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05/28/2006 09:28:55 AM · #1 |
| Many of us have valuable tips and short-cuts in the top of our heads. It would be great if we could share the tips we think could be useful to others. |
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05/28/2006 09:29:54 AM · #2 |
Selective Sharpening with High-Pass filter
NOTE: You cannot use this method in basic editing challenges.
1) Press the "D" key once to set the colors to black and white with white on top
2) Create duplicate layer (Layer | Duplicate Layer)
3) Choose high pass filter (Filter | Other | High Pass...)
4) Set the radius somewhere between 3 and 6 depending on the amount of detail you wish to sharpen. I often use 3.7.
You will now have 2 layers. The top layer will look grey.
5) Set blending mode (Click on the blending mode in the layer dialogue box and scroll through the blending modes from 'overlay' to 'hard mix' to see and set the effect of the sharpening).
6) Add layer mask (In the layer dialogue box; hold down ALT key and clik the grey sqaure with the white circle in it).
7) Select the paintbrush and paint the areas you want to sharpen.
8) If you wish to 'unsharpen' an area you painted sharp, you can swap black and white and paint it back to the way it was.
9) Finally; use the opacity slider on the top layer to control the sharpening even more
With this method you can easily sharpen for instance just the line around a birds eye or certain feathers. You can also create one layer for each area you like to sharpen differently.
Hope this helps to explore other ways. There are many others but this one works well for me.
Try it and you'll get amazed of the results unless you overdo it |
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05/28/2006 09:37:13 AM · #3 |
OK, this is probably as basic a tip as you will get but I only learnt this when I got my tablet a few weeks ago.
I you are using (say) a selection tool and the image is larger than the viewing area hold down the space bar and you can then scroll to another part of the image, releasing the spacebar then re selects your tool.
No wonder my pp'ing has been so bad lol
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05/28/2006 09:41:24 AM · #4 |
These are just basic keyboard shortcuts but took me a long time before I learned some of them and I cry at the time I could have saved. (I have no idea how these work on a mac.)
- Use the left and right bracket keys "[" and "]" to change the size of your brush. Add Shift to change the softness/hardness of the brush.
- Tab button will toggle the palettes on and off.
- When your brush tool is selected , press D to reset the colors to default (black foreground and white background). Press X to swap the background and foreground.
- When you're painting a mask, hit the "\" (backslash) key to toggle the overlay on and off.
- Alt + Click changes the curves grid from 4x4 to 10x10 and vice versa.
` |
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05/28/2006 09:43:05 AM · #5 |
Originally posted by Ecce Signum:
OK, this is probably as basic a tip as you will get but I only learnt this when I got my tablet a few weeks ago.
I you are using (say) a selection tool and the image is larger than the viewing area hold down the space bar and you can then scroll to another part of the image, releasing the spacebar then re selects your tool.
No wonder my pp'ing has been so bad lol |
Likewise, if you're using a tool like the square marquee, you can use the spacebar to move the entire selection, rather than having it be anchored at your start point. |
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05/28/2006 10:03:00 AM · #6 |
Press TAB-f-f to view your image on a black background with no toolbars or menus. You can then use the hand tool (shortcut: h) to pan around the image, CTRL-click and ALT-click zoom in and out. TAB-f takes you back to to the normal view.
Non-destructive way to make a black border:
1. Reset background and foreground colours (d)
2. Create a new layer and set the mode to multiply
3. Fill with white (CTRL-BACKSPACE)
4. Go to layer style
5. Check and select inner glow
6. Set blend mode to normal, opacity to 100, colour to black
7. Choke to 100
8. Grow the border by increasing size
For a white border:
Same as with black, except change the layer blending mode to screen, and swop black and white around in all steps.
This a a bit of work the first time around, but can easily be made into an action. Then a you create a black or white border by just running the action. The size can easilt be changed afterwards. |
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05/28/2006 10:21:42 AM · #7 |
Something else that is very cool although not PS related:
In Google on the blank search line; enter any mathematical formula (as complex as you want or as simple as '2+2') and press enter...
I use it all the time - it's fast and easier than pulling up Windows' calculator |
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05/28/2006 10:28:45 AM · #8 |
Any chance you can post a before and after photo with your methods just so we can see the effect? :)
Also, can this be done in any photoshop? i.e., Elements?
Thanks & good idea! :) |
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05/28/2006 10:30:42 AM · #9 |
Right-click to change tool sizes - saves tons of time.
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05/28/2006 10:39:36 AM · #10 |
Basic stuff I use every day:
* With an image open, press F repeatedly to toggle between full screen with menu, full screen, and standard view.
* Ctrl-plus and Ctrl-minus zooms in and out.
* Ctrl-Alt-drag to duplicate current layer and move it.
* Ctrl-spacebar-drag to pan around image with hand tool (already mentioned, but worth repeating).
* Right-click selects current tool's context menu (e.g., brush size, layer, text options, etc.), or layer properties menu for selection tools.
* With text tool, click-drag to create a text box, instead of a line of type. |
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05/28/2006 12:43:40 PM · #11 |
When cloning, make sure to zoom in at least 400% into the image to be convincing.
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05/28/2006 01:17:04 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by American_Horse:
When cloning, make sure to zoom in at least 400% into the image to be convincing. |
Though you should also zoom out completely regularily to make sure the clone blends in properly with the rest of the image. |
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05/28/2006 02:36:29 PM · #13 |
Great tips! It took me a long time to discover the benefits of the keyboard shortcuts.
It also took me awhile to discover a method I call "Back to the Future" - Apply an effect to the whole image (blur, sharpen, anything) with some relatively extreme/dramatic settings. Then undo (CTRL+Z) and go to the history panel and set the history brush to the step you just undid. Now select the history brush and set the opacity to 20-25% and set the size appropriately to apply the filtered effect little by little to the area you want. Roughly 5 passes at 20% in the same area applies the full effect.
This works great for blurring backgrounds, sharpening eyes, etc. It seems to work better than duplicating the layer and erasing parts - at least for me.
One more: The key to cloning is to sample various areas so a pattern can not be detected. Clone, clone and re-clone samples from similar, but unique areas of the background/foreground, etc.
All the keyboard tips are invaluable - find the way that works best for you. If you have a whell mouse, ALT-Scroll zooms in & out also.
Happy editing. |
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05/28/2006 03:09:28 PM · #14 |
I have a very good tip that learnt yesterday.
Make a very nice B&W photo with much burning and dodging and many layer masks. When you have gotten a nice B&W photo duplicate the original photo and put it in the front. There you change the blending mode to color. Then you get get a very nice color photo with the same luminosity as the B&W image. |
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05/28/2006 03:12:49 PM · #15 |
Here are some shortcuts:
Ctrl + J - Duplicates a current layer
Toggle the X key - moves the foreground and background colors
[ - to decrease brush size
] - to increase brush size
Ctrl + R - Show rulers
USM for portraits:
75/2.0/3
Alt + F4 to quit |
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05/28/2006 03:12:57 PM · #16 |
| Also, for those with a tablet, the buttons on the pen generally emulate left and right mouse clicks. This is invaluable when editing to change brush sizes, opacity, etc., very quickly while actually making the brush strokes. |
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05/28/2006 03:14:03 PM · #17 |
Oh the most important tip if you're using CS or CS2?
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05/28/2006 03:45:55 PM · #18 |
Save as......save your changes as you go.
Nothing more frustrating than having put in a lot of work on an image, nearly finished and then KAPOO..... computer crashes and pffffff it's gone :(
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05/28/2006 04:47:45 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by Djabordjabor:
I have a very good tip that learnt yesterday.
Make a very nice B&W photo with much burning and dodging and many layer masks. When you have gotten a nice B&W photo duplicate the original photo and put it in the front. There you change the blending mode to color. Then you get get a very nice color photo with the same luminosity as the B&W image. |
To add to this ... the same result can be obtained while saving a step by keeping the B&W layer on top and setting it to Luminosity blending. This works the same because the Color blending mode keeps the luminosity of the base layer (bottom) and adds the hue and saturation of the blend layer (top). The Luminosity blend mode does just the inverse, it keeps the hue and saturation of the base layer while adding the luminosity of the blend layer. Like I said, the results are the same, it just saves the step of adding the color image as a layer above the B&W one.
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And to add something new to the discussion:
Every time I think I've seen or come up with every possible use for a luminosity mask (Ctrl-Alt-~), I find more that can be done with it. The mask itself is slightly darker than the Lightness channel in Lab mode, but slightly brighter than desaturating the RGB image.
Using it as is gives a mask that allows full effect to the highlights while tapering off as it moves toward the shadows. While, inverting it gives full effect to the shadows while tapering off as it mores toward the highlights.
But there's more,
- create the luminosity selection and save it as an alpha channel.
- copy the alpha channel as a new layer in the image. < Select alpha channel in channels pallet, Ctrl-A, Ctrl-C, select composit channel (RGB) in channels pallet, select top layer in layers pallet and Ctrl-V >
- above that layer add a fill layer with 50% grey [128,128,128] and set it to the Difference blend mode.
- create a levels layer (or just apply a levels adjustment directly) and more the right-hand slider (highlight side) in to 128. (This is needed to get a full range of tones because none of the values will be greater than 128.)
- create a luminosity selection (Ctrl-Alt-~) of the result and save as an alpha channel.
What this does is creates a luminosity mask with full effect at the highlights and shadows, but tapers off as it moves toward the middle (the value of the fill layer).
Invert this alpha channel and the luminosity mask gives full effect to the mid-tones while tapering off toward the highlights and shadows.
This same method can be used with other values for the fill layer to isolate a specific tone of the image. The only adjustment needed is when sliding the Levels slider, move it to either the value used in the fill layer or 256-(the fill value), whichever is larger. This is a quick and easy way to apply adjustments to specific zones of the image while feathering the result over the rest of the image to blend well.
David
Message edited by author 2006-05-28 16:49:50.
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05/28/2006 05:02:06 PM · #20 |
When dodging and burning an area use the strength at 2 or 3 % it brings out so much more detail and gives an image the Joey look (Grunge)
I used them and the sponge tool on this tree bark and it has given a lifeless flat image some depth IMO.
What do you think?
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05/28/2006 05:24:23 PM · #21 |
| radiantvista.com has great ps tutorials |
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05/28/2006 05:59:35 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by David.C:
What this does is creates a luminosity mask with full effect at the highlights and shadows, but tapers off as it moves toward the middle (the value of the fill layer).
Invert this alpha channel and the luminosity mask gives full effect to the mid-tones while tapering off toward the highlights and shadows.
This same method can be used with other values for the fill layer to isolate a specific tone of the image. The only adjustment needed is when sliding the Levels slider, move it to either the value used in the fill layer or 256-(the fill value), whichever is larger. This is a quick and easy way to apply adjustments to specific zones of the image while feathering the result over the rest of the image to blend well.
David |
If this does what I think it will it's a GREAT tip! |
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05/28/2006 07:24:05 PM · #23 |
In Photoshop 7
Ctrl-j makes a selection into a new layer.
Highlight the number in any dialogue box and use up and down arrows to adjust values 1pt at a time-hold down shift key to for a big adj(10 pt)
F12 reverts to open (no "are you sure?" prompt)but does not purge history
Ruler tool (behind eye dropper) Draw along a line you want to be horizontal or vertical. Go to image - rotate - arbitrary and your angle is already entered. hit enter.
Dyslexic edit!
Message edited by author 2006-05-28 19:25:07. |
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05/28/2006 08:33:09 PM · #24 |
| Got to www.greggormanphotography.com and use his learning pdf's to do black and white conversions. You have much more control than grayscale and can easily do all different shades and tones. Its all I use for black and white now. |
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05/28/2006 09:29:38 PM · #25 |
Trollman u da man... I have a shot for single light source and couldn't get it sharpened in the traditional ways. I tried your tip and in 30 seconds my shot is better!
Thanks for the thread.
KS
Originally posted by TrollMan:
Selective Sharpening with High-Pass filter
NOTE: You cannot use this method in basic editing challenges.
1) Press the "D" key once to set the colors to black and white with white on top
2) Create duplicate layer (Layer | Duplicate Layer)
3) Choose high pass filter (Filter | Other | High Pass...)
4) Set the radius somewhere between 3 and 6 depending on the amount of detail you wish to sharpen. I often use 3.7.
You will now have 2 layers. The top layer will look grey.
5) Set blending mode (Click on the blending mode in the layer dialogue box and scroll through the blending modes from 'overlay' to 'hard mix' to see and set the effect of the sharpening).
6) Add layer mask (In the layer dialogue box; hold down ALT key and clik the grey sqaure with the white circle in it).
7) Select the paintbrush and paint the areas you want to sharpen.
8) If you wish to 'unsharpen' an area you painted sharp, you can swap black and white and paint it back to the way it was.
9) Finally; use the opacity slider on the top layer to control the sharpening even more
With this method you can easily sharpen for instance just the line around a birds eye or certain feathers. You can also create one layer for each area you like to sharpen differently.
Hope this helps to explore other ways. There are many others but this one works well for me.
Try it and you'll get amazed of the results unless you overdo it |
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