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Open in Camera Raw from Bridge

You can open RAW images in Camera Raw right from Bridge in Photoshop CS3. This frees up Photoshop to continue working on your files while they’re being processed in Camera Raw. Just select one or more images in Bridge, Control-click (PC: Right-click) on them, and choose Open in Camera Raw. This will open the image(s) in Bridge’s Camera Raw rather than Photoshop. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command-R (PC: Ctrl-R).

Check Out Photomerge!

You can create really cool panoramic images with Photomerge. Located under File>Automate, Photomerge has taken great leaps to make your panoramic photos as painless as possible. In some cases, you can shoot holding your camera close, and shoot in a circle. Thanks so much to Dave Cross for the tip, although I’m sure many people will wonder what I am doing spinning in a circle like I’m seven years old. At least I have an excuse.

Google 3D Warehouse

Photoshop CS3 Extended’s new 3D capabilities make it easy to modify models created in other 3D programs. However, there are some that may not have a 3D modeling program. Google has introduced the Google 3D Warehouse, which is a library of free 3D models you can import directly into Photoshop and manipulate using the available 3D tools. Here is the site: http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse.

Exporting 3D to After Effects

When you create a grid box inside Vanishing Point, in addition to having the option of returning that grid back to Photoshop as a 3D object, you also have the option of exporting it as a 3D object that you can import into After Effects CS3 and manipulate in a 3D layer. Just click on the small right-facing triangle in the top of the dialog and in the flyout menu, choose Export for After Effects CS3 (.vpe).

Vanishing Point and 3D

While working in the Vanishing Point filter, you can create a multi-plane grid and return the part of the image contained in the grid back to Photoshop as a 3D layer (choose Return 3D Layer to Photoshop from the flyout menu). Once it is a 3D layer, you can move the object around in three dimensions using Photoshop’s 3D tools.

Modify Textures on 3D Objects

If you have imported a 3D object that has a texture applied to it, that texture will show up as a sublayer with your 3D layer. To modify or replace the existing texture, simply double-click directly on the texture name in the Layers panel. A dialog will open with the 2D texture. Make whatever changes you need, then close and save the document. Just like a Smart Object, it will update automatically in the main document.

Creating Place Scale Markers

You know those scale markers they have on maps that say that 1″ equals 1 mile? Well, Photoshop can create something called Scale Markers. These are measurement guides that are created based on the measurement scale you use. Once a measurement scale is established, go under the Analysis menu and choose Place Scale Marker. In this example, I have established my measurement scale to interpret 100 pixels as 1″ in a file that’s 10″ wide at 100 dpi. So if I want to create a 3″ scale marker, then I would enter 3 in the Length field. I can also choose to display text as a label for the marker. You can choose its color and placement depending on the file.

Measurement Presets

You may find yourself setting up measurement parameters for a number of different size images. To keep from having to reset the values over and over, click on the Save Preset button. It is perhaps a good idea to name the presets after the pixel dimension to make them easy to identify.

Measuring in Vanishing Point

In Vanishing Point, you can take advantage of the new measurement tools by measuring something in three dimensions. You simply grab the Measure tool (R) and click between two points. Then in the top of the dialog, enter an establishing value in the Length field. This value will be what all other measurements will be based on. You can then render these measurements to Photoshop from Vanishing Point’s flyout menu. TIP: You may want to use a blank layer before going into Vanishing Point because when measurements are rendered, they appear on the currently active layer.

Measure Anything in Photoshop

If you choose Analysis>Set Measurement Scale>Custom, you will get a dialog where you can set a series of presets. Although you are in the dialog, you can still move outside of it and click-and-drag out a measurement.

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Viewing and Basking in your Image

When I’m done working with an image, I like to sit and admire it (hey, I spent six hours working on it, I should). To do that, I hit the Tab key, then hit the F key three times. This hides all of the panels and toolbars and lets you see the image by itself surrounded by black. To get back to regular mode, press the F key and the Tab key one more time.

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