Tip of the Day | Page 12

Create a “Rule-of-Thirds” Grid

Don’t use the grid view very often? Then turn it into a rule-of-thirds grid. In Photo-shop, press Command – K (PC: Ctrl-K) to open your Preferences. Click on Guides, Grid & Slices from the list on the left and change the settings for the Grid section as follows: Gridline every 100 percent, Subdivisions 3, and click OK. This creates a grid that divides the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. When you turn on the grid by pressing Command – ’ (PC: Ctrl – ’(apostrophe)), a rule-of-thirds grid will be superimposed over the image.

June 23rd, 2009 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (1)

Lightening an Underexposed Image, Method 3

This time, let’s use a Curves adjustment layer to lighten our image. Open the image and in the Adjustments panel, click on the Curves icon. Now select the little hand with the double-facing arrow at the top left of the Curves Adjustment panel and click-and-drag inside the image to adjust the curve. Move the cursor over the image and click on the area of the image you want to brighten. While holding down the button, move the mouse up. This will adjust the curve and lighten the image.

June 22nd, 2009 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (1)

Lightening an Underexposed Image, Method 2

Another way to lighten an image uses the Overlay screen mode. Here’s how: Open the image and click on the Create a New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. Press D to set the Foreground/Background colors to their default black/white, respectively, and then press Command-Delete (PC: Ctrl-Backspace) to fill the new layer with solid white. Change this layer’s blend mode to Overlay and you can then adjust the brightness of the image by changing the layer’s Opacity until it looks right to you.

June 19th, 2009 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (2)

Lightening an Underexposed Image, Method 1

When I’m shooting concert images, the lighting often changes quickly, and I end up with an image that’s just a little too dark. One of the simplest and most effective tricks to lighten an image is to use the Screen layer blend mode. Open the image, duplicate the Background layer by pressing Command-J (PC: Ctrl-J), and then change the blend mode of the new layer to Screen. Then simply adjust the Opacity of the new layer until it suits your needs.

June 18th, 2009 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (4)

Quickly Straighten Images in Camera Raw

While Camera Raw can do amazing things with the White Balance menu, Exposure sliders, and other adjustments to get the best out of your images, there’s one tool I use all the time: the Straighten tool. Just click on the Straighten tool at the top of the window (or press A, the keyboard shortcut), select a starting point, and then click-and-drag across an element in the image that’s straight. Camera Raw will rotate the image as needed. Press Return (PC: Enter) to see what the image will look like without opening it.

June 17th, 2009 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (1)

Smart Objects as the Default

If you hold down the Shift key while opening an image in Photoshop from Camera Raw, it will open as a smart object. You can also set this as the default action by clicking on the Work?ow Options link under the image (the blue, underlined information that looks like a hyperlink), and checking the Open in Photoshop as a Smart Objects checkbox.

June 16th, 2009 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (0)

Custom Workspaces in Bridge CS4

It’s now easier than ever to switch between different custom workspace layouts in Bridge CS4. Just click on one of the layouts from the list at the top right of the window. Bridge CS4 comes with eight standard workspaces and also allows you to save your own custom workspace(s) by clicking on the down-facing arrow (between the workspace’s name and the Search field) and selecting New Workspace.

June 15th, 2009 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (2)

Full-Screen Preview in Bridge CS4

Bridge CS4 lets you quickly get a full-screen preview of any image. Select the image and press the Spacebar or select the Full Screen Preview from the View menu. This opens the selected image in a full-screen preview. Click on the image and it zooms to a 100% preview; Control-click (PC: Right-click) and drag on the image to move around; press the Arrow keys to move between images. Pressing the Spacebar a second time returns Bridge to the previous mode.

June 12th, 2009 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (3)

Use Refine Mask Instead of Refine Edge

If your aim in making a selection is to turn it into a layer mask for an adjustment layer, skip the Refine Edge controls in favor of the new Refine Mask controls, found in the Mask panel (Window>Masks) in CS4 — just click on Mask Edge to open the dialog. The controls in Refine Mask are the same as Refine Edge, but they affect a mask and not a selection, allowing you to see in real time how the edges of an adjustment layer’s mask are affected and what works best for that particular layer.

June 11th, 2009 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (1)

Resurrect the Extract Command

The Extract command is no longer offered in Photoshop CS4, but you can still access its functionality in the new version of Photoshop by transferring a file called “Extract-Plus.plugin” from the Plug-Ins>Filters folder of Photoshop CS3 to the same folder in Photoshop CS4. It works and hopefully, there’ll be something even better in CS5.

June 10th, 2009 | Web Editor | Tip of the Day | Comments (3)

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Photoshop Tutorials

2012 Text Effect

Recreate the text effect from the title to the new blockbuster movie.
More Fun with 3D

Continue exploring the possibilities with Photoshop’s new 3D tools.
Reverse Restoration

Corey shows you how to make a new photo look damaged by blending in some unusual textures.
3D Background Effects

Use Photoshop’s new 3D tools to create some dazzling background effects.

Premium Video Tutorials From NAPP

Photo Retouch
Scott Kelby shows you how to take an overexposed photo into a great photo using Photoshop. Want Great Photoshop & Photography Skills?

Extended Definition Processing
Scott Kelby shares a technique he's been working on, which gives your final image an HDR look using just one photo.
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Smart Object Masking Trick
Dave Cross shares a trick he discovered that will help you remove white from around your subject when using smart objects.
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Light Painting
Dave Cross takes a popular trend - light painting - and shows you how you can paint text recreating this cool trend.
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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.