. It is not a traditional step-by-step recipe book. Welcome to Oz is a book that gives you the tools to change your entire creative approach to photography. This very important book requires effort from the reader. I suggest you read it from beginning to end, following along lesson by lesson, working on each image from the DVD and learning by doing. If you do the work, you will become a better photographer -- both in your approach and your technique.

Buy this book. It will teach you to fall in love with photography all over again.

If you have a passion for photography, a love of light, and a desire to see the world of photography in a new and different way then this is the book to read. Welcome to Oz was clear, concise, informative, and challenging. Even better, I continue to go back on the trip through Oz to refine and improve both my photographic and Photoshop techniques. This is a book to read and reread time and time again.

This is not a how-to book. While Photoshop techniques are covered in detail I found Mr. Versace's vision and discussion of his approach to photography to be the most rewarding. You will learn how to create, and care about, fine art photography. While I have read several books by master photographers I have found their discussion of making a fine art photograph to be sorely lacking. Not here. Mr. Versace explores how to manage the viewer's eye (through his isolate theory) and develop black and white masterpieces and numerous other beneficial approaches.

In short, this book is as well done as Mr. Versace's art and possesses and coveys the same emotion and passion. If you want a how-to book, buy Kelby, but if you want to change the way you take photographs (so that you are taken by photographs), then this is the book to read. Well done Mr. Versace!

Roy Moore

I have found this book very illuminating so far. His process for creating b/w's from colour images is unique, and is why I bought the book. The first few lessons though, I found very dense and hard to get through. I know he has also released DVD's which would more likely be easier to follow, but since each lesson costs the same as the whole book with all the lessons, I opted for the book.
Vincent Versace is an amazing photographer and I look forward to having a chance to finish this book and learn all I can from this modern master of the digital photographic medium.

I was very excited to find this book. I am a fan of Versace's work and I had very high expectations with this book.

The end result was a book with good ideas that was poorly presented. First off do not even bother with this book if you are not already pretty proficient with Photoshop, and have Photoshop CS2. Secondly do not even bother with this book unless you have a computer that can run Photoshop CS2 very well. That means you must have a fast processor and 2GBs of RAM. The reason for this is that this book is basically 6 chapters with a project in each chapter. You get a DVD ROM with all of the images he uses in the book and he walks you through each one step by step. These are high res 16 bit tiffs that take a lot of computer horsepower, because you wind up with a TON of layers. If you like me have a decent machine that can run them and you know your way around Photoshop that won't be an issue.

So now you dive into the book. In the first chapter you are presented with a project from a photoshoot with a model that was shot with blown lighting. So Mr. Versace walks you through how he would fix the blown lighting. He uses several layer masks, curves adjustment layers, and the "Render Lighting" filter of Photoshop to do that. The end result is a good one, however I could not help but think why not just light it correctly from the start? I can not imagine doing an entire photoshoot with a portrait client and then going through each image one by one and doing that.

When working through the project you also run into the poorly presented part. As an example when talking about the various sliders in the "Render Lighting" filter the Author just tells you set this one to 17, and this one to 35. He never says why you should do that, he just tells you to do that.

Then you move on to chapter 2. In this project you will combine several images of a raspberry bush to create a single image. Of course once again the reason you have to do this is because they were not shot correctly in the first place. He should have used a different f/stop to get the DOF he needed but he did not. His answer is to blend the images after the fact. The only problem is that he did not use a tripod so the images do not match up correctly. Very sloppy way to put a book together. In this example you could save yourself a ton of work just by using a tripod and shooting at f/8 or f/11. Once again he uses the "render lighting" filter, and once again he just tells you were to move each slider, rather than tell you why you should.

The rest of the book is pretty much the same.

All in all I did learn a few tricks and the book really did not cost very much from Amazon. So I gave it three stars. It could however have been a much better book with a little more tweaking.

I can only thank Vincent for sharing his approach, knowledge, and philosophy. This is not a breeze through, how to book, but rather an approach that will make you think. I have now gone back to tons of photos that I thought were well thought through, applied Vincent's approach, and was so happy with the results. And that just getting through the first 1/3 of the book. This does assume you are very comfortable with PS and already have generally good photos to work with. Just a few thoughts if Vincent is reading through these ...

a) I'm practicing using the techniques but using a Wacom instead. This seems like a great way to go but there's no mention of this in the book.
b) There is heavy use of the render lighting effects. It would be helpful to get into more discussion regarding how to control better this effect.
c) I have tried using multiple lights with multiple subjects (people) in a an image and it's just not intuitive in PS how the lighting behaves. Some discussion about this would be great.

I have waited for this book for several months after first hearing about it...and it was worth the wait. Finally a book that seems to make sense to me. It's not about doing something in photoshop because it looks cool, it's about realizing your vision with Photoshop.
His approach to dynamic work flow is enlightning, while showing some new (to me) techniques along the way.
I really like the philosophical approach in some of his explanations as I relate well to this style.
There seems to be a inconsistant pace at times. I feel as though Vincent is being patient at times, then rushing you at others with the amount of detail in the steps. Not a problem really, more an observation. It may be troublesome to some if you are not that familiar with photoshop.
This book has and will continue to take my passion to the next level.

Regards.

This book is certainly not the entire 'how to do Photoshop' book. In fact, this is not a book for the beginner. It is a book which spotlights the highly skilled Vincent Versace and his ability to make photographs into wonderful artistic statements. The book comes with a CD which has high resolution images of the raw images he discusses in the book, and by following his excellent, clear step-by-step directions, you arrive at the same perfect results on your own computer screen. (I think mine were slighty better ... joking!) After a few repeats, you then translate that workflow and technique to your own images. To me, this was like being present at a Master Class for a full day, but at my computer and in my own environment. Nice book, too, and well printed. Top 10 on my list.

This may or may not get a little long winded but here goes. Vinnie's book is by far one of the best pieces of work put together for digital photographers that I have ever read. Don't get me wrong, there are many books out there and a handful of authors that we all know are phenomenal! Many of these authors mentioned by Versace at some point in varying instances ... not necessarily in the book.

I would believe that anyone who may have given this book a "Ho-hum" rating could truly have not read the book. One thing that I have realized about Versace is that he is a "chess master" of digital workflow. It is all about knowing the middle, the beginning and the end (the end being the print because in the end we all want a photo worthy of the ultimate ... to be printed) before it happens while leaving room for creativity. I am a pretty tough critic myself when it comes to things I find useful but if you read Versace's book you will without a doubt start looking at your photography differently whether through the lens or in the digital darkroom (most likely through both ... I know I did). Either way, it can only improve your output. I have used his techniques learned from his DVDs (get them all if you are like me and like the visual aspect of seeing it done ... it is like having a class with him and much cheaper than attending the seminar ... sorry VV if you are reading this but those classes are pretty expensive) and his book and have recently sold my first photos.

Each time I go to the computer I now look at that as an opportunity to create my view of the world instead of just make the photo look "better". And by creating my view, I don't mean turn the photo into something that was not there. Everything is as it seems in the eye, the minds eye and the feeling obtained when photographing the subject. Our job during the beginning, middle and end is to get that minds visual and feeling across to yourself and then your audience. Versace insist on students using PS as an emory board and not a jackhammer. This is what each logical step leads anyone who reads the books or watches the dvds to do. I originally ordered the DVDs and found them great! I recently bought the book as a supplement to the DVDs and have found it very useful. The set makes a great collection for any digital processing knowledge base.

I use Versace's techniques in combination with other techniques I have learned in PS but you can truly create something astonishing just using the techniques he teaches. Every step has a real purpose (unlike many books or dvds he explains why he does something a particular way instead of just saying do this, this and this ... if you agree with it fantastic and if you don't then you use what you feel is best for your work) and like anything it must be practiced. Don't look at the book as a key to automatic beautiful digital images. Although it does come pretty darn close to being that way if you have captured a good subject in the right light. A quote VV likes to use in the book and in the DVD is one from Vince Lombardi, "Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect". That quote just hearing it or reading it makes sense to most people but when you read the book and examine Versace's theory in seeing and processing your work that quote makes even more sense. If it were as easy as watching the DVDs or reading a book .... we would have a world full of Versace, Margolis, Kelby, Sammon etc. photos out there. Any and all of what you read will take quite a bit of practice to make people ask you if you actually did something in PS? Which I think that is what most of us strive for in our processing techniques ... "emory board not jackhammer". Buy the book, buy the DVDs or buy both and take what you want from them. The techniques can only help what you are doing in the digital darkroom. I feel strongly about the techniques because it is these techniques that have allowed me to sell a few photos. I am not a professional photographer but I am developing a slow growing following. We are in a digital age and film is great but we have to learn how to use the tools accessible to us in this age and Versace does a great job of offering that knowledge in his book and DVDs.

Finally, buy the book, buy the dvds or buy them all. If nothing else you will not feel like you have wasted a penny provided you want to take your darkroom techniques to a different level. These techniques will allow you to not copy Versace's style (unless that is what you are looking for) but they allow you the flexibility to create your own style. As great as Versace's work is we don't want 2 million Versaces out there. We want 2 million individual and different pieces of work. You won't be sorry.

The book is basically about how to create images similar to Mr. Versace's (not to duplicate his work, but to use his techniques to achieve similar results)

I really love Mr. Versace's images, I have seen them in print on display and am always taken with them.

There are a number of unique things about this book.

First it comes with the images he talks about (full resolution) so that you can try and exactly duplicate his techniques which is very helpful in the learning process.

Second he gives you a idea of why he is doing something and not just how he did it. The approach of the chef vs. the recipe following cook.

Third his approach is one of artistic vision vs. pure representational photography (which in my opinion does not exist) and which I totally embrace.

Fourth he shows you how to use multiple images to overcome limitations of camera gear (dynamic range, depth of field, etc) and how to use Photoshop to add visual flow and direction to produce a final artistic vision.

Fifth he emphasizes what I call just in time pre-visualization with an end in mind. Where many might see an uninteresting subject he can "Fast Forward" through his workflow and pre-visualize a much more beautiful result than just using the camera with its limitations might allow.

Though I love his work, and do recommend this book I can't give it 5 stars since there is room for improvement.

In the book Mr. Versace jumps around at times, repeats concepts just talked about but in a slightly different way (a little confusing) and in general it seems to take most people one or two or three tries to take in what he is explaining.

There are also things I think that need to be expanded upon and others that are distracting. The use of catch phrases "traveling a circle in a straight line" etc. are useful philosophically at times and cute at first, but in my opinion just get in the way of learning overall.

A bit more organization, expanding on some still hazy topics, and cutting down on the eastern philosophy jargon would make it a 5 star work.

If you want to get inside Vincent's head it's worth every penny.

I have many interests and hobbies that I have had over the years. Photography is one of those that has stuck around and become a passion. With that I have grown my library of books on the subject, and I can say now that this book is a gem. The pages of many of the books are laden with 'how to,' and that is good to a point. Those are some of the first things I learned, and I am glad for that. This book is on another level. It moves beyond 'how to' and speak to 'why to'.

Learning the 'why to' in my opinion is far more important once a basic knowledge of photography, or really anything, is grasped. With that why to comes a clarity of vision that I have struggled to have with many images that I knew had potential that I was at that time unable to unlock. I am now able to go back to those marked images with new eyes and bring them to life. I would not recommend this as a first book in photography, but to anyone comfortable behind a camera and with the basics of PhotoShop I would say it is a requirement. I teach on a one to one basis fairly regularly and this book is now required reading for those I work with. Thank you for bringing your experience to us, this is a wonderful book.

You can find many books on photography, and maybe even more on Photoshop. Most deal with the "left-brained" side of the craft of creating images. Shutter speeds, lenses, filters, and crops are all covered. But what about the why? If you have ever spent time in a museum looking at priceless paintings you will find yourself asking why the artist created it. Vincent has created a book to help us answer that question. And the answers you find will make you better a better artist. Also, make sure you get the set of dvd's that accompany the book, they are amazing.

I have been trying out Versace's techniques chapter-by-chapter, and I am thrilled with the results that I am getting. Each chapter deals with both the philosophical approach to creating unforgettable images and the in-depth, step-by-step instructions to make it happen. In addition, it includes a DVD with the actual Photoshop files, with all the layers, to show exactly how the magic happens. I knew how to use Photoshop, but this book is taking me to a whole new level.

The author's techniques, such as image mapping and image harvesting, put the 3D back into my images. No more disappointment when I print. With Versace's help, my photos now look like what I saw when I depressed the shutter!

The chapter on converting color to black & white is excellent. Versace explains the art of the black and white images, as well as the steps in Photoshop to create the best image for printing.

That is what is neat about this book. It is not just about using Photoshop, it is about taking great photos and making them even better with Photoshop. I highly recommend this book!