workshop notes - adobe photoshop - Primrose Park Art & Craft Centre

WORKSHOP NOTES - ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
INTRODUCTION:
The aim of this workshop is to help people unfamiliar with or just starting with Photoshop to get
going on basic digital editing of photographs, based on my own experience during the last four
or five years. As Photoshop is a vast and often daunting piece of software, most of us become
familiar only with a limited portion of it in meeting our photographic requirements but I’ve
included a few more advanced techniques such as compositing (eg. cut/copy & paste, creating
a photo montage) and creating panoramas. I have tried to describe the features which I’ve found
useful as simply as possible and with minimal jargon.
So, let’s go and don’t quiver. Just consider digital manipulation as another arrow in your quiver
of photographic skills! (and if you think that pun’s is bad, you should have a go at “Photoshop 6
for Dummies” which will be available for reference on the day.)
Hopefully most of the techniques to be covered in this workshop can be shown by demonstration
with actual images (attendees are encouraged to bring in their own favourite photos for scanning
into the computer) and by participation (patience will be a priority as there is only one computer!)
If you have your own laptop with Photoshop installed, don’t forget to bring it.
BASICS:
For the completely “new chums”, a picture of a typical screen showing Photoshop editing in
progress and labelling some of the main attributes of the programme will be passed around.
Although it is a Mac screen, PC users should find only minor differences.
NB. It is assumed that you all have access to a computer with a version of Photoshop (or
Photoshop Deluxe) already installed. If not, please ASK. Help should be forthcoming.
The key features referred to above are:
• the MENU BAR (located at the top of the screen); You will see an array of functions; eg.
FILE, EDIT, IMAGE, LAYER, SELECT,FILTER, etc.; Click on each heading to see a dropdown
menu with specific functions - some of which have sub-menus.
• the TOOL BOX (located on the left hand side of the screen); place the mouse arrow on each
icon and a description of its function will appear. Click to open.
• the PALETTES (e.g. HISTORY, LAYERS, CHANNELS, NAVIGATOR, COLOUR. etc.).
• FILE BROWSER can be seen, partly obscured by the image being edited on the DESKTOP
( the blank working space in the centre of the screen - sometimes plain grey, or a pattern/
image of your choice).
DIGITAL MANIPULATION IN PHOTOSHOP
1. DOWNLOADING YOUR IMAGE:
While this may seem obvious, it is the first step in the process and there are important
considerations (as noted by Warwick at the recent conversational).
Images can be downloaded:
• direct from a digital camera (this requires a USB cable or similar + suitable software);
• by scanning a tranny, neg. or print;
• from a CD, Zip-Drive, or similar (which need the appropriate hardware and connections); or
• from the Internet or email.

Note that images from the above sources are usually JPEG (a “lossy” file format which can lose
detail every time you open or close the file, change size, etc.). There are many file formats
available to suit various applications, but this information is beyond the scope of this workshop
(ie. I don’t know either!). However, there are plenty of references available and there is a
wealth of knowledge among PPP members as well.
The bottom line (to coin a phrase) is that it is a good idea to duplicate your imported image at
the outset, by clicking on IMAGE-DUPLICATE (more about Menu Bar functions, Drop Down
Menus, etc. a little later). A copy is created which you can then save to your chosen file name
and format, by clicking on FILE-SAVE AS. Photoshop (PSD), Bitmap (BMP), or TIFF seem to
be the recommended formats for editing in Photoshop. Digital manipulation can then be done
on the duplicate image and your original is preserved intact. When you have finished, you
might save the edited image as a TIFF file, which is a “lossless” format. (See also under
IMAGE SIZE).
File Management also is vital as you accumulate many images (FILES) on your computer’s
hard drive. You should organise them by saving the files into appropriately named FOLDERS
on the Desktop or in Documents, Pictures or similar location provided in your computer’s
operating system. You can have folders within folders if you wish.... the main thing is to store
your work safely and to know how to find them. Last, but by no means least, you should
regularly BACK UP your hard drive by burning your image files onto a CD, storing them on a
Zip-Drive, or similar, so that if your hard-drive fails all is not lost.
2. IMAGE SIZE:
I mention this at an early stage, because it’s not a bad idea to check it before doing anything
else. Recently I started to work on a 1200 dpi (dots per inch) scan of an A3 reflective colour
print and wondered why the computer was so slow - the image size turned out to be about 140
Megabytes! Also, this may be a good time to understand what you want to do with the
completed image: eg. a high resolution (‘hires’) print in the range of sizes from 6”x4” to A3, say,
at a recommended resolution of 300 dpi (pixels per inch in the computer) or a 72 ppi image -
max. dimensions 1024 x 768 pixels for an AV or similar low resolution (‘lores’) image for email
and the net.
Again, these image size changes should be made on the duplicate image (or FILE-SAVE AS
and use a different name). Note that you should use the JPEG format for emails, AV’s, etc.
3. CROP:
I usually crop the image at this time, but it can be done later, particularly if you intend to
straighten the verticals in an architectural shot for example which should be done before
cropping (more on this later).
The final image size and resolution can be set (in the Menu Bar boxes in Photoshop version
CS8) immediately after clicking the CROP Icon in the TOOLBOX, or it can be left free and the
image size can be seen on the RULERS bordering the image, as you click and drag the Crop
tool across the image. You can move, resize and/or rotate the crop MARQUEE by using the
various arrows that appear during this operation. When the image appears as you wish, click
IMAGE-CROP. The image size upon completion can be read in the STATUS BAR below the
image.
4. IMAGE ADJUST:
Click on IMAGE and a drop-down menu appears. Click on ADJUST and you’ll see another
menu with functions such as -
• AUTO LEVELS (good for old faded colour photos);

• LEVELS (a histogram appears with sliders, whereby you can adjust the shadows, midtones
and highlights, respectively). As John McManus showed us at a recent
conversational, you can adjust Levels for the whole image (RGB), or adjust the three
positive primary colours (Red, Green and Blue) independently;
Other functions include CURVES; BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST; HUE/SATURATION;
SHADOWS/HIGHLIGHTS; EQUALISE; etc. Some are more useful than others for our kind of
interests and I have noticed that, in many cases, there are different ways in Photoshop for
achieving the same, or similar, result.
• HUE /SATURATION has three components (each independent of the others):
• HUE - which changes the colours (ie. the wavelengths which define the colours);
• SATURATION - which changes the colour intensity from pure maximum “strength” to
neutral grey; and
• LIGHTNESS - which is similar in effect to increasing or decreasing exposure. (I’ve
found that this can be effective sometimes, followed by AUTO CONTRAST, to
brighten an image without blowing out the highlights).
As Tony Peri demonstrated at a recent conversational, these functions can be applied
to the whole image (MASTER) or to all six primary positive (RGB) and negative (CMY
for Cyan, Magenta and Yellow) colours independently. This gives you a lot of control
over the colour balance. Note that COLOUR BALANCE is another feature under
IMAGE ADJUST.
• BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST is a frequently used function, using sliders to increase or
reduce these characteristics, but a word of warning: You need to be fairly subtle in using
this feature and take care not to blow out the highlights.
• SHADOWS/HIGHLIGHTS is a very useful tool for bringing out shadow detail and for
reducing the impact of blown out highlights (or holding back the highlights while brightening
other areas of an image), very similar to dodging and burning in the “wet” darkroom - but a
lot easier! Again, experiment and be careful not to overdo this function as you can get
some “weird” results and introduce “noise” (a speckled or grainy effect). I recommend you
read Ron Wiebe’s article under Digital Tip of the Month in the March ‘05 issue of “Flash”.
NB. I’ve tried to describe the purposes and capabilities of just a few of the more frequently
used features as they are best appreciated through demonstration.
5. SELECT:
Often you may wish to perform one or more of the above functions on only a particular area of
your image, which is where the SELECT tool comes in.
There are several ways to select part of your image, the best way depending on the shape,
colour, size, etc. of the area to be selected.
e.g. If you look in the TOOLBOX, you’ll see at top left the MARQUEE symbol; beneath that is
the LASSO symbol and next to that is the MAGIC WAND. At the bottom of the toolbox, you’ll
find the QUICKMASK symbol. (Note that by holding the mouse arrow on any of these
symbols for a second or two, a description of the feature will appear).
All of these are best explained by demonstration and use.
When selecting part of an image, you can use the OPTIONS PALETTE (also under SELECT-
FEATHER) to delineate the edge of your selection from 1 to many pixels in width, giving either
a sharp or feathered outline.
Also, you can increase of decrease the size of your selection by holding down the Shift key or
the Alt key, respectively, in conjunction with the Lasso tool.

For more complicated shapes of selection, which you may wish to save for future use, you can
set up an ALPHA CHANNEL (see Channels Palette).
6. UNSHARP MASKING:
Again, I refer you to an excellent article by Ron Wiebe in “Flash” of Jan. 2005, in which he
explained the reason for the strange name and how it works.
Click on FILTER-SHARPEN-UNSHARP MASK and adjust the sliders in the box that appears
on screen. There are three sliders:
• AMOUNT (the higher the amount, the more sharpening); try 50% - 200%.
• RADIUS (the width of the edges you want to sharpen); try 0.5 -2.0.
• THRESHOLD (this determines how different neighbouring pixels must be to be considered
an edge); try 0-20 (Zero threshold sharpens everything).
Caution: Don’t overdo this function. Watch out for strange artefacts such as halos around
lines of changing contrast, speckled skin tones, etc.
Also, under the FILTER heading, you’ll find features such as:
• BLUR-GAUSSIAN BLUR (useful for selective focus effects and cleaning up parts of an
image);
• NOISE - DUST & SCRATCHES (OK for cleaning up spots on a bland sky, for example.
Don’t use on an area of detail, as it will become blurred);
• Also under NOISE, you have DESPECKLE (similar idea to Dust & Scratches, but without
the variability) and SMUDGE.
Others, such as ARTISTIC, PIXELATE, RENDER, etc. give access to a large number of special
effects. I’ll demonstrate some of these, but I recommend that you experiment to see what
these functions can do.
7. RUBBER CLONE STAMP/ HEALING TOOL:
Again found in the TOOLBOX, these are used to clean up, remove spots or restore an image
by copying tones from one part of an image to another (or to another image).
You will need to select a suitable brush size from the Options Palette (or, in the case of the
Healing tool, adjust the slider that appears).
Select a source area (similar colour or tone to the area to be cleaned up and, preferably, close
to it) by pressing ALT - CLICK; Then move to the destination area and CLICK to complete
the operation. The Heal tool is similar to the Rubber Stamp (Clone tool) but offers smoother
blending, texture, etc. It is good for removing facial blemishes for example.
NB. It is of great help when using the above tools, to enlarge the area of image that you are
working on, by using the NAVIGATOR PALETTE, VIEW-ZOOM IN/ZOOM OUT or the
magnifying glass symbol in the Toolbox.
8. IMAGE SIZE, SAVE/SAVE AS & PRINT:
(NB. Saving your work should be like voting; ie. early and often!)
a) Check and adjust the final image size as required;
b) Save the image (FILE-SAVE, or SAVE AS, if you want to save it to a different name; eg.
Title\ Hires for printing; Title\Lores for emails, etc.);

c) PRINTING:Click FILE-PAGE LAYOUT; Here you specify your printer; choose your
Paper Size (typically 6”x4”, A5, A4, A3) - select Portrait or Landscape format; with or
without Borders; Paper type/quality, etc. Then click on FILE-PRINT (note that, if the
image size is too big for the selected page layout, a dialogue box will appear asking if you
want to reduce the size or proceed and allow cropped edges). You can also PREVIEW
your print before proceeding.
9. MORE ADVANCED OR ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
Other operations which I would like to demonstrate at the workshop are some of the other
TOOLBOX functions;eg. the MARQUEE tool; the MOVE tool; the GRADIENT/PAINT BUCKET
tool; the COLOUR PICKER; the PENCIL/BRUSH tool; the BLUR/SHARPEN/SMUDGE tool;
the DODGE/BURN/SPONGE tool; as well as the SET FOREGROUND & BACKGROUND
colours and the TEXT operations.
Also, a brief look at straightening verticals might be of interest. First you have to select part
or all of your image. Then: EDIT-TRANSFORM-SKEW or PERSPECTIVE, SCALE, DISTORT,
etc.. When finished, press RETURN and SELECT-DESELECT.
OTHER TECHNIQUES INCLUDE:
• COPY (or CUT) and PASTE (Used to transfer part of one image file to another file for
example; also to create photomontages, borders, etc. when used in conjunction with the
CANVAS SIZE feature);
• IMAGE-MODE functions (Toning prints, etc.);
• IMAGE-ADJUST-CHANNEL MIXER (Another way to tone prints);
• FILE-AUTOMATE-PHOTOMERGE (See notes on Panoramas);
• FILE-AUTOMATE-CONTACT SHEET;
• LAYERS (Some of the above operations - eg. creating text, photomontages and
panoramas - create new layers automatically. If you look at the LAYERS PALETTE - click
WINDOW - LAYERS in the Menu Bar if it is not visible to the right of your Desktop - you will
see a layer described as "Background"; now if you add some text to your image another
layer appears in the palette called "Layer 1". If you double click in this layer it will give this
new layer a name according to the text you have just typed. If you click on the eye symbol
at the left of the palette, it will disappear together with the contents of that layer; ie. your
added text will disappear from the image; or, if you click on the eye in the background
layer, your image will disappear leaving just the text.
Note that the layer which you're working on must be highlighted in the layers palette (by
clicking on the Layer name) to make it the "active" layer.
To delete a layer that you don't want, click on LAYER (Menu Bar)-DELETE-LAYER and a
dialogue box will appear asking if you wish to delete the highlighted layer name; then click
"Yes" to delete. Obviously, this is just a very brief introduction to this powerful feature of
Photoshop which could, in itself, be a subject for a future workshop. Note also that tutorials
on the many uses of LAYERS are available in Photoshop HELP - see below);
• VIEW-ARRANGE (by name, date modified etc.) is another useful function; eg. for putting
photos in a folder in the required order for an AV.
10. HELP:
"Hang on ...Help is on the way!" If you look at the Menu Bar again, you will see the HELP title
on the right hand end. If you click on this, a drop-down menu appears with a list of items
available to explain the various functions in Photoshop. Click on PHOTOSHOP HELP and a
more detailed list appears, which includes a Google internet search option. It's not always easy

to find what you're looking for, but HELP contains a lot of information as well as some
interesting Tutorials (eg. Layers, Levels, making Selections, etc.), some of which will be
available for perusal at the workshop.
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You may have noticed that I have referred predominantly to the use of the mouse in the above
actions, with the keyboard playing a somewhat secondary role. More advanced users of
Photoshop tend to use keyboard shortcuts to speed up the process of digital manipulations,
particularly where high volumes of work are involved. If you look at the drop-down menus, such
as IMAGE - ADJUST for example, you'll see the alternative keyboard strokes alongside the
function description; eg. LEVELS ........ Command (#) L.
In conclusion, I hope the above notes are helpful as a guide to get you started on Photoshop
and, also, as a memory jogger. That said, it can be seen that learning Photoshop is very much
a "hands on" exercise, best approached through demonstration and participation.
Hopefully the workshop will provide an opportunity for such activities.
Additional notes & examples for Creating Panoramas, Layers, Special Effects (Filters), etc. will
be available at the workshop.
Vince Lindsay 31 July 2005
REFERENCES & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Photoshop 5.5 for Windows & Macintosh
Photoshop 6 for Dummies
Digital Tip of the Month
PPP Conversationals
Weinmann & Lourekas
Deke McClelland
Ron Wiebe ("Flash")
John, Tony, et al