Rating: 
Summary: Pure Elegance.....
Review: is what this book is. For me personally I found it very inspiring and John Paul actually opens up a new realm of thinking when creating digital imagery. Each chapter is well thought out and easy to follow, although I don't think it's a book for beginners to learn from. That's not to say it couldn't be inspiring, but one must have a very good understanding of Photoshop to take his techniques and implement them. His approach to creating images is truly unique and particular chapters ending with a couple of techniques to create what has been talked about. i.e Color to Grayscale, Multitone image creations etc.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best Photoshop books ever written
Review: John Paul Caponigro takes a very humanistic approach to his writing on Photoshop. Going beyond the dry and flat descriptiveness of most text-based Photoshop books, Caponigro applies the human touch to his teachings on utilizing Photoshop. By sharing how he personally approaches each of his images, he shows how working with Photoshop can be a creative and exciting process. There's nothing that I can write here that better conveys the value of this book then reading the book yourself.
Rating:
Summary: A goldmine
Review: John Paul Caponigro's books is a most refreshing addition to the vast array of Photoshop books available today. Crammed full with hands on, most competent technical advice (e.g. on how to get your whole computer setup properly calibrated) this books is full of creative and inspiring ideas for photographers who like to add some more digital "punch" to their work.
Today we are getting drowned in PhotoShop "How-To", "Magic" and all sorts of titles, but there are only very, very few books for those who are looking for new ways to solve problems and get more out of their photos using Adobe Photoshop.
This book is especially useful for landscape photographers, but Caponigro's ideas can be transferred to other subject areas as well. Many of John Paul Caponigro's images are outright Daliesque (surrealistic) and can start an avalanche of new ideas in one's brain.
A most profitable read for many photographers, but it definitely is no book for PhotoShop beginners. A definite 5-star...
Rating: 
Summary: More of an aesthetic treatise-NOT for beginners!
Review: John Paul has written a truly beautiful book. His images are outstanding, and this book has a very special niche. I consider myself in the advanced beginner category, I can do basic things in photoshop, do some adjustment layers, color balance, etc, and, from that perspective, feel that this book is definitely for people who are professionals or advanced amateurs and have a very solid grasp of Photoshop. John Paul explains things, but there are limited examples, and he speaks as if you know what he is talking about in terms of tools. I read and reread sections of the book and could not get my arms around many of the concepts. Also, just a minor point, and this irks me in many books, every concept is in terms of Macintosh computers, nowhere does he say what the equivalent of the 'option' key or 'command' key is in Windows. In light of this, I returned this book for a refund. P.S. I picked up Sybex's 'Photoshop 6 Complete' for [amt] at a local bookstore. This book is not in color, it is in newsprint, but is very easy to go through and does take you from basic concepts to advanced concepts in a clear and easy to apply manner. Well written, good examples. For me, a very good value.
Rating:
Summary: More of an aesthetic treatise-NOT for beginners!
Review: John Paul has written a truly beautiful book. His images are outstanding, and this book has a very special niche. I consider myself in the advanced beginner category, I can do basic things in photoshop, do some adjustment layers, color balance, etc, and, from that perspective, feel that this book is definitely for people who are professionals or advanced amateurs and have a very solid grasp of Photoshop. John Paul explains things, but there are limited examples, and he speaks as if you know what he is talking about in terms of tools. I read and reread sections of the book and could not get my arms around many of the concepts. Also, just a minor point, and this irks me in many books, every concept is in terms of Macintosh computers, nowhere does he say what the equivalent of the 'option' key or 'command' key is in Windows. In light of this, I returned this book for a refund. P.S. I picked up Sybex's 'Photoshop 6 Complete' for [amt] at a local bookstore. This book is not in color, it is in newsprint, but is very easy to go through and does take you from basic concepts to advanced concepts in a clear and easy to apply manner. Well written, good examples. For me, a very good value.
Rating:
Summary: Blue Heron Editions. . . A Professional Giclee Printer
Review: John Paul's understand of and passion with Photoshop is quite evident. His references, examples, explanations are unique in the sence that it brings out the readers comprehension of not only what should be done, but, most importantly, why! This is the book that intermediate, advanced and professional Photoshop users have been waiting for, and will keep next to their computer, at all times, for easy reference.
Rating:
Summary: Good but over-rated
Review: Master Class is a good book but its potential is not realized. Clearly, John Paul has great Photoshop expertise and insight. He spends far too much time, however, discussing his own interesting but obscure art work. Another big problem is that the pictures in the book are very small and far too often the reader can't see the point the author says is illustrated in the pictures.... they could have done better. I would say that 25% of the book is useful. Spare us the endless philosophical waxing and tell us more about how to unleash the power of Photoshop!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Good intent but poorly written, too long, few clear examples
Review: Mr. Caponigro may have started with the best of intentions but his writing is so bad, you have to strain to get through the material. He takes too long getting to the point and provides so little clear direction or examples, that I'm left only with his sense of self-importance, not information about Photoshop. If the he had let an editor shorten the book by half and provided more clear steps/information about using Photoshop, I would have indulged him more, but as it is, this book is of very little use for someone wanting to expand their Photoshop skills. Its the author being spiritual and groovy way past the point of usefullness.
Rating:
Summary: A Thinking Book
Review: Ok, I agree with the others on here, it's not a "techniques" book per say but rather a "thinking" book, giving a person additional ways in which to think about working in PS w/ images. That said there are alot of techniques but just not of the Step 1-2-3 variety but rather technique ideas (maybe this is why some call it a "philosophy" book, but to be honest there isn't a word on new agey concepts anywhere here so don't let that scare you away). This is a "Master" book, one which gives the reader a higher-level view of PS and imaging... you need to have done your work to appreciate this level.
Rating:
Summary: A Thinking Book
Review: Ok, I agree with the others on here, it's not a "techniques" book per say but rather a "thinking" book, giving a person additional ways in which to think about working in PS w/ images. That said there are alot of techniques but just not of the Step 1-2-3 variety but rather technique ideas (maybe this is why some call it a "philosophy" book, but to be honest there isn't a word on new agey concepts anywhere here so don't let that scare you away). This is a "Master" book, one which gives the reader a higher-level view of PS and imaging... you need to have done your work to appreciate this level.
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