Best Photog Resources
This page is a list of my favorite resources for digital photography and Photoshop Elements. I hope they are useful to you as well!
Photography
- The Digital Photography Book by Scott Kelby. Awesome book full of practical advice, light on complicated theory. He tells you exactly what to do to your camera to get a specific type of shot. Make sure you get Volume 1. Volume 2 is great also, but it’s for more advanced photographers.
Photo Processing Software
- Photoshop Elements. Obviously! Adobe’s online help is more useful to me than the help files installed in the software.
- Nik Software – Viveza, Silver Efex Pro, Color Efex Pro, Sharpener Pro and DFine. Use discount code DPM to save 15%.
Photoshop Elements
- Photoshop Elements 6 Book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski. This book is the perfect place to get started with Photoshop Elements. It details specific methods to correct common picture problems as well as how to embellish a good pic.
Online Backup
Websites
- Flickr – free inspiration, advice and chat
- PhotoshopElementsUser - free and premium content both. Another great place to start.
- Clickin Moms – a community of moms with a wide range of photography skills. A great place to find tutorials and advice.
- CG Textures – free textures to use in your pictures. Don’t you love free?
- Elements Village – “an online community for Elements Users” with a very active, friendly and helpful forum
- Digital Photography School Blog & Forum – A source of education about the technical aspects of using a digital camera
- PIF Photo – a great source for free templates, textures, tips and even an action or two!
- Project Woman – lots of photography and Photoshop tips from the talented Helen Bradley
- PhotoKaboom – advanced Photoshop Elements Techniques and help with photographic creativity
- The Creative Mama – photography plus lots of other cool stuff on a gorgeous website
Free Photoshop Elements Actions (Well, mostly free)
- Grant’s Tools – includes a layer mask, Curves and Channels
- Graficalicus – free actions and actions for sale. Includes actions that give PSE full-blown Photoshop capabilities
- VirtualPhotographer – free plug-in with lots of color and black & white actions to apply.
- Panos FX – fun actions and effects for PSE, some free some for sale. Includes effects like spiral binding or a puzzle look
- Elements+ – About 145 actions that “unlock” Elements to make it more like full Photoshop. This one has a free trial.
- Shutterfreaks – this link goes to the PSE 7 free actions, but if you look around on their site, you can find free actions for all version of PSE. There is a layer mask here, plus frames and a rule of thirds guide.











