Step 1: Idea (message, composition)
You decided that you want to make a photomanipulation. But what to make? There are so many photomanipulations already out there and mostly with the same theme. So you decide you don't just want to stick a pretty girl onto a beautiful background. No you want to be original and have your manipulation portray a message everyone can relate to.
Think of things that are important to you, that lay close to your heart. They can be emotions (love, hate, sadness, anger) or experiences, hobbies (art, sports etc), things you are struggling with. Or they can be global themes like (beauty, money, economy, eating disor
Check my FAVes for some of the better tutorials on Deviantart
Don't forget to try youtube www.youtube.com and type in photoshop in the search and come up with some good videos. Some are better than others.
Here is an infrared tutorial I liked:
http://www.sxc.hu/blog/post/671
Here a site for $20 dollars a month you can take all the classes you want from some really good teachers. There is also a link to try some classes for free, up to three on each lesson:
http://www.kelbytraining.com/online/free-trial.html
4 techniques to make your photos pop:
http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/4-easy-photoshop-techniques-to-make-your-pictures
I got my first camera, a Minolta XG9, when I was 14 yrs old. It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. That was 26 years ago(ouch!)During the past 20 years my pictures have been mainly family focused, ball games, backyard photos, pets, family gatherings. Ive always wanted to do darkroom work and manipulate and create with photos. Now I have a new digital camera, Photoshop CS2, and more free time. The possibilities are endless and I can't wait to get started.
My first hurdle is learning Photoshop. I am doing this by going to Amazon and making a wishlist of all the books I want to read. I love Amazon for the customer reviews. They are usu