Adobe Photoshop CS5
I received an email from Adobe on Monday, with an exclusive offer to upgrade from Photoshop Elements (I have version 7) to Photoshop CS5. The upgrade price was listed as $299.00, instead of $599.00. The email stated that the promotion would last one month, August 16 through September 13, but could be withdrawn at any time. The temptation was too great; I ordered Adobe Photoshop CS5 that very afternoon. I received my new photo editing program yesterday! The installation went smoothly; no problems at all.
I photograph in RAW format and use Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) to process my images. The first thing I noticed upon opening a RAW image in Photoshop CS5 is that ACR differs between the two photo editing programs. The ACR in Photoshop CS5 provides much more functionality than the one in Photoshop Elements. I now have 14 tools to choose from as opposed to 9 tools in Photoshop Elements. I am now able to select a portion of a photograph in ACR and make changes only to the area of the photograph. I am no longer limited to global changes.
In my opinion the additional capabilities of ACR were worth the price of the upgrade. Another feature that made the upgrade attractive for me is that Photoshop CS5 can operate on the 64-bit platform, whereas Photoshop Elements operates on a 32-bit platform. This feature was worthwhile to me as I have WINDOWS 7 with 64-bit capability installed on my computer.
My first tasks are to learn my way around ACR and Adobe Bridge. So far I have watched a couple videos about ACR. I had to go all the way back to CS4 because all of the new ACR features in that program version were new to me too! This morning I am reading a tutorial on Adobe Bridge. I’ve ordered three books, too, in my quest to become proficient in Photoshop CS5. The books that I ordered from Amazon are:
I will leave you with a passage of verse that I found at Home of Inspiration, entitled “Never Stop Learning”.
“Learning is a life long process. You are never too old to learn.
Learning keeps our minds alert and able. Not do we actually acquire new knowledge, but we subsequently feel useful and good about ourselves as well. Along the way, we could make some new friends too.
So, pick up a new skill. A new hobby. Read books on subjects you never did before. Expand your general knowledge base.
No matter how much you learn, you will never know everything – there is always something new, something more, to learn. So don’t stop. Keep learning, and be happy.”
I hope to never stop learning!
The Beauty Around Us 
10 Responses to “Adobe Photoshop CS5”
Hi Linda, Thanks for this info… I forwarded your link on to my hubby –who does alot with RAW photos. I hope he will upgrade —IF they are offering it for the mac…..Sounds like you got a good deal –and now have lots of new things to learn and do.Have a great weekend.Hugs,Betsy
Always interested in this kind of post Linda. I don't know much about Photoshop as when I first started photography I was also in a graphics group that only used Paint Shop Pro, which I have been hooked on for years. I use PSP XII at the moment and love it. I wish you many happy hours with your new program. May we always be on the learning curve. Have a great weekend.An English Girl Rambles
I have Photoshop from years ago and never used it once. I know I need to. But wifey is the creative one in the family so I guess I never saw the need. One of these days I'm going to sit down and just learn as much as I can in one day. Get the coffee brewing early and just do.Stephen Tremp
I use Adobe InDesign and Adobe Bridge is also a part of that program. I'm not sure I like it, but I love using InDesign to create my newsletters!!Your new Photoshop program sure seems to have a distinct difference. I'm impressed!
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Someday I hope to be able to afford to get the “big” photoshop…. very cool! Thanks for sharing all that great info…and I, too, hope to never stop learning!
Linda: I don't get that sufisticated with my cameras.
Wow, you fell into a good deal there. Congratulations. I can't wait to start reading your tutorials on how to do great things with CS5. I haven't gone from CS4 to CS5 yet and don't know if I will. Heck . . . I don't use 1/10th of the capabilities of CS4 yet.
Sounds like you are having fun with the new version and your photo manipulations. 🙂 And you are right – lifelong learning is an important attitude – it helps keep the brain from growing old!
That looks like a great program! That is so true about always be learning something:)