Review: The Photoshop Layers Book - Johan Elzenga

Friday 22 November 2019, 16:32 by Michelle Peeters | 7,680 views | 6 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

In this article, my review of The Photoshop Layers Book by Johan W. Elzenga. Johan also taught the excellent Photoshop for Beginners course at Photofacts Academy.

Layers are Photoshop's greatest strength, so it's a shame not to use them. Johan shows you everything you need to know in the calm, clear way we've come to expect from him.

Johan previously wrote a book with the same title, which we also reviewed (in 2008). However, this book has been rewritten for Adobe Photoshop CC 2019.

That doesn't mean it's of little use if you're still using an earlier version of Photoshop. Most of this book and its examples can also be carried out with earlier versions.

Even when a newer version is released, you can be confident that there probably won't be any changes when it comes to layers.

Although Adobe Photoshop has supported layers since version 3.0, many users of the programme rarely or never use this option. That's a shame, because working with layers offers many possibilities that are difficult or impossible to achieve in other ways. Photoshop's strength lies precisely in layers!

Layers also make it possible to work in a so-called "non-destructive" way. This means that all edits can be undone independently of one another, or adjusted. Without layers, you'd probably have to start all over again.

1. What are layers?
2. Opacity and blending mode
3. Layer styles
4. Masks
5. The adjustment layer
6. Other layers
7. Advanced blending
8. Grouping layers
9. Auto-aligning
10. Image stack
11. Miscellaneous
12. Compositing images
13. A night-time rain shower
14. Snowy landscape
15. Advanced portrait retouching
16. Creating a combined mask

Read about everything you can do with layers, and a new world will open up for you! Layers are essential not just for improving photos, but especially for the fun and impressive edits you can make to them.

For example, do you want to blend two photos together? Or add things to a photo that weren't originally there? Add text to a photo to make a beautiful postcard? You can do all of that with layers.

All these possibilities, and many more, are covered in The Photoshop Layers Book. Clear examples explain what layers do and how to use them professionally.

The book is based on Photoshop CC 2019, but most examples can also be carried out with earlier and later versions of Photoshop. Apart from the examples mentioned earlier, the book covers:

- Layer styles
- Masks
- Text layers
- Advanced blending
- Grouping layers
- Auto-aligning

Johan W. Elzenga is a photographer and freelance writer for various photography and computer magazines. He also regularly teaches at the Fotoschool and Fotogram in Amsterdam.

Johan is the author of the first Dutch-language book about the RAW format of digital cameras. He has also written books about Adobe Photoshop, Lightroom, HDR, Photoshop Elements and Photoshop CC for Lightroom photographers.

Johan's photos are sold worldwide through Getty Images and Alamy in London. His specialities are landscapes from around the world and wildlife in Africa. Johan also taught the Photoshop for Beginners course for Photofacts Academy!

What did I think?

In this book, Johan covers one of Photoshop's most important features, the use of layers. Once again, he explains it in an engaging and clear way.

It's so clear that even a beginner Photoshop user can easily understand it. If you're not yet familiar with terms such as masks, layer styles or adjustment layers, this book is highly recommended!

Photoshop Layers video course

The accompanying course, also taught by Johan, went live at Photofacts Academy today. The Photoshop Layers course is a perfect match for this book. It's a great combination to have both at home.

There is also a great offer when this course launches. If you become a member now, you'll receive Johan's Layers book (worth 20 euros) completely free!

» Become a member now (+ free The Photoshop Layers Book)

If you're already a member, you can also receive the book for free when renewing your membership.

Price and where to buy it

Would you rather buy the book separately instead of receiving it for free? Of course, you can do that too. The book is available from lees.nl, among others, for 20 euros.

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About the author

Michelle Peeters is fotografe en oprichter van DeuxBleus Fotografie. Michelle herkent het bijzondere in het gewone en het gewone in het bijzondere. Ze heeft zich nooit willen specialiseren en is daardoor van alle markten thuis.

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6 comments

LILI wrote on Tuesday 26 November 2019 at 11:13 | reply
Oopsie, already extended it. Shame about the book then. ☺️
Translated from Dutch.

Noor wrote on Tuesday 26 November 2019 at 13:44 | reply
What is the difference compared to his previously released layer book?
Translated from Dutch.

Michelle Peeters wrote on Tuesday 26 November 2019 at 13:59 | reply
@Noor: this book has been rewritten for the Adobe Photoshop CC 2019 version.
Translated from Dutch.

Noor wrote on Tuesday 26 November 2019 at 14:30 | reply
Thank you Michelle👍.
I still have CS6 so .....we'll keep using that for a little while longer.
Translated from Dutch.

jrdewilt wrote on Tuesday 26 November 2019 at 18:35 | reply
It strikes me that within a week I see two offers come by, in which, in addition to the subscription to the courses, a book is made available for free.
The members from the very beginning, like me, get nothing. Strange!
Translated from Dutch.

Elja Trum wrote on Wednesday 27 November 2019 at 09:17 | reply
@Jrdewilt; Sorry that you feel disadvantaged. That is obviously not our intention.

Members from the very beginning generally pay much less than members joining now; even compared to the current discount promotion. So as a loyal member, you have always had an advantage.

In addition, all existing members can also get the books for free when they renew their membership for another year.

Where possible, we always try to give existing members extra benefits as well. In the case of books, this is more difficult, because there is a fixed book price in the Netherlands.
Translated from Dutch.

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