Today being Tutorial Tuesday, it’s a great opportunity to showcase one’s image editing talents. Since I have none, I wondered what I could talk about that would help others with the same level of expertise.
Finally, it came to me — scope out advice on everything I’d like to know. It would be my Top 10 list of ‘please show me how’, that others just might find beneficial too.
I’m not a total novice having been introduced to Photoshop years ago while working at the newspaper. This was new software, which we were told would take us out of the darkroom and transform images in ways we had only previously imagined. For example, the elderly woman who accused us of darkening her lips in a photo to make her look ridiculous, could actually have that happen now.
The problem, however, was that while the means now existed, time to actually learn all its tricks was limited. A few days of training gave us essentials; beyond that its possibilities remained, for the most part, a mystery.
Moving on to a new job I thought of buying the software for home, but couldn’t justify the cost. So again I found myself using Photoshop in sporadic intervals at work. Occasionally, I would try a new technique, but never had the chance to use it again so would forget what had been learned.
My hope, then is that today’s missive will benefit me down the road, since it will be a list of all of the things I would like to learn, in one handy place for the time when I can finally dedicate myself to becoming good friends with Photoshop.
• Changing Colours: Here is an example of a forgotten technique. I learned it shortly after starting my new job and the knowledge is long gone. This helpful tutorial should help bring it back:
Photoshop Help/ Match, Replace and Mix Colours
• Switching Heads: This was an experiment one of my colleagues at the newspaper performed once. A friend of my diminutive daughter had joked that putting her face on her sister’s long, lean form would make the perfect woman. We decided to put it to the test. Strangers would never have guessed the photo wasn’t original. For Mom, however, the results were surreal. Here’s a quick how-to from Digital Photography School
DPS Offers 2 Easy Photoshop Head Swapping Techniques
• Combining Images: Here was another project I undertook some time ago, transposing a bridal couple over a macro shot of a rose. Since I don’t recall one step, I might as well reference the blog I wrote at the time:
iCLIPART.com I Little Bit About Photoshop’s Layer Masks
• Removing Objects: This is a technique I attempted in my newspaper days. But the infrequency made it challenging so I usually passed it off to an experienced colleague. Adding it to my list will hopefully ensure that practice makes perfect.
Adobe Photoshop Tutorial on Removing Objects
• Using Selection Tools: Any time I’ve tried I’ve failed. Miserably. The work is tedious and I apparently lack the patience. Since it’s basically a beginning technique I’m clearly doing something wrong. Learning a little more about them and how to use them won’t go amiss:
Master Photoshop’s Selection Tools in Under 30 Minutes
• Improve Your Photo: Having come through the dodge and burn darkroom days, I’m really interested in how to make my photos better using Photoshop. This tutorial promises awesome results:
How to Make Your Photos Look Awesome With Photoshop
• Colour Shifts: My husband has a classic car. We love taking pictures of it, but often are disappointed with the colour. This technique promises a way to get back that candy apple red.
• Saturate and De-Saturate: Bringing out the best in your image can be achieved with the hue and saturation sliders. I’ve played with them, but really don’t know how to get it right. Help comes my way in this tutorial:
Adjust Hue and Saturation in Photoshop
• Portrait Retouching: When it comes to portraiture everyone wants their best face forward. With Photoshop everyone can be picture perfect.
Complete Guide to Retouching Portraits
• Instagram Your Images: The photo sharing social media network is becoming quite popular. It provides various filters to add a personal touch. It’s fun. Got me wondering if there was a way to get the same effect in Photoshop. Turns out there is. And it’s quick and easy too:
