My Down & Dirty Dilemma
I’ve got a two-headed problem on my hands, and I guess I brought it on myself, so now I have to try and fix it myself.
For the entire first half of my career as a Photoshop educator, I was probably best known for teaching Photoshop special effects. It started with my “Down & Dirty Tricks” column in Photoshop User magazine, and then that grew into one of my best selling books ever; Photoshop Down & Dirty Tricks (A whole book of nothing but special effects), and every Photoshop seminar I’ve ever done has included a “Down & Dirty Tricks Class.” In fact, I’ve been doing a Down & Dirty Tricks class at nearly every Photoshop World Conference & Expo since the thing started back in 1999.
So, here comes the problem. For the 2nd half of my career, I’ve been focusing on teaching Photoshop for photographers, or just photography in general (through my “The Digital Photography Book” series), so now most folks probably know me better as a Photoshop & Photography trainer.
I guess that’s why some people are so shocked (or even disappointed), when they come out to my new “Photoshop Down & Dirty Tricks” seminar tour and learn that I’m not teaching Camera Raw, or printing, or color correction, or sharpening.
Of course, it doesn’t mention that I’ll be teaching any of this on the Web site, or in the mailer, or here on my blog, but some people still showed up expecting that I’d be teaching my photography workflow, and they were kind of cranked when I didn’t, and instead I did what I’ve been doing in the “Down & Dirty Tricks” column in Photoshop User for nearly 10 years—teaching commercial Photoshop special effects.
That problem is now extending to my new book, “Photoshop CS4 Down & Dirty Tricks.” I saw on Amazon.com (link) some really harsh reviews because the book isn’t what they expected. If you read the reviews, you can see they were expecting another Camera Raw/Sharpening/Color Correction book but that’s just not what that book is all about—it’s to teach all the latest Photoshop special effects—the same ones we see used on the Web, in Print, in Ads, in Hollywood, and in magazines and all the techniques are grabbed directly from what you see in that media every day. It says all that right on the book itself (the back cover is shown above—click on it for a larger view).
One reviewer said that Type effects have no use for photographers (it’s only one chapter of the book mind you, but if you’ve caught my “Designing with Type” class at Photoshop World, you’d probably disagree that type has no use for photographers), but again, it’s just one chapter. Anyway, besides telling people here on my blog, on the Web site, on the front and back covers of the book, I’m not sure what I can do to change people’s perception of what the book is, who it’s for, and why it’s OK to write a book that’s not on Camera Raw, not on sharpening, and instead one that unlocks the power of the other side of Photoshop.
Any ideas you have to help me get this message out to potential readers (before I have an average review of 1-star, which at this rate won’t be long), I’m all ears.
Should I do a video clip? Should I rewrite the Amazon description? Should I do something else? I’m all ears, because I put so much work into that book, and I’ve gotten such amazing feedback from readers who totally “get” what the book is all about, but I’m also getting some really harsh feedback from people that bought it that shouldn’t have. Any suggestions would be warmly embraced. 
I knew exactly the type of book you have produced. The problem is not yours it’s the people that don’t read the information that is presented to them. I teach 13/14 year old students how to use PhotoShop from scanning a drawing to the finished rendering using layers and they love it, the point is the student that then move on at 16/17 years of age to do the photography course I teach have a better understanding of how to play with pixels and that is always a good thing. To ALL photographers out their have a go, you never know what you might learn?
Subtitle the book “the non-photography side of Photoshop”…
I agree with this 100%, if I have learned anything about you in the past year or so, its that you arent to throw little snippets like that in to keep it interesting or offer a “reality check”.
Its those things that make your books different, and why I enjoy reading them.
I guess it’s the price you pay for being an expert at more than one thing! {grin}
I feel your pain. I’m in the process of changing my direction and the old ‘fans’ don’t understand the new direction. They keep asking for the earlier stuff I did, even though I’m moving on….
Perhaps changing the description to the point that it says something like, “Down and Dirty Photoshop Tricks for Everyone Except Photographers”
{At least it will gets peoples attention!}
All this – 178 comments so far – because of two negative reviews at Amazon? A little over-the-top, don’t you think? And I’ve got to say that an organized attempt to manipulate Amazon reviews (even indirectly, but you had to know that some readers would rush to Amazon with a 5-star review to up the average) borders on the unethical. The real irony of it is that this book, just like all the others, would do great over the long haul entirely on its own merits. Why? Because you write great books. That should be enough.
My first impression is, If you are selling this skill about type to photographers, you need to tell them- why. Why is this important to you the photographer? Why you should know this skill to increase your sales.
If the photogapher can understand type, besides photography and photoshop, adding a type skill can better sell their photo.
Maybe the end publisher does not have or cannot afford an InDesign guru. But if you can sell the photographer that by knowing type, they expand their skill set. Maybe show some before and after photos with or without type and how effective type can “sell” the photo.
I personally have not picked up the book as I plan to get CS4 this summer, then I will look at adding it to my book collection.
My sugestion would be to clarify why knowing type is important to photographers. Especially if you are getting negative feedback.
Best Wishes.
Maybe it is not as hot as it used to be. Olmost everyone can buy a compact or DSLR. And i must say that thanks to bittorrent everyone can get Photoshop cs3 or cs4. And that does speed up the selling of your photoshop for digital photographers books.
Maybe you can considder leaving out the word Photoshop and just say cs4 Down & Dirty Tricks. I think that the word Photoshop is a recolection of your photoshop for digital photographers books and that is not what you want this time.
Perhaps you need to create a ‘You Are Here” map.
There is a reason you have written so many books, so the map illustrates the ‘landscape’ of Scott Kelby writings. The “You Are Here” marker welcomes the reader to enjoy and explore the place they are right now ScottWorld. It might be the right-brain side of town, or the left, depending on which one you want ‘tickled’ today. I envision the map as an almost literal topology of SK books, but it could just as easily be in the form of a mind map that shows the various possible connections between books, pathways to get from ‘Here’ to ‘There’..
Dear Scott,
I think you did nothing wrong, as someone said before, its the people who expect photography stuff from you….
You describe the book as a photoshop book and there is nothing about photography on the cover or the back… just your dirty tricks
What you might do is to separate your books clearly with headers like “Photography Book” and “Photoshop Book” and what else you “lay your focus on” in the books
Greets
Markus
Easy and a great $$$ generator.
Write a book on each subject that they want. Do a bunch of Booklets on each subject. Although I have purchased your books I would buy a booklet just for the sake of a quick easy to find subject that at that moment I want to bone up on…
George
Accept that your rebranding is now complete, and it worked. You’ve done an amazing repositioning of yourself and your whole enterprise. Don’t try to be two things at once and give the book title to Corey for future versions.
Hi Scott,
The answer is simple…. You need to write a “Down and Dirty Tricks for Photographers” book focused on tricks that would be used primarly by the photographers.
I get it. It’s not just a job for you, or yet another book. iIt’s your passion to teach and share your knowledge. I’m sure you looked at the reviews and thought…. “what did I do wrong”.
You just can’t make everyone happy all the time. Photographers think of you as writing just photography and Photoshop for photography related books. Graphic artists think of you as a Photoshop Guru.
I think the description of your book is clear as well as the table of contents. If people didn’t get what they were looking for they could always return the book. While the book may be geared more toward graphics artists, there are many tricks that could be used by photographers, perhaps not landscape or nature photogrpahers but definately by portrait and fine art photographers.
I haven’t purchased a copy of this book yet as I was layed off and am being financially conservative for the time being, but it is on my wish list and I do own past versions which I found excellent and useful.
Keep those books coming.
Luis Morales
2005 DLWS Acadia NP
P.S. Did you recover the Denver photos?
Scott! If I was in your shoes, I really wouldn’t worry about trying to please EVERYONE out there, (not that you are trying to do that of course!) I think that if those ‘goobers’ as you humorously call them in your books really took the time to research what you are trying to do, which is to educate and inform in a totally accessible way, they wouldn’t be so harsh in their opinions of you!
Of course there will always be times things might need to be improved a little, but I think you should just keep doing what you have been doing all these years – listening to people’s feedback! Otherwise you may not have been as successful as you really are!
You do a tremendous service to people already and if people can’t see that, its their problem, not yours!
P.S In case you may recall other comments I have posted on your blog in the past and wondered why I haven’t been here in a while, I’ve been busy pursuing other interests I’m now a Drummer in a band, also playing around in Apple’s Logic Studio 8! Loads of toys in there I can tell you!
Anyway keep up the good work you do for us and God bless!
This comment is directed to the Photoshop User TV. The software used to present the video has changed recently and it has become unwatchable. The loading icon appears approximately every 20ish seconds and remains loading for approximately 20ish seconds. The previous format played smoothly throughout the show. I just cannot watch it anymore. I sent a couple of Feedbacks to no avail.
I had the same problem and switched over to watch in on a iTunes podcast where it runs smooth.
I think you should change the description in the Amazon.
The existing problem however is that many people don’t think the “when you shoot, shoot it right” way, but “shoot now, edit later” way; and that’s the problem. They must have thought it was the book that would teach them how to salvage images and everything. But you can’t blame them, it says “…dirty tricks.”
Another good suggestion up there was the subtitle option. Buyers base their satisfaction according to the description at Amazon. It was like the unwritten contract that if you fail to comply with, you get the dreaded ONE STAR! har..har..har..!
Unfortunately Scott, you’re faced with the same problems us webmaster have, people simply don’t read no matter how you write it, word it, bold it, color it, etc… They see what they want to see and that’s that!
i’m a senior citizen, i’m a photoshop newbie, i take pictures with a point and shoot and i am most definitely a fan of yours … i have only read one of your books so far but will certainly read more … your passion is apparent and so is your talent. write what you want, the way you want and your audience will be there to make their own choices about how they feel about it. the only stars worth counting are the ones in the sky!
Hi Scott, love your books. No complaints. However….: Anyway you could please write a book that is titled “All about Camera raw”.
That would be seriously amazing. please?
Scott, I think the problem started when you decided to write this book. You have marketed yourself in the second half of your career much differently than the first half and you should have passed this book and Down and Dirty PS World classes on to another talented person within NAPP. I’m a wedding photographer and if I started putting landscape photography on my website I would only confuse my clients. I think by revisiting something you no longer market yourself as is where you made your critical error. If you want to be known as a photographer or an educator teaching photoshop for a photographer than stick to that successful endeavor and don’t try to be all things to all people.
Scott, Would it work for you to create consistent, descriptive categories for your books, and include those as subtitles? Examples: “A Kelby Photography Book” or; “A How-To Book For Designers” or; “Post-Production Effects Series” or; “Kelby Training Series – Photography,” etc.
Hi Scott,
Although it’s hard to build brand from scratch, I suggest when you go into reprint on your books you brand them to a series. Add the series definition as a page in the book ie:
Photo Series – Contents designed to help all types of photographers in getting the most out of their Photoshop experience.
Design Series – Contents designed to help people who create web pages, design and work with graphics and need to create visually stimulating content.
IT Series – Content designed to help people who have to edit, maintain update and support web sites, magazines or newspapers.
Something along those lines.
Good luck. Oh, and it doesn’t matter to me, I enjoy reading all of them no matter where they are targeted as I always learn something new.
Mark
I use type and picture effects all the time in my work. I think the book series and the regular video tutorials featured on Photoshop User TV and over at Corey Barker’s website about effects are fantastic and they extend my skill set beyond just being a plain old photographer.
If I need to know how to sharpen an image in Photoshop I’ll read your For Digital Photographers book. Keep up the good, I mean, great work and I think the title of the book and the tour speaks for itself.
Don’t change your book!!! and I couldn’t disagree with Mark Higgins more.. there are many facets in your career, and featuring them all inspires me, and I bet, many people. (I’m actually a graphic designer, who is learning photography now.. .maybe something about seeing all you ‘Adobe’ guys with cameras slung over your shoulders all the time is what got me interested in photography… who knows)
I’ve long learned that no matter how clear your write out descriptions, instructions, there are ALWAYS people who just don’t understand.. and I just want to tell them all “Reading comprehension, my friends….”
Scott, I find negative reviews helpful. I usually try to read several negative reviews before I buy a book. They are often more insightful. For example, someone that gives a book 5 starts and says “I am advanced and loved it”, doesn’t hold as much weight as someone that gives one star and says “I am just starting, and it was way over my head”. Then I know that the book really is advanced.
I buy programming books and finding out what people complain about, or think is missing, is sometimes a reason I will buy a book. I have seen lots of negative reviews in the past on these books but bought them anyway. When someone complains that in a 300 page book that it didn’t cover the 10 other things they wanted, then I know that the author had the time to get indepth on the material the book was supposed to be about.
OT:I looked at the iPhone app Public Radio Tuner and the complaints were that there weren’t enough rock stations, just public radio. I promptly put it on my iPhone.
This may have been said but, simply change the title to Photoshop Special Effects; maybe add Down and Dirty Tricks as a sub-title. Down and Dirty as the main and only title, it is very general and by that alone can mean Down and Dirty Tricks for anything in an individual’s mind from Photoshop special effects, to Photoshop photo workflow, to Photographing products, etc.
Granted, the ideal thing would be to change people so that they would read past the title and into the information presented but we all know how tough it is to change.
Your Photoshop books that go over Camera Raw and present multiple ways to accomplish the same things are great books. Keep up the good work.
Kirk
In the first section, on the first page, have people re-read the cover and say “Is this book for me?” if yes, you may carry on reading. If no, have them look in the mirror and make them say “I am an idiot, and I will not criticize this great authour about this book because of my own stupidity of not understanding what is written in plain english on the cover”
Maybe in your next book you could create an action to erase these people with a hard edged brush and 100% opacity?
or you can just leave it the way it is. There will always be people like this no matter what you do. Just make fun of them with your humour.
I love your books, I refer to them all the time, and I like your sense of Humour.
Sorry to hear you’re having this problem. Reading here for quite some time, being a NAPP member, and using your Kelby Training site I know exactly what your Down & Dirty Tricks book was about. I’ve been a regular reader for a year now, so maybe I’ve got a lot more inside information than the average book reader.
I think it’s up to consumers to do a little research prior to purchasing. Not all on your head Scott. And just so you know, I haven’t bothered with Down & Dirty Tricks yet. Read many of your books, but that one has been skipped for now. Working on being a better photographer and photoshop user. When I’m ready for the next step and done with my current information overload I’ll look into it.
You can’t please all of the people all of the time. Hang in there!
no matter how hard you try its impossible to write a book or design a seminar to please everyone. and presume the other 200+ posts above this one say that as well. yea a bit more difficult to see what a book’s really about when everyone shops online these days. for me when I’m looking to update my reference list for classes I’ll go to the bookstore to test drive a few books. Well whats not covered in one of your books is thoroughly covered in another & who doesn’t have more than 1 ps book in their collection?
The problem is very simple — the title.
When you say CS4 Down and Dirty Tricks people think in Technical Software Terms
Change the Title — Media Styles using Photoshop CS4 — because that is essentially what it is — reproduction of media styles using CS4
I read today that more people are reading — nothing in the article talked about comprehension
You can’t blame your potential customers for not getting it. It’s the marketer’s job to make sure the customers get it. And marketing in this case covers everything from the ad, the blurb on the book, the title itself, and even your personal branding. Perhaps chalk this one up to experience?
And it’s even possible that the market for this type of Ps use has shriveled in comparison to photo-specific editing, and thus is going to resonate with a much smaller percentage of users than before.
Here’s the deal, you can not please all the people all the time, so don’t try. I have quite a few of your books dealing with Photoshop, I am not a photographer. I do a small amount of pre-press work and run digital color output devices for short run color. Saw the book advertised on the NAPP web page and pre ordered because I knew what to expect and I am cool with the book so far, with one exception, I am still using CS2, can’t afford to upgrade (I know I am 2 versions behind they are moving to fast). some of the lessons in the beginning of the book call for using Smart Filters which are not available in CS2, I can create a Smart Object but that is as far as I can go. Any work around suggestions? Back to the original reason for adding a coment, again you can not please all the people all the time, keep doing’ what you’re doin’ everything will be fine. Really miss the Makeready column.
You can’t let TWO people change everything you do. There will be negative reviews, that’s just how it is.. if you aren’t confident enough in the book to stand on its own then perhaps there is a different problem here. One of the reviews was probably a lot harsher than it needed to be, and that alone pretty much invalidates that persons opinion in my eyes.
You managed to fix your rating with this blog post, I notice a huge surge of positive reviews after your post. I’m not assuming this was your intention at all, I think you genuinely wanted ideas on what to do, but that was the end result.. a manipulation of the rating system.
In the long term the book will do just fine, despite a couple pointed comments from people who didn’t take the time to look at what they were buying. You have a long history of great books, their comments won’t change that.
I think you’ve taken every reasonable action there is to insure people know what the book is about. After reading the description it was quite clear to me, and should be to anyone. Just brush off the comments and keep writing new books.
When you are successful enough you will always find that tearing things down is so very much easier than building things. When you look at the tremendous efforts you have made, the library of books, the non-stop KT Effort, you will inevitably have folks that want to take a jab at you.
Let them. It will never hurt you. The people that understand you and are looking for your book will find it and love it. It delivers yet another aspect of photography and its advancement via Photoshop techniques that you have mastered and love to share.
A few remarks from people that likely have no clue who you are and what you do cannot undo the remarkable substance you have created from scratch—from sweat and guts. And unless you’ve done that, it is hard to understand how difficult it is and how vulnerable one might feel in defending the actual content. It makes no difference. It never will.
The worst thing you can do is change to please those that cast stones at the monumental efforts you make. Let’em fly and to hell with them. Keep building…
G’day Scott,
That’s why I’m willing to get back copies of your books…these effects, for tenderfoots like me, are brilliant and enable me to give the “wow” factor to others, to enjoy.
Keep ‘em coming.
Maybe…”Down & Dirty Presentation Effects” ??
Hi Scott,
I admire your work. This book should be positioned as a book for what you can do with your photos after you have optimized them. If you are a studio photographer, you can benefit by creating your own custom backgrounds and effects rather than buy the stock backgrounds everyone else is using. If you are a product photographer, you can learn how to create a look for your photos and become your own photo illustrator. The skills you will gain through this book will help to diversify your studio’s offerings and in so doing deliver more value to your customers.
Amazon: People usually skim through a book’s description. So perhaps stating the book’s purpose upfront at the very beginning will help clarify any misconceptions. A bonus video describing the book will also help.
Best of luck to you and keep up the good work!
I just purchased “Down & Dirty” at Barnes & Noble in Torrance CA last Sunday evening. I read it in the coffee area for 1 hour then decided I had to have it. The fact that it was being discounted 20% only added to my enthusiasm. I am a beginner. I own a MacBook Pro so I have been working with IPhoto 08. Then I purchased Aperture2 but when I started working with the lessons for Photoshop CS4 on Lynda.com I decided that I would switch over and I have never regretted it. I am a senior on a limited income so I cannot partake in as much as I would wish but you have given me a lot of insight in how to utilize my Canon Rebel XSI camera as well as my Mac. Thanks for the know-how and keep sharing. I admire your work and am thankful that you are here for novices like me. Regards, Norma
I have been a long time fan and got to know your work because of the “Down-n-Dirty” books and articles. When I look for Scott Kelby books, that’s what I look for first. I have recently become interested in photography and because of my experience with that series, I look for your books first when seeking information about digital photography. I guess the point that I’m trying to make is that… Some of your original fan base comes from the Down-n-Dirty series. I applaud the fact that you are expanding your horizons but try not to forget about your original fan base as well. I do agree with one of the previous posters who said that they would like to see a “Down-n-Dirty Tricks for Digital Photographers”. That was kind of the first thing I was looking for when I saw that you had books on digital photography. As always… Keep up the good work and don’t get discouraged by a couple of people’s opinions.