Photoshop for Photographers

Learn what every photographer needs to master Photoshop, including cropping, improving exposure, masking, converting to black and white, and more.

Introduction

• Welcome
• Getting the most out of this course
• Using the exercise files

1. Where Photoshop Fits In

• Before and after views of images
• Photoshop's role in today's workflow
• Accessing your images with Bridge
• Getting started with Lightroom

2. Setting Up Photoshop

• Setting up your color settings
• Fine-tuning your preferences
• Choosing and customizing a workspace

3. Beginning with Camera Raw

• What is Camera Raw?
• Camera Raw and Photoshop case study
• Opening images into Camera Raw
• Improving your images with the basics

4. Getting Started with Photoshop

• Using the Start workspace
• Opening, saving, and closing a photograph
• Getting familiar with the interface
• Using tools and undoing mistakes

5. Viewing Images

• Zooming and panning on your photos
• Expert zooming and panning tips
• Choosing and changing the screen mode
• Arranging and viewing multiple documents

6. Understanding Pixels and Image Size

• Pixels and image sizing
• Resizing an image to a smaller size
• Exporting for email and social media
• Challenge: Resizing a photo for print and online
• Solution: Resizing a photo for print and online

7. Cropping and Straightening Images

• Mastering the Crop tool
• Cropping and straightening your photos
• Fixing a crooked image
• Cropping projects
• Challenge: Level and resize a photo to make a 5x5 print
• Solution: Level and resize a photo to make a 5x5 print

8. Increased Control with Layers

• Why layers matter
• Creative layers case study
• Creating new blank layers
• Working with type layers
• Improving color with adjustment layers
• Applying layer style effects
• Combining multiple images into one document
• Combining multiple images and creating a color border
• Organizing layers into groups
• Challenge: Using layers
• Solution: Using layers

9. Improving Exposure like a Pro

• Adding brightness and contrast
• Fixing exposure with Levels
• Fine-tuning an image with Curves
• Correcting exposure with Camera Raw as a Smart Filter
• Fixing an underexposed image
• Challenge: Correcting exposure
• Solution: Correcting exposure

10. Fixing Specific Areas of an Image

• Using the Elliptical Marquee tool to make a selection
• Selecting and changing a rectangular area
• Selecting with the Lasso tools
• Working with the Quick Select tool
• Quick Select project workflow
• Making a selection with Focus Area
• Challenge: Selecting the subject from the background
• Solution: Selecting the subject from the background

11. Advanced Adjustments with Masking

• Introducing masks
• Improving an image with custom masks
• Feathering a mask
• Using a gradient mask to fix exposure
• Copying a mask to save time
• Challenge: Creating a color effect
• Solution: Creating a color effect

12. Fine-Tuning Color

• Changing colors in Camera Raw
• Creative color adjustments with Camera Raw
• Fine-tuning color with Hue and Saturation
• Using Hue and Saturation with masking
• Changing the color of a dress
• Two steps to creating vivid and beautiful color
• Using Color Balance to create vivid color
• Challenge: Advanced work with brightness and color
• Solution: Advanced work with brightness and color

13. Converting to Black and White

• Converting to black and white with Camera Raw
• Making a strong black-and-white portrait
• Creating better black-and-white landscape photographs
• Creating a black-and-white film grain effect
• Making more dramatic black-and-white images
• Challenge: Black-and-white landscape
• Solution: Black-and-white landscape

14. Photographic Effects with Filters

• Adding lens flare
• Changing focus with the Blur Gallery
• Creating a tilt-shift blur effect
• Adding a creative blur to a portrait
• Adding light with lighting effects
• Challenge: Adding blur
• Solution: Adding blur

15. Sharpening and Reducing Noise

• Sharpening with Camera Raw
• Reducing unwanted noise in Camera Raw
• Reducing unwanted noise with high-res files
• Reducing unwanted noise in Photoshop
• Sharpening your photos with Smart Sharpen
• Sharpening a multilayered document
• Using Focus Area to select the area to sharpen
• Selective sharpening with Smart Sharpen
• Challenge: Selective sharpening
• Solution: Selective sharpening

16. Retouching Away Problems

• Using Content-Aware Fill to remove distractions
• Removing an object with Clone Stamp
• Quick results with the Spot Healing tool
• Seamless retouching with the Healing tools
• Fixing a large area with the Patch tool
• Increasing image content with Content-Aware Scale
• Challenge: Removing a large object
• Solution: Removing a large object

17. Portrait Retouching Essentials

• Improving skin with the Healing Brush tools
• Wrinkle reduction
• Whitening teeth with adjustment layers
• Changing facial structure with Liquify
• Changing shape with Liquify
• Brightening the eyes
• Improving eye shadows
• Challenge: Creating more beautiful skin
• Solution: Creating more beautiful skin

18. Making the Perfect Print

• Getting ready to print: Resizing
• Sharpening and brightening for final output
• Selecting your printer and paper size
• Choosing color management and printer settings

Conclusion

• Next steps