Microsoft Digital Media Pro Keyboard

This is my third keyboard in two years (I wore the other 2 out) so I know I need a robust keyboard that won't install a pile of background tasks with the included software. I was also looking for a wired keyboard that didn't come bundled with a mouse. I'm quite picky about mice as the wrong one will quickly leave you with a sore hand from muscle cramp. I like the wireless mouse I have but the keyboard remains static so I don't need the hassle of changing batteries.

When it comes to choosing a keyboard buying online is quite difficult, you can't get a feel for the keys, how quickly they respond or the pressure required to make them work.

Previously I've had a Dell and Logitech keyboard in the office and several more in my home office so I wanted to be sure of getting the right one.

Lots of new innovations are available for the photo editor from dedicated image editing functions to Photoshop quick keys but as I have the main functions for Photoshop mapped to my Wacom Tablet I don't need the extended functions on the keyboard. Ultimately I need something hard wearing and comfortable for 10 hours a day use. Anything else is simply a bonus.
Budget is also a consideration as I don't expect the keyboard to last more than one year I don't want to be spending much over £50 on it.

Out of the box the keyboard is chunky, it's not massive on the desk but it's certainly not cut tight around the keys. This is good in that it doesn't slide around the desk. The removable wrist rest is a good height giving relief the wrist tendons during long periods of typing or using quick keys and the keys themselves are light and responsive but make a sufficient 'tapping' sound to let you know you've hit the key without annoying co-workers.

The keyboard features a few extras including a slide bar, volume controls, media controls, 5 mappable keys, 7 quick keys for common software applications and the F keys are dual function, working with the majority of Windows applications.

The dual function of the F keys is useful for desktop work such as e-mailing or MS Word but in Photoshop the F keys themselves are used frequently for Actions so I rarely use the secondary option.

The sliding bar is mapped to the zoom function but is useful only when your cursor is already on another tool, the crop tool for example, you can't deselect the crop tool without cancelling or applying the current crop so the sliding bar is handy to move in or out.
The sliding bar has only one setting though so when you push the bar to the top it springs back to the centre, this is one zoom change, push again to zoom again. This makes it a last resort for zooming, especially when you compare it to the likes of the tablet where sliding your finger up the bar is like a laptop control pad giving you tiny or large levels of zoom change depending on how quickly you move your finger.

The 7 quick keys are My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, Mail, Web/Home, Messenger and Calculator. This can be remapped but their names are printed under the buttons.
5 more buttons simply number 1-5 are available at the top. These can be favourite websites or in my case additional applications like Skype and Nokia Phone Manager. With extra room around the keys you can also add your own stickers (not included).

Ultimately this keyboard has lasted me well so far, is rugged but easy on the hands. It's not the most futuristic looking or stylish keyboard but it will get the job done and at under £20 it's superb value.

Note: this is a USB keyboard with a wire.

The Photoshop Book for Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby

It was some time before I realised that Scott Kelby was quite so 'big'. I had also thought this was the first book of his I had read but it turns out Scott is something of a celeb in the Photoshop world.

I initally bought his book to see if there was something I was missing in terms of how other pros use Photoshop when editing images but I quickly realised his books are much more than simple how-to examples with well chosen images.

As a quick background, Scott Kelby is a professional photographer and picture editor, he's also the author of the official Adobe Photoshop CS4 Classroom in a Book, the 'manual' for learning Photoshop before doing the exams. His training company, Kelby Training hosts a huge range of course material and he's also the President of NAPP where he advises regularly to members via videos, news and tutorials. To top it all off he's also the Editor-in-Chief of Nikon's Capture User magazine and Editor-in-Chief of Mac Design magazine.

His writing is clear, easy to follow and includes all of the necessary steps to professionally editing your images. Unlike many tutorial books there is a real sense of 'having done it before' rather than simply explaining how to do it. You quickly get the impression Scott has edited images this way himself commercially and it has worked well for him.

He's also not afraid to quote other Photoshop users and credit them with editing techniques he's borrowed, something else lacking in many books. This combination of bringing techniques together and real world experience makes his book a must for your library.

Each tutorial is grouped into chapters based on either the Photoshop tool or the type of image you're trying to edit. The tutorials are also then divided into two where there is a simple and complex way of producing the effect you're after. This combination makes the table of contents a very quick and easy source of reference for the tutorial you're after.
If you have all weekend to work on one wedding portrait for example, portrait retouching is explained in great detail with step-by-step photos. Equally if you need to e-mail a photo quickly the short version of the tutorial will get the job done in a few minutes, it won't have the same beautiful finish as the complex route but it's definitely ten steps beyond the original image and sufficiently good looking to impress your clients and family.

The book itself is comprehensive covering a wide range of topics, tools and image types, certainly more than enough for the beginner or intermediate user. If you're after a huge array of special effects or a special focus on weddings for example this is not for you, but if you need a starting point for editing your photos, a quick reference to improving your shots or some ideas for creative editing then it's a superb book and easy to read, not too technical but you'll definitely learn something.

Notes
This is general guide to digital editing but it's firmly based in Photoshop, not Elements. It is also quite an old book (2003) but it's still perfectly relevant. If you want a more up-to-date version however Scott has a book out for digital editing in Photoshop CS4: