My level of Photoshop I would say is beginner to intermediate. The 2 areas that I find myself interested in on photoshop is modifying a picture for humor or cleaning up a picture to make it look better.

I currently own a photoshop cs2 guide book that goes over every single tool option and I own I've got a human in my throat book. I find the human in my throat book, some tutorials I can follow through rather well but, some I get confused easily.

I am a viewer here on this site and I really do not submit any submissions because of the lack of skills I have. I am eager to learn if the book has pictures and is a fairly easy read, but I honestly do not know which one I should purhcase. I am looking to stay around or below $40.

Thank you for your help.

Here is an example of a photo I mocked up for work. I am only attaching this to show you the type of skill or the lack of skill I have.

This is probably one of the better ones out there...

http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-Professional-Laurie-Ulrich-Fuller/dp/0764595954

...Just don't drop it on your foot.

Jerry

When I get home later, I'll give you a list of the few I have, the fact that you chop for humor tells me that your on the right track around here, I hope you start posting soon, it will make you better at this, don't worry about your skill level, it never stopped most of us here good luck and welcome to PSC

I'm still in the newcomer/learning stage for photoshop.

Here's my favorite book - at my stage of learning - its not for CS2, written earlier - explains things so well:

Katrin Eismann - Photoshop masking and compositing:
website here - got supplementary material, sample chapter
http://www.photoshopmasking.com/

link to pdf of sample chapter (chapter 7)
http://www.photoshopmasking.com/articles/PS_Mask_Compositech7.pdf

Katrin Eismann's website:
http://www.photoshopdiva.com/

I have The Photoshop 7 bible (they have a CS2 version)
and it is awesome, Its funny and informative.
The PS7 version was like thirty bucks, I think.
Oh, and get the professional version.

First, thank you all for taking your time out to respond to this question. I have written down a few and I am going to go to a book store this weekend and look at the ones recommended.

Thank you all for your help and your support in my quest to be a better photoshop person.