Key Commands | Layer Basics | Color Correcting | Increasing Contrast | Dodging and Burning | Selecting | Cropping | Resizing/Straightening | Sharpening | Stamp | Cool Edges | Vignettes | Hand Coloring | B&W/Toning | Photo Integrity | Saving | Drop Shadows | Canvas Size | Outlines | Retouching | Basic File Prep for Class Projects | Contrast Mask | File Formats | Resolution

The screen shots are from an older Mac but they should still work. Let me know if you have any problems.

Useful key commands:

Undo = COMMAND-Z

Copy = COMMAND-C

Paste = COMMAND-V

Cut = COMMAND-X

Deselect = COMMAND-D

Fill with foreground color = ALT-Delete

Fit on screen = COMMAND-zero (0)

Inverse selection = COMMAND-Shift-I

Merge visible = COMMAND-Shift-E

Zoom in = COMMAND-plus (+)

Zoom out = COMMAND-minus (-)

Hide or show marching ants = COMMAND-H

Draw from center with marquee tool = OPTION-drag

Constrain proportions of a selection = Hold shift while dragging

Switch between foreground color and background color = X

Get ride and bring back all pallets = Tab

Show/Hide rulers = COMMAND-R

[ = makes the brush smaller

] = makes the brush larger

Layer Basics:

Rename a layer:
Double click the name on the layer. It should highlight. Retype the name.

Delete a layer:
(Select it and click on the small trash can on the bottom right of the layers pallet, or drag it to it.)

Duplicating a layer:
WINDOW > SHOW LAYERS
(drag the layer you want to duplicate to the "make a new layer" icon)

Layer masks: (cool technique, good for composites.)
Select the layer you want to be able to see through (upper layer).
Select LAYER, add layer mask, reveal all (or look at the bottom of the layers pallet. Click on the gray rectangle with the white dotted circle). You now have a new thumbnail to the right of
the image thumbnail on your layer. This is the mask. This needs to be selected when
you want to work on it (click once on it to select it).
Paint with black to make areas transparent, paint with white to bring back the opacity.
Remember the "x" key switches between the foreground and background colors.

Adjustment layers:
An adjustment layer will allow you to adjust the layers below it. You can re-adjust or throw away the adjustment layer completely at any time.
To create an adjustment layer:
Select the layer you want the adjustment layer to be placed above. It will adjust all layers under it.
Go to LAYER>NEW ADJUSTMENT LAYER>and drag to the one you want to use (or look at the bottom of the layers pallet. Click on the half black,half white circle, drag down to the adjustment layer you want).
To delete it, drag it to the trash in the layers pallet.

Color correcting: There are a lot of different ways to color correct. I'll show you a couple of the simpler ones here. If these don't work, ask me to show you some more complex methods in class.

1. IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>AUTO COLOR -Surprisingly this is pretty efficient.

2. Create a LEVELS adjustment layer in the layers pallet. It should be the top layer (select the upper most layer before you create the adjustment layer to create it on the top). To create a LEVELS adjustment layer, click and hold on the icon on the bottom of the layers pallet that looks like a circle that is half black and half white. Drag down to LEVELS. A dialog box will pop up, click OK. If the Levels adjustment layer is not at the top at this point, drag it there. Double click on the adjustment layer (on the icon that has the histogram on it-looks like a little mountain). A dialog  box will pop up. This is where you will color correct the image. Click on the center eye dropper at the bottom right of the dialog box. This is the gray sampler. Now bring your cursor over to the image. Click on something of medium value that has no color (gray is best). You will see the color change. If it doesn't look correct, try a different spot until it does. Try teeth or eye whites on people.

Another method:
If you don't have any grays in the image you can't use the gray eye dropper. Try correcting by eye. In the levels adjustment layer, go to the top where it says CHANNELS. Drag down to the first channel (RED). Drag the middle (midtone) slider under the histogram left and right until the image looks as natural as you can get it. Do the same thing with the GREEN and BLUE channels. If the image looks closer but still not right, go through the three channels again.

A little more complicated:
1.Use the color sampler tool (under the eyedropper tool) and select a neutral or white point in the frame. A shadow area on the white area works best. Do not select a specular highlight or a blown out highlight

2. Make a CURVES or LEVELS adjustment layer

3. Double click on the "white" eyedropper at the bottom right of the curve/levels adjustment layer. This will open the Color Picker chart.

4. Carefully click on the exact center of the Color sample spot you did in # 1.

5. Now the crucial part. On the Color Picker chart that is now open go to the right column under LAB numbers and make the "a" &"b" channels zero.This neutralizes the color.

Click Okay to close the color picker box.

6. Now another crucial part. Click on the color sample again. This makes makes that color on the color sample neutral. as a practical point if the area around the sample point is similar you can be off center a bit.

7. Click OK on the Curves/Levels adjustment layer and click NO on the dialog box that comes out so you won't change the target values.

Note: adjustment layers are cool because they are non destructive. If you don't like their effect you can always throw them away later or you can reduce their effect by reducing the opacity of the layer.

Adjusting density: Open the LEVELS adjustment layer you just created (double click on histogram icon). You will see a histogram with three triangles under it. The one on the left adjusts the black point, the one in the center adjusts the gray point and the one on the right adjusts the white point. Drag the center one (gray point) left or right until the image looks "good". If your blacks look gray, drag the one on the left (black point) to the right.

Another method: Flatten and duplicate the layer (or make a STAMP). Change the top layer blend mode to SCREEN to lighten or MULTIPLY to darken. Duplicate those layers or reduce the opacity to fine tune.

Increasing Contrast: Contrast is the difference between the light and dark areas of your image. Low contrast makes the image look "flat". Try some of the tips below to increase contrast.

1. Make a CURVES adjustment layer. Make an S curve (see illustration below).

2. Another method: flatten and duplicate image layer or make a stamp (be sure stamp is on top). Change layer blend mode of top layer to OVERLAY (experiment with other modes). Reduce opacity of top layer to taste.

3. Another method: flatten and duplicate image layer or make a stamp. Apply the unsharp mask filter - amount, 10 - 30 (experiment), radius 40 - 90 (experiment), threshold 0. Reduce opacity to taste.

Dodging and burning:
Dodging makes an area lighter and burning makes an area darker. Create a new layer (on top), fill it with 50% gray (EDIT>FILL>50%GRAY).Set the layer blend mode to OVERLAY.
Use the dodge and burn tools on this gray layer.
To erase paint over with 50% gray.

Another way (better I think) to work on this gray layer is painting with black and white with the brush opacity set between 10 and 30 percent. This way the density builds or reduces with multiple applications of black and white. Remember if you have the foreground and background colors set to black and white you can switch between them with the "X" key.

Selecting using the quick mask mode:

Click on the quick mask mode icon (marked w/red arrow above)
You are now in the quick mask mode. You can confirm this by looking at the bar at the
top of your file. It will say quick mask in it.
In quick mask mode, when you paint with black you are laying down the mask. When
you paint with white you are erasing the mask.
When you are done making the mask you will turn it into a selection.
To adjust the mask color or opacity, double click the quick mask mode icon. Be sure to
have the "selected areas" button checked.
Choose a mask color that is different than what you are selecting or the area you are
selecting it from. Have the opacity around 50%.
Hit ok.
Paint the object with the foreground color set to black with a hard-edged brush. Brush
opacity needs to be 100%. You should see the mask being applied as you paint. If you go past the edges, change the foreground color to white to erase. The "x" key will switch the foreground and background colors.
When you are done masking the area you want selected, select the standard mode icon (to the left of the quick mask mode icon).
Save the selection.

Saving a selection: SELECT > SAVE SELECTION, (type in a name for the selection), hit OK

Loading a selection (bring it back to the image)
SELECT > LOAD SELECTION, (where it says "channel" drag down to the selection
name if you have multiple saved selections and/or hit) OK

Adding to a selection:
Hold down the "shift" key as you select more area.

Subtracting from a selection:
Hold down the "option" key as you select area to delete from the selection.

Feathering a selection:
SELECT > FEATHER, (set radius,-between 1 and 5 or so) hit "OK"

Cropping: Select the crop tool (third tool down on the left). Type in width and height numbers. Leave resolution blank.Drag the tool over the area you want to keep. Click the check on top left, or hit return, or double click inside the preview box to actually crop.

Cropping- Hide Crop: Be sure the layers pallet is visible. Double click the layer named BACKGROUND on the name itself. A dialog box will pop up. Click OK. Select the crop tool. At the top of the window put in the dimensions you want to crop to (example: 5x7) leave the resolution box blank. Drag the crop tool across the image. Keep as much of the image as possible while creating a good composition. After you drag out the crop preview box hit the HIDE radio button (at the top). Now double click inside the crop selection box (this will actually crop the image). Using the hide crop will allow you to bring back the cropped out area at any time (as long as it is saved as a Photoshop file) by selecting IMAGE>REVEAL ALL. This will only work if you do not have any background layer.To change a BACKGROUND layer to a regular layer just double-click on its name, then click OK in the dialog box that pops up. Not many people use or know about the HIDE crop. It is a good tip, remember it. I usually find it works best to do the hide crop last. That way all of the adjustment you do will be applied to the entire file. If you crop first, then make a stamp, then apply some adjustment to the stamp, it will only be applied to the visible portion (the part that isn't hidden).

Resizing Image: IMAGE>IMAGE SIZE change document size to 5x7 or 7x5 (depending on your images orientation). Set resolution to 250 or whatever you want it to be. Have scale styles selected, have constrain proportions selected, have resample image selected. In the drop down box by resample image choose : bicubic smoother if you are resizing up (creating more pixels), use bicubic sharper if you are scaling down (throwing out pixels) when in doubt, check with me). Reducing the resolution will always look good, increasing the resolution will always look bad. The bigger you make the file the worse it will look. Also have your camera set up so you are creating the highest resolution lowest compression image possible. You want it set up so you get the fewest images per card.

Resizing objects on layers:
(Select the layer the object is on. If it is a background, double click the word
"background" to turn it into a layer)
Hit the "Control" and "T" keys together
Look at the top of the screen. In the tool option bar click on the small chain. Adjust the width or height to to desired size. Hit "return"

Rotating objects:
(Select the layer the object is on. If it is a background, double click the word
"background" to turn it into a layer)
EDIT > TRANSFORM > ROTATE 90 DEGREES, (etc).

Straightening a layer:
Open the image in Photoshop.
Select the MEASURE tool (under the eyedropper tool).
Drag the measure tool along something that should be parallel to the top or side of the image (horizontal or vertical).
Then go to:IMAGE>ROTATE CANVAS >ARBITRARY. Hit OK. Look at the image. If it looks straight, crop to get rid of the white portions that get created when you rotate the canvas, if not try again.

Sharpening: Sharpening is always destructive. You never want to do it, without being able to undo it later. Here is a great way to do it :Make a stamp first (see instructions above. remember this needs to be the top layer. Go to FILTER>SHARPEN>UNSHARP MASK. This will bring up a box with three options: AMOUNT, RADIUS, THRESHOLD, You will use these to sharpen. The amounts are variable depending on taste, resolution and contrast in the image. Sharpening is an art form not a science. You will need to experiment with this. The goal is to sharpen without over sharpening. A good place to start would be: RADIUS 0 to 1or 2, THRESHHOLD - 0, AMOUNT  - this will be a lot, maybe between 200 and 400.

Sharpening tips: If your file is for the web (72 ppi) the radius will be around .3, or .4. If it is for print (250-300ppi) probably between 1 and 2. This is just an educated guess. Could be different depending on the image resolution.

Look for halos (light lines around the edges). They look bad. They occur when the AMOUNT and RADIUS are too high.

If your picture looks grainy or noisy, add some THRESHOLD. Usually 3 or less. This will keep the noise from sharpening. It also will make the image appear a little less sharp, so be careful.

After you sharpen the stamp, if it looks too sharp try reducing the opacity of the stamp layer.

Sharpening with HIGH PASS filter: I use this when I need to sharpen more than usual. Give it a try. If you only have one layer, duplicate it. It you have a bunch of layers make a STAMP. Apply the HIGH PASS filter to the top layer or stamp (FILTER>OTHER>HIGH PASS). Adjust the radius until you just start to see the edges of the image. This is the portion that will be sharpened. Change the layer blend mode of the HIGH PASSED layer to OVERLAY. That's it. If the sharpening is too aggressive, reduce the opacity of the HIGH PASS layer, or go back and redo the HIGH PASS filer, setting the radius to something smaller.

Creating a stamp: This will be really, really useful. Select the very top layer in the layers pallet. Make a new blank layer (click on the icon at the bottom of the layers pallet that looks like a square with the corner turned up) Select these keys at the same time:SHIFT, COMMAND, OPTION, E. You have just created something called a STAMP. What it does it it puts all of the visible layers on to the blank layer you just created--without removing the original layers. If you have a layer you don't want to include, turn its eye off. Make a stamp when you want to do something to the entire image, but you still want to keep all of your layers. This is a good way to sharpen, of soften or any other general adjustment that would usually be destructive if you flattened the image first. This is a good tip, remember it.

Cool Edges:

Open your image
Open one of the edge files (they are on your desktop, if not ask me for them).
Make the edge file the same size and resolution as the image you will be applying it to (with the edge edge file active - go to IMAGE>IMAGE SIZE -a dialogue box will open up - .Now go to WINDOW, and drag down to the name of the file you want the edge to be the same size as. Hit OK in the IMAGE SIZE dialogue box. Now the edge file is the same size as the image file.

Select the move tool.

Click on the edge file, hold down shift and drag it to the image file.

To have a black border set the layer blending mode to "MULTIPLY" on the edge leyer.

If you want the border to be white:
Select the layer that the border is on.
Go to IMAGE>ADJUST>INVERT.
Put the layer blending mode to "SCREEN"
Also try "DIFFERENCE" or EXCLUSION"

Create a Dark Vignette
Duplicate the image layer
Top layer set to multiply mode
Create layer mask
Create a feathered select on the layer mask where you want the image to be light
FIll selection with black
Adjust the opacity of the multiply layer to taste

Create a Soft Vignette
Duplicate the image layer
Put a gaussian blur on top layer (Filter, Blur, Gaussian blur}
Create layer mask on the top blurred layer
Create a feathered select where you want the image to be light on the layer mask
FIll selection with black
Adjust the opacity of the multiply layer to taste

Hand Coloring b&w images:
If you want to recolor a color image, go to IMAGE>ADJUST>DESATURATE to get rid of the color first.
Convert the image to RGM mode: IMAGE>MODE>RGB COLOR
Create a new layer over the layer you want to color. Change the layer blend mode (in the layers pallet at the top left the default is NORMAL. Click on the up/down arrows next to it to reveal the drop down menu ) to: multiply, or screen, or overlay, or, color, or darken, or?. The different layer blend modes will make the color look different. Do a little experimenting to get the effect you are looking for. Paint with one of the paint tools. It is usually better to put each color on its own layer.

B&W Conversions

Basic: With the image flattened (or on a stamp) go to IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>DESATURATE
Advanced: Create a new CHANNEL MIXER adjustment layer on top of all of the other layers.Be sure MONACHROME is checked. The red, green, and blue values need to add up to around 100 (or areas will blow out). You can also use negative values to add to 100 (example: 120 red, -20 green). The above sample shows the advantage of the channel mixer - control over how the hues get converted to values.

Duotone or tritone:
IMAGE>MODE>GRAYSCALE
IMAGE>MODE DUOTONE
In drop down menu choose duotone of tritone
Click load. Go to presets folder in Photoshop. Find duotone or tritone presets. Load some.You can also pick your own tones (I'll show you how in class).
After you have found a conversion you like, change the image mode back to RGB, IMAGE>MODE>RGB

Photographic Integrity
Some things I think are Ok to do to all images are:

Minor levels/curves adjustments
Saturation adjustments
Contrast adjustments
Sharpness/Blur adjustments
Noise level adjustments (usually adding noise)
Cropping for print ratios
Cloning/airbrushing to remove minor spots or debris
Dodging/burning for selective exposure adjustments
Light vignettes

Some things I think are not Ok to do to most images are:

Making big changes in color (not just color correcting)
Cloning/retouching out large portions of the image
Duplicating portions of the image (changing two flowers to three for example)
Removing/changing a background
Dark vignettes (if a normal person can see the vignette, it's too much)
Any filters except sharpening, blur, noise (unless the assignment specifically calls for it)

So, remember, photographic integrity means that the image you turn in is the same image the camera recorded with only slight adjustments.

Saving: Always save as a Photoshop RGB file with all layers intact if you can. Do not flatten. In class I have you save your files as jpegs because you don't have much space to save your files.In the real world I always save as PSD's with all of the layers intact.

Creating a drop shadow:
LAYER>LAYER STYLE>DROP SHADOW

Creating a larger canvas:
(Select background color for canvas)
IMAGE > CANVAS SIZE

Creating outlines:
(Create a selection), EDIT > STROKE

Retouching: With all three of these next tools you are defining an area to sample from, and an area to copy to. They all work a little differently. Experiment with each to determine their strengths and weaknesses.The HEALING BRUSH and PATCH TOOL are similar in that they blend the area the are sampling from with the area you are fixing, the CLONE STAMP doesn't. Both methods will be useful.

Healing Brush: Place the curser when you want to sample from, hold down ALT, and press you left mouse button, let go of ALT, move your curser to what you want to fix, left click and paint.

Patch Tool: Draw a selection around the area you want to fix (with the patch tool), drag (left click and hold down) the selection to the area you want to sample from, let go.

Clone Stamp Tool:
There are two stamp tools: the clone stamp tool and the pattern stamp tool. You want
the first one (it does not have any pattern in the button of the stamp icon). Define a point
to copy from by holding down the "ALT" key and clicking once with the mouse. Let
go of the "ALT" key. Move the cursor to where you want to copy that material, hold
down the mouse button and paint. You can adjust the size of the copy area by selecting
different sized brushes.
You can also copy between layers (select layer 1, define the copy point, select layer 2,
and start painting).

Contrast Mask: Use this to bring detail back to shadow areas. Flatten image and duplicate layer or create stamp (on top). Desaturate duplicate layer or stamp (IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>DESATURATE). Invert desaturated layer (IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>INVERT). Change layer blend mode to overlay or soft light. Apply gaussian blur to inverted layer. Maybe between 10 and 50. This is resolution dependant so experiment. Reduce opacity of layer to taste.

Basic File Prep ( for our class projects ) PLAY VIDEO - You will need the free Quicktime plug-in to watch this video.
Open file
Crop with the crop tool to a particular size and resolution (usually 5in x 7in or 7in x 5in, leave resolution box blank).
Adjust color and value with LEVELS adjustment layer
Flatten image.
Duplicate layer and sharpen top layer.
Save to your server space as a jpg file

File formats in a nutshell:
Photoshop--Always keep one of these. This will have all layer information. I call this the
"master" file. This is the one to never throw away. If you need another file format (like a
jpeg), open the Photoshop file, save a version as a jpeg, but KEEP THE PHOTOSHOP
FILE!!!!

CompuServe GIF-- Good for web images that have large areas of solid color. Not
"usually" for photographs.

Photoshop EPS--Does not have layer information but is printer friendly. Use for files with
clipping paths.

Jpeg--Good for web images with gradations of color like photographs. Not good if you
want crisp hard edges (like a poster with just text).

PNG--Was supposed to be the next big web file format. Has not caught on yet.

Tiff--Good cross platform printer friendly format. The old standby. Used a lot by graphic designers.

Resolution in a nutshell: Set the resolution to 72 for web images or any image that will
be displayed on the screen. Set the resolution to between 200-360 to print.

Sizing an image from 200 down to 72 will look good. Sizing and image from 72 to 200
will look bad. Keep higher resolution versions of all files (preferably high rez
Photoshop files).