Photoshop Tips – 5 Tricks You Should Learn in Photoshop

Nowadays, the majority of photographers shoot digital. With digital photography, we’re open to a new set of possibilities. If you’re not editing your photos using programs like Photoshop, You are being left out of making your photos appear as they should.

If you’re a novice amateur photographer or a proud parent wanting to get better photos of your children, using software such as Photoshop elements can help make your pictures stand out from the rest. There are a few simple tools that you can utilize to get the most value from your pictures. Every picture you see in magazines is edited to a certain degree. Every professional photographer who is prosperous in their profession employs these tools to enhance their craft. Note that I said “enhance” because even the most skilled PS experts can’t save a photo that is poorly composed or has poor lighting. But with appropriate knowledge, you will be able to improve your photos to make them better. Adobe (maker of PS and PSE) provides a no-cost trial version of their software that lets you “try before you purchase.” For those who aren’t experts, I’d recommend PSE as a result of the fact that for $89, you’ll get impressive horsepower. And you are able to upgrade to the premium version in the future. These are the top five essential things you need to be aware of to start your journey.

1. Layers

This is the topic that turns many users off from PS. First, it is difficult to get your head around, but this will help you gain an understanding of it. PS gives you the capability to work with layers to protect specific parts of your images from getting affected by the tools. Consider the layers like steps. The base image is your background. Each layer you create is similar to putting an overcoat of plastic on the first layer. Each tool you choose to use can only be used on one layer. In PS, you can go to layer>add new and start afresh layer or use control+J (Command+J on mac) for a duplicate of the background layer.

2. Levels

Levels can be found by clicking the image > Levels > Adjustments. Levels alter the contrast of your photos and the distinction between darks and brights. You can play around with it to get an instant boost to your photos.

3. Saturation and Hue

You can find this by applying the same process as the one above, but this time you select Hue and Saturation. The saturation affects the colors of the image. The higher the saturation, the greater the intensity of the hue! But be cautious not to overdo it! The color and brightness can be altered to alter the shades.

4. Selection tools.

The toolbar is located on the left side of the screen; the initial four tools are tools for selection. They allow you to select different options to modify specific areas within an image. Be sure to right-click and choose the feather radius between 5-250 pixels to soften the edges in the selected area.

5. Filters

When you click on the filter tab on the screen, we can open ourselves up to millions of possibilities. Add some blur, and you have it. Sharpening? Problem solved. You need to test them all out to experience the power they bring.

If you have any queries regarding how to use one of the tools listed or other tools, please send me an email. My portfolio is available on Santa Clarita Photographers.