In this review, we're taking a look at another Adobe Elements title from Software Cinema. This particular title offers additional material and should be purchased with the Fundamentals DVD for a more robust knowledge. Creations deals with photo enhancing, creative projects, and creative presentations which are divided into the respective three sections of the DVD.

Creations vs. Fundamentals

Software Cinema's Fundamentals deals with introducing the user to the GUI of Adobe Elements and slowly progresses through the many different tools available. Basics such as Red Eye removal, straightening images, removing objects, and other essentials are covered. Creations is a little more advanced, and provides in-depth explanations of more sophisticated operations such as promotional cards using the layers, shapes, and How to Wow presets. Multimedia slide shows, greeting cards, photomerge panorama, and scrapbooks.

For The Professional Photographer

If you're getting paid any amount of money to take images, and your images are purchased--you're a professional. So, pat yourself on the shoulder. Software Cinema offers some really interesting tutorials on contact sheets (Session 22), picture package printing (Session 23), and even your own digital signature (Session 11). For the photographer who is looking to expand their workflow and reducing the time within that workflow, I highly suggest these particular sessions.

The Photo Enhancing section also has an exciting collection of sessions for photographers. Skin smoothing and skin conditioning, just to name a few. These two image procedures are vital to a photographer's core skills.

Putting In The Disc

Placing the DVD disc into my computer DVD player, Software Cinema's Creations started right up and I was watching Session 01 in no time. Adobe Photoshop Elements Creations contains 23 sessions, which in total are over four hours of tutorials. The disc layout is the same as Fundaments and operates just as simple and convenient.

What Is Covered

The following is an index of topics featured in Adobe Photoshop Elements Creations:

Section 1 - Photo Enhancing
Session 01: Blend Modes
Session 02: Dodging and Burning
Session 03: Motion Blur
Session 04: Skin Conditioning
Session 05: Skin Smoothing
Session 06: High Contrast
Session 07: High Pass Enhancement
Section 2 - Creative Projects
Session 08: Pen and Ink Watercolor
Session 09: Tattoo Additions
Session 10: Wrapping Paper
Session 11: Digital Signature
Session 12: How to Wow Presets
Session 13: Postage Stamp
Session 14: Book Cover
Session 15: Promotional Card
Section 3 - Creative Presentations
Session 16: PDF Slide Show
Session 17: Multimedia Slide Show
Session 18: Greeting Cards
Session 19: Scrapbooks
Session 20: Web Photo Gallery
Session 21: Photomerge Panorama
Session 22: Contact Sheets & Printing
Session 23: Picture Package Printing

Watch As Much As You Want, When You Want

Just like Fundamentals, what's nice about the layout of the Adobe Photoshop Elements Creations DVD, is the content that is split into 23 sessions, allowing the user to watch as many segments of the DVD as they wish, or only a few.

Pros

• Simple layout
• A little more advanced than Fundamentals
• Geared more towards the professional photographer and graphics enthusiast who routinely use Elements for their presentations, whether they be for the office or for the family.
• Easy access to all DVD contents
• Graphic interface is professionally designed and elegant
• Over 4 hours of video content
• Recorded actions within Elements are slightly slowed down so the viewer can follow along comprehend the session
• Each session is appropriately split into palatable segments for viewing
• Still is one of the more affordable "Adobe Training" series
• More intuitive collections of images for demonstrating various actions and procedures
• Affordable learning