2nd Edition

Adobe Photoshop CC for Photographers, 2014 Release A professional image editor's guide to the creative use of Photoshop for the Macintosh and PC

By Martin Evening Copyright 2015

    Adobe Photoshop for Photographers 2014 Release by Photoshop hall-of-famer and acclaimed digital imaging professional Martin Evening has been fully updated to include detailed instruction for all of the updates to Photoshop CC 2014 on Adobe’s Creative Cloud, including significant new features, such as Focus Area selections, enhanced Content-Aware filling, and new Spin and Path blur gallery effects. This guide covers all the tools and techniques photographers and professional image editors need to know when using Photoshop, from workflow guidance to core skills to advanced techniques for professional results. Using clear, succinct instruction and real world examples, this guide is the essential reference for Photoshop users of all levels.

    Accompanying the book is the photoshopforphotographers.com website, with sample images, tutorial videos, and bonus chapters.

    Contents

    What’s different in this book

    Acknowledgments

    Chapter 1: Photoshop Fundamentals

    Photoshop installation

    The Photoshop interface

    Creating a new document

    User interface brightness

    Tabbed document windows

    Managing document windows

    Synchronized scroll and zoom

    Image document window details

    Title bar proxy icons (Mac only)

    Info panel status information

    Rulers, Guides & Grid

    ‘Snap to’ behavior

    Pixel Grid view

    The Photoshop panels

    Panel arrangements and docking

    Panel positions remembered in workspaces

    Customizing the menu options

    Customizing the keyboard shortcuts

    Task-based workspaces

    Working with a dual display setup

    Photoshop CC Tools panel

    Options bar

    Tool Presets

    Selection tools

    Color Range

    Adjustable tone ranges

    Modifier keys

    Painting tools

    On-the-fly brush changes

    On-screen brush adjustments

    Brush panel

    Brush panel options

    Pressure sensitive control

    Brush tool presets

    Mixer brush

    Bristle tip brush shapes

    Load/Replace Swatches from HTML

    Hex Field

    Tools for filling

    Tools for drawing

    Image editing tools

    Move tool

    Layer selection using the move tool

    Navigation and information tools

    Zoom tool shortcuts

    Hand tool

    Bird’s-eye view

    Flick panning

    Windows Multi-touch support

    Eyedropper tool

    Ruler tool

    Rotate view tool

    Notes tool

    Count tool

    Screen view modes

    Working with Layers

    Automating Photoshop

    Preset Manager

    History

    The History panel

    History settings and memory usage

    History brush

    Use of history versus undo

    Snapshots

    Non-linear history

    When files won’t open

    Save often

    Background Saving

    Normal saves

    Using Save As… to save images

    File formats

    Photoshop native file format

    Smart PSD files

    Large Document (PSB) format

    TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)

    Pixel order

    Byte order

    Save Image Pyramid

    TIFF compression options

    Flattened TIFFs

    JPEG

    PNG

    Photoshop PDF

    Adobe Bridge CC

    The Bridge interface

    Making Bridge CS work with Photoshop CC

    Custom work spaces in Bridge

    Opening files from Bridge

    Slideshows IV V

    Camera Raw

    DNG and transparency support

    Opening photos from Bridge via Camera Raw

    Splash screen

    Chapter 2: Camera Raw Image Processing

    Camera Raw advantages

    The new Camera Raw workflow

    Does the order matter?

    Raw capture

    JPEG capture

    Editing JPEGs and TIFFs in Camera Raw

    Alternative Raw processors

    A basic Camera Raw/Photoshop workflow

    Camera Raw support

    DNG compatibility

    Getting raw images into Photoshop

    Image ingestion

    Importing images via Photo Downloader

    Tethered shoot imports

    Tethered shooting via Canon EOS Utility

    Importing images via other programs

    Import Images from Device (Mac only)

    Basic Camera Raw image editing

    Working with Bridge and Camera Raw

    General controls for single file opening

    Full size window view

    General controls for multiple file opening

    New preview controls

    Checkpoints

    Preview preferences

    Workflow options

    Saving soft proofed raw files as smart objects

    Summary of the proposed soft proofing workflow

    Opening raw files as Smart Objects

    Saving photos from Camera Raw

    Saving a JPEG as DNG

    Resolving naming conflicts

    New Save dialog

    Altering the background color

    The histogram display

    Digital camera histograms

    Interactive histogram

    Image browsing via Camera Raw

    Camera Raw preferences

    Default Image Settings

    Camera Raw cache

    DNG file handling

    JPEG and TIFF handling

    Camera Raw cropping and straightening

    How to straighten and crop

    Basic panel controls

    White balance

    Using the white balance tool

    White balance tool refinements

    Basic panel auto white balance adjustments

    Process Versions

    The Process 2012 tone adjustment controls

    Exposure

    Contrast

    Highlights and Shadows

    Whites and Blacks

    Suggested order for the Basic panel adjustments

    Preserving the highlight detail

    When to clip the highlights

    How to clip the shadows

    Shadow levels after a conversion

    Digital exposure

    How Camera Raw interprets the raw data

    Basic panel image adjustment procedure

    Auto tone corrections

    Auto Whites and Blacks sliders

    Camera-specific default settings

    Clarity

    Negative clarity

    Vibrance and Saturation

    Tone Curve panel

    Point Curve editor mode

    RGB Curves

    Correcting a high contrast image

    HSL/Grayscale panel

    Recovering out-of-gamut colors

    Adjusting the hue and saturation

    Lens Corrections panel

    Accessing and creating custom lens profiles

    Lens Corrections: Color tab

    Chromatic aberration

    Defringe sliders

    The Defringe controls in use

    Eyedropper tool mode

    Localized adjustments: Defringe slider

    Lens Corrections: Manual tab

    Upright corrections

    Synchronizing Upright settings

    Transform controls

    Lens Vignetting controls

    Effects panel

    Post Crop Vignetting control

    Post Crop Vignette style options

    Highlights slider

    Adding Grain effects

    Camera Calibration panel

    New Camera Raw profiles

    Camera look settings profiles

    Custom camera profile calibrations

    DNG Profile Editor

    Camera Raw as a Photoshop filter

    Spot removal tool

    Creating circle spots

    Synchronized spotting with Camera Raw

    Spot removal tool feathering

    Spot removal tool fine-tuning

    Visualize spots

    Creating brush spots

    Deleting spots

    Red eye removal

    Red eye: pet eye removal

    Localized adjustments

    Adjustment brush

    Initial Adjustment brush options

    Brush settings

    Adding a new brush effect

    Resetting adjustments

    Adjustment brush duplication

    Editing brush adjustments

    Previewing the brush stroke areas

    Auto masking

    Darkening the shadows

    Hand-coloring in Color mode

    Graduated filter tool

    Graduated color temperature adjustment

    Radial filter adjustments

    Fill to document bounds

    Modifying graduated and radial filter masks

    Correcting edge sharpness with the Radial filter

    Global sharpening only

    Global sharpening + radial filter adjustment

    Camera Raw settings menu

    Export settings to XMP

    Update DNG previews

    Load Settings… Save Settings…

    Camera Raw defaults

    Presets panel

    Saving and applying presets

    Copying and synchronizing settings

    Synchronizing different process versions

    Legacy presets

    Synchronize Process 2010 from a Process 2012 master

    Synchronize Process 2012 from a Process 2010 master

    Working with Snapshots

    DNG file format

    The DNG solution

    DNG compatibility

    Saving images as DNG

    Lossy DNG

    DNG Converter

    Chapter 3: Sharpening and noise reduction

    When to sharpen

    Why one-step sharpening is ineffective

    Capture sharpening

    Capture sharpening for scanned images

    Process versions

    Improvements to Camera Raw sharpening

    Sample sharpening image

    Detail panel

    Sharpening defaults

    The sharpening effect sliders

    Amount slider

    Radius slider

    The suppression controls

    Detail slider

    Interpreting the grayscale previews

    Radius and Detail grayscale preview

    Masking slider

    Masking slider example

    Some real world sharpening examples

    Sharpening portrait images

    Sharpening landscape images

    Sharpening a fine-detailed image

    How to save sharpening settings as presets

    Capture sharpening roundup

    Selective sharpening in Camera Raw

    Negative sharpening

    Extending the sharpening limits

    How to apply localized sharpening

    Negative sharpening to blur an image

    Noise removal in Camera Raw

    Process Versions and noise reduction

    Detail panel Noise Reduction sliders

    Color noise

    Non-raw image noise reduction

    Color Smoothness slider

    Adding grain to improve appearance of sharpness

    Localized noise reduction in Camera Raw

    Localized moiré removal in Camera Raw

    No sharpening

    Smart Sharpened

    Localized sharpening in Photoshop

    Smart Sharpen filter

    Basic Smart Sharpen mode

    Advanced Smart Sharpen mode

    Removing Motion Blur

    Shake Reduction filter

    The Shake Reduction controls

    Creating a depth of field brush

    Chapter 4: Image Editing Essentials

    Pixels versus vectors

    Photoshop as a vector program

    Image resolution terminology

    ppi: pixels per inch

    lpi: lines per inch

    dpi: dots per inch

    Desktop printer resolution

    Altering the image size

    Image interpolation

    Nearest Neighbor (hard edges)

    Bilinear

    Bicubic (smooth gradients)

    Bicubic Smoother (enlargement)

    Bicubic Sharper (reduction)

    Bicubic Automatic

    Preserve Details (enlargement)

    Basic pixel editing

    Photoshop image adjustments

    The image histogram

    The Histogram panel

    Basic Levels editing and the histogram

    Bit depth

    8-bit versus 16-bit image editing

    16-bit and color space selection

    Comparing 8-bit with 16-bit editing

    The RGB edit space and color gamut

    Direct image adjustments

    Adjustment layers approach

    Adjustments panel controls

    Properties panel controls

    Maintaining focus in the Properties panel

    Levels adjustments

    Analyzing the histogram

    Curves adjustment layers

    On-image Curves editing

    Removing curve points

    Using Curves in place of Levels

    Output levels adjustments

    Luminosity and Color blending modes

    Locking down portions of a curve

    Creating a dual contrast curve

    Correcting shadow and highlight detail

    Amount

    Tonal Width

    Radius

    Color Correction

    Midtone Contrast

    Auto image adjustments

    Match Color corrections

    Enhanced Brightness and Contrast

    Color corrections using Curves

    Hue/Saturation

    Vibrance

    Color Lookup adjustments

    Color Lookup Table Export

    Photo Filter

    Multiple adjustment layers

    Adjustment layer masks

    Properties panel mask controls

    Editing a mask using the masks controls

    Live shape properties

    Cropping

    Entering measurement units

    Delete cropped pixels

    Crop ratio modes

    Landscape and portrait mode crops

    Crop tool presets

    Crop overlay display

    Crop tool options

    Front Image cropping

    Disable edge snapping

    Selection-based cropping

    Canvas size

    Big data

    Perspective crop tool

    Content-aware scaling

    How to protect skin tones

    How to remove objects from a scene

    Image rotation

    Chapter 5: Black and white

    Converting color to black and white

    Dumb black and white conversions

    Smarter black and white conversions

    Black & White adjustment presets

    Split color toning using Color Balance

    Split color toning using Curves adjustments

    Split color toning using a Gradient Map

    Camera Raw black and white conversions

    Pros and cons of the Camera Raw approach

    HSL grayscale conversions

    Camera Calibration panel tweaks

    Camera Raw Split Toning panel

    Saturation shortcut

    Camera Raw color image split toning

    Black and white output

    Advanced B&W Photo tips

    Chapter 6: Extending the dynamic range

    High dynamic range imaging

    HDR essentials

    Alternative approaches

    Bracketed exposures

    Photomatix Pro

    Displaying deep-bit color

    Capturing a complete scenic tonal range

    HDR shooting tips

    HDR File formats

    How to fool Merge to HDR

    Basic tonal compression techniques

    Blending multiple exposures

    Camera Raw adjustments using Process 2012

    Processing HDR files in Camera Raw

    The Camera Raw options

    Merge to HDR Pro

    Response curve

    Tone mapping HDR images

    Local Adaptation

    Removing ghosts

    How to avoid the ‘HDR’ look

    Smooth Edges option

    HDR toning examples

    How to smooth HDR toned images

    Chapter 7: Image retouching

    Basic cloning methods

    Clone stamp tool

    Clone stamp brush settings

    Healing brush

    Choosing an appropriate alignment mode

    Clone Source panel and clone overlays

    Clone and healing sample options

    Better healing edges

    Spot healing brush

    Healing blend modes

    Spot healing in Content-Aware mode

    Patch tool

    The patch tool and content-aware filling

    Adaptation Structure control

    Content-aware move tool

    Content-aware move tool in Extend mode

    Enhanced content-aware color adaptation

    Working with the Clone Source panel

    Perspective retouching

    Alternative history brush spotting technique

    Portrait retouching

    Beauty retouching

    Liquify

    Advanced Liquify tool controls

    Reconstructions

    Mask options

    View options

    Saving the mesh

    Photoshop CC Liquify performance

    Smart Object support for Liquify

    On-screen cursor adjustments

    Targeted distortions using Liquify

    Chapter 8: Layers, Selections and Masking

    Selections and channels

    Selections

    Quick Mask mode

    Creating an image selection

    Modifying selections

    Alpha channels

    Modifying an image selection

    Selections, alpha channels and masks

    Anti-aliasing

    Feathering

    Layers

    Layer basics

    Image layers

    Vector layers

    Text layers

    Adjustment layers

    Layers panel controls

    Layer styles

    Adding layer masks

    Viewing in Mask or Rubylith mode

    Removing a layer mask

    Adding an empty layer mask

    Thumbnail preview clipping

    Properties Panel in Masks mode

    Refine Edge command

    View modes

    Edge detection

    Smart Radius

    Adjust Edge section

    Refine Edge output

    Working with the quick selection tool

    Combining a quick selection with Refine Edge

    Focus area

    Ragged borders with the Refine Edge adjustment

    Color Range masking

    Layer blending modes

    Creating panoramas with Photomerge

    Depth of field blending

    Working with multiple layers

    Color coding layers

    Layer group management

    Nested group layer compatibility

    Managing layers in a group

    Clipping masks

    Ways to create a clipping mask

    Masking layers within a group

    Clipping layers and adjustment layers

    Layer Comps panel

    Layer linking

    Selecting all layers

    Layer selection using the move tool

    Layer selection

    Layer mask linking

    Layer locking

    Lock Transparent Pixels

    Lock Image Pixels

    Lock Layer Position

    Lock All

    Generator: generate assets from layers

    Extended tagging

    Summary of how Generator works

    Generator uses

    Smarter naming when merging layers

    Layer filtering

    Isolation mode layer filtering

    Transform commands

    Repeat Transforms

    Interpolation options

    Numeric Transforms

    Transforming paths and selections

    Transforms and alignment

    Warp transforms

    Perspective Warp

    Puppet Warp

    Pin rotation

    Pin depth

    Multiple pin selection

    Smart Objects

    Drag and drop a document to a layer

    Smart Objects

    Linked Smart Objects

    Creating linked Smart Objects

    Packaging linked embedded assets

    Resolving bad links

    Layers panel Smart Object searches

    Photoshop paths

    Pen path modes

    Drawing paths with the pen tool

    Pen path drawing example

    Pen tool shortcuts summary

    Rubber Band mode

    Multi selection path options

    Selecting path anchor points

    Vector masks

    Isolating an object from the background

    Chapter 9: Blur, optical and lighting effects filters

    Filter essentials

    Blur filters

    Average Blur

    Gaussian Blur

    Adding a Radial Blur or Spin blur to a photo

    Surface Blur

    Box Blur

    Shape Blur

    Lens Blur

    Depth of field effects

    Blur Gallery filters

    Iris Blur

    Radius field controls

    Blur Tools options

    Tilt-Shift blur

    Blur ring adjustments

    Field Blur

    Spin blur

    Path blur

    Motion Blur Effects panel

    Smart Object support

    Blur Gallery filters on video layers

    Smart objects and selections

    Applying a Blur Gallery filter to a video clip

    Blur Gallery filter with a smart object plus mask

    Smart Filters

    Applying Smart Filters to pixel layers

    Lens Corrections

    Custom lens corrections

    Selecting the most appropriate profiles

    Adobe Lens Profile Creator

    Interpolating between lens profiles

    Lens Correction profiles and Auto-Align

    Adaptive Wide Angle filter

    How the Adaptive Wide Angle filter works

    Applying constraints

    Rotating a constraint

    Saving constraints

    Constraint line colors

    Polygon constraints

    Calibrating with the Adaptive Wide Angle filter

    Editing panorama images

    Lighting Effects filter

    Properties panel adjustments

    Filter Gallery

    Chapter 10: Print output

    Print sharpening

    Judge the print, not the display

    High Pass filter edge sharpening technique

    Soft proof before printing

    Managing print expectations

    Making a print

    Photoshop Print dialog

    Printer selection

    Color Management

    Rendering intent selection

    Hard Proofing

    Adobe Photoshop CC for Photographers

    Position and Size

    Print selected area

    Ensuring your prints are centered (Mac)

    Printing Marks

    Functions

    Saving operating system print presets

    Print output scripting

    Configuring the Print Settings (Mac and PC)

    Photoshop managed color on Windows

    Custom print profiles

    Chapter 11: Automating Photoshop

    Working with Actions

    Playing an action

    Recording actions

    Troubleshooting actions

    Limitations when recording actions

    Actions only record changed settings

    Background layers and bit depth

    Layer naming

    Inserting menu items

    Batch processing actions

    Exporting and importing presets

    Creating a droplet

    Conditional Actions

    Conditional action droplets

    Image Processor

    Scripting

    Script Events Manager

    Automated plug-ins

    Crop and Straighten Photos

    Fit Image

    Index

    Biography

    Inducted into the Photoshop Hall of Fame in 2008, Martin Evening is an internationally renowned professional photographer. Working principally on studio-based beauty photography, Martin uses Photoshop to retouch or manipulate to some degree nearly every image he produces. This regular everyday experience with the software has enabled him to gain extensive specialist knowledge of Photoshop.