Adobe has launched its Photoshop Camera application for Android and iOS devices. The app, previewed last November, utilizes Adobe’s artificial intelligence technology, Sensei, to deliver highly-stylized and filters and camera effects in real-time as you capture images.
The Adobe Photoshop Camera app is designed to help users capture ‘gorgeous selfies, food and scenery shots, and more.’ The application includes numerous automatic image adjustment tools via a Magic Wand tool, such as portrait relighting and lens distortion correction.
The app includes different categories of ‘Lenses’, which act like filters: Portrait, Pop Art, Spectrum, filters inspired by Billie Eilish, Artful, Food, Scenery, Blue Skies and Reverie. Each Lens includes numerous filters, such as Blue Skies Lenses with different cloud formations. Users can also download additional Lenses created by various influential photographers and Instagram users.
Screenshot from Adobe Photoshop Camera app for iOS
Within the Photoshop Camera app, users can edit their captured images through a variety of basic editing tools. You can adjust shadow detail, highlight detail, clarity, vibrance, exposure, contrast, white level, black level and saturation. As mentioned earlier, there is also an automatic adjustment performed, which happens as soon as you view an image in your library. You can also tap a Photoshop Express button at the top of the display to take your image into the Photoshop Express app for additional and more in-depth adjustments.
In a hands-on with Photoshop Camera, the application worked well. The application made automatic adjustments and determined that the ‘Scenery Lens’ would be a good starting place for me to select from different filter options. I also tried out the ‘Artful’ lens, which was quickly applied to my image. In other photos, the app did a good job of picking out the sky, although unsurprisingly, its sky replacement is not as sophisticated nor as effective as what you find in Skylum’s Luminar software.
Speaking to The Verge, Adobe CTO Abhay Parasnis stated the goal of Photoshop Camera is to ‘bring the magic of Photoshop directly to your camera’s viewfinder.’ When Adobe introduced Photoshop Camera last fall, it notes the app’s role in broadening the appeal and overall platform strength of Adobe Creative Cloud, its subscription-based software ecosystem. Alluding to appealing to future Creative Cloud consumers, Adobe said, ‘We are committed to investing in accessible tools like Photoshop Camera built for the next generation of consumers and creatives.’
Adobe Photoshop Camera is available as a free download with in-app purchases for Android and iOS.
The post How to Use the Orton Effect in Photoshop to Save Blurry Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
Is your photo a little bit blurry? Don’t throw it out just yet. In most cases, you wouldn’t want soft-focus in your image, but you can rehash-it with a different purpose. One thing you can do is apply an Orton effect in Photoshop to give it new life, especially if it’s a landscape.
Some times when you see your photographs in the camera without zooming in, they look sharp when they are not. Maybe your shutter speed was too slow, or you were using the wrong focus mode.
There are many reasons this can happen. Often you find out too late – when you’re already back home on your computer.
If it’s possible just go back and shoot again, you can find some useful tips in this article so that you can get the best results. If this is not an option, soft-focus and blurry images are completely acceptable if done in a creative way. This is where the Orton effect in Photoshop comes in.
What is the Orton Effect?
The photographer Michael Orton invented this technique, hence the name. It was created in the 80s, which means that it was done with film photography. He overlapped different versions from the same scene with different exposures and a different focus. As a result, the image gained a surreal atmosphere.
His images look like paintings thanks to the experimentation he does with light, color, and motion. On his website, he says that “The vast color combinations and unique variations of light found in the natural landscape, used with the wide variety of choices in compound camera motion provide an exciting challenge.”
You can go there to see his work and understand more of the technique before getting into it.
The Orton Effect in Photoshop
Because this technique was done by stacking images, it can be perfectly recreated in Photoshop because you can work with Layers. Since this is technically easy to do, many photographers have tried it.
Get yourself acquainted with what is out there so you can find your own style. Try using hashtags like #orton or #ortoneffects on Instagram and Pinterest.
Choose your image
Although technically speaking, you can apply this technique to any photo, it doesn’t necessarily look good on all of them. This is mostly done on landscapes because of the dream-like glow that will result from it.
This image is slightly blurry, it’s mostly a landscape and the man in the bear custom works well with a surreal atmosphere.
Another thing to consider is that it’s not a magical way to save an image that’s completely out of focus. Because it mixes areas with different amounts of detail in them, the soft-focus won’t be distracting. But you do need a certain degree of sharpness in it.
Step by step
In the same way that Michael Orton stacked slides, you’re going to be stacking layers. There are many ways to achieve this technique, it’s a matter of experimenting and finding your own. The basic principle is the same, though; blend different exposures and focus. Here’s my way of doing it to get you started.
Different exposures
When you open your image in Photoshop, it will be a Background layer that is locked. Click and drag it into the Duplicate Layer button at the bottom of the panel to create a copy of it.
Now, change the Blending Mode to Screen. You can do this by opening the menu that you’ll find at the top of the Layers Panel.
The Screen blending mode is one of the different options that allow you to lighten your image. When this layer blends with the one underneath, the pure blacks – if any – will be covered. The pure whites will stay the same and the greyscale will become brighter.
Next, duplicate the original background layer again and drag this copy to the top.
Then, change the blending mode to Multiply. This one does the exact opposite of the Screen blending mode. As the name indicates, it multiplies the base color by the blend color resulting in a darker one.
Different focus
Now that you have different exposures, you need to add the different sharpness.
For this, you’ll need to add a filter.
Whenever you do this, it’s a good idea to make it a Smart Filter so that you can always come back to change it. The first thing to do is to right-click on the layer and choose Convert to Smart Object.
With this change, you’ll be working non-destructively. So, go to Menu>Filters>Blur>Gaussian Blur. In the pop-up window, you can adjust the right amount of blur for your image. Keep the preview option checked so that you can see what you’re doing.
It’s easy to overdo it, so I recommend that you always come back to your work and check with fresh eyes. Because you made it a smart filter, you can just double-click on it and the Gaussian Blur window will pop-up again so you can make any adjustments you want.
Finishing touches
Because the filter will be on a mask, you can paint black any area that you may want to keep without the blur. This can help to create a different effect or direct attention to a specific subject.
You can then crop or add any adjustment layers to finish it off.
There you go, an easy and fun technique that can turn your not-so-great photo into an artistic project to save the day. Try it and share the results in the comment section.
The post How to Use the Orton Effect in Photoshop to Save Blurry Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Ana Mireles.
The post How to Create Sun Flares Using Luminar 4 and Photoshop (video) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
In this video from Anthony Turnham, you’ll learn how to create sun flares using Luminar 4, either standalone or as a plugin in Photoshop.
This effect can be a great addition to any landscape photo or portraits, especially if you feel your image is lacking something special. This effect can possibly give your image extra life and dynamic.
Anthony takes you through this tutorial in an easy-to-follow way, making it easy for you to create your own sun flare.
Try out this technique and share your resulting photos with us in the comments section.
Do you have other methods for creating sun flares? Share those with us too!
You may also like:
How to Easily Make Images ‘Pop’ with these Luminar 4 Tips
How to Use the Luminar 4 Pro Tools Panel
Portrait Editing with Luminar 4 – Using Artificial Intelligence
Luminar vs Lightroom: Three Reasons Luminar is Better (and Two Reasons It’s Not)
Easy Color Grading With LUTs and Luminar 2018
Tips For Editing the Colors in Landscape Photos Using Lightroom (video)
Editing Gently: 3 Tips for Processing Realistic Landscape Photos
The post How to Create Sun Flares Using Luminar 4 and Photoshop (video) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.
The post A Beginner’s Guide to Layer Masks in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.
Adobe Photoshop has so many buttons, tools, and options it can seem overwhelming and intimidating to beginner photo editors. Rather than diving into the deep end and trying to learn every possible tool all at once, I recommend a more measured approach. Pick one thing and learn that, and then move on to the next tool or technique. And learning Layer Masks in Photoshop is one of the most important and useful tools for any editor.
High school senior, class of 2017. There is no number 17 on his shirt. I added it in Photoshop with layer masking. Nikon D200, 50mm, f/1.8, 1/90 second, ISO 200.
In 1994, Photoshop Version 3 introduced a concept that blew the doors off the image editing industry: layers. This allowed editors to stack multiple image elements on top of each other to form a complete picture. This is all well and good, but what if you put one layer on top of another layer and still want to see something on the layer below?
You could use the Eraser tool to remove part of the top layer, which is what I used to do when I first started using Photoshop years ago.
A much better solution is to use a Layer Mask, which lets you show and hide any part of a layer. Instead of using the Eraser tool, you use the Paintbrush (or other tools) to make any part of a layer visible, invisible, or transparent.
As an example, here’s a picture of a truck on a farm. It’s alright, but the sky behind the truck isn’t very dramatic.
Nikon D750, 95mm, f/2.8, 1/3000 second, ISO 100
What if I replaced the boring blue sky with this dramatic sunset? Surely that would be a much more interesting photo, and maybe help the farmer sell his truck too.
Fuji X100f, 23mm, f/16, 30 seconds, ISO 200
If the pictures of the truck and sunset are stacked in Photoshop, the truck is visible but not the sky. This is where Layer Masks in Photoshop can save the day! You can use a mask on the truck layer and then edit it to remove the sky. This would leave the truck visible but the sunset showing through.
Layers are fundamental to the image editing process in Photoshop. Layers are on top are visible, whereas layers underneath cannot be seen unless some parts of the layers on top are visible.
To add a Layer Mask, click the top layer (in this case, the truck) and choose Layer>Layer Mask>Reveal All.
Alternatively, click the Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.
The rectangle with a circle icon will add a layer mask to the selected layer.
At this point, nothing in the picture has changed because the entire layer is still visible, and nothing has actually been masked out. This is why the menu command is “Reveal All.”
The layer mask shows the entire layer to which it is applied. At this point, you can use any number of methods to remove portions of the layer you are working on.
The white rectangle is your layer mask. Click on it to select the mask, and then you can start hiding portions of the layer which it is attached to (in this case, the Truck layer).
My preferred method to show and hide Layer Masks in Photoshop is to use the Brush tool. Press the ‘B’ key on your keyboard or click the Brush tool icon on the left-side toolbar. Then start brushing the portions of the layer that you want to make invisible, just as though you were using an eraser.
Brushing the layer mask will reveal whatever is beneath the layer. Here you can see how, after a few brushstrokes, the sunset layer is starting to show through.
Notice how any part of the mask that you erase is also reflected in the thumbnail. Black portions are where the mask has been eliminated, which is a subtle but useful indicator of the work you are doing on the mask.
As you apply the brush to portions of the mask, the mask thumbnail is updated accordingly.
To completely remove the sky behind the truck, I used the Quick Selection tool to select the sky. Then I switched back to the Brush tool and brushed over the entire selected area.
It worked! The original sky is gone, replaced with a dramatic sunset. But there are some errors that I still need to fix.
At this point, a Layer Mask probably seems much more complicated than just using the Eraser tool. If you want to erase part of an image, why over-complicate the matter with masks and brushes and selections? Layer Masks provide an enormous advantage in that you can un-erase whatever you want just as easily.
With the Brush tool selected, press the ‘X’ key to invert your brush, and you can now put everything you erased back. Use the ‘[‘ and ‘]’ keys to change the size of the brush, and the ‘Z’ key to zoom in on portions of the image to get the finer details.
Invert the brush tool by pressing the X key to un-erase any part of the layer.
All the normal controls for brushes can be used when working with layer masks – opacity, smoothing, etc. This makes Layer Masks in Photoshop incredibly powerful and exponentially more useful than just using the eraser tool.
It still needs some touch-ups, but it’s a lot better than before thanks to the flexibility of layer masks.
Layer Masks can do so much more than replacing the sky. They can be used to combine any number of images, layers, and effects.
I created the picture at the top of this article with Layer Masks in Photoshop in just a few minutes. It started with the picture below of a high school senior wearing a blue shirt. Since this young man graduated in 2017, I wanted to put a 17 on his shirt. Photoshop made it easy.
A high school senior, Class of 2017. A nice big 17 would look good on his shirt.
I started by using the Fyra font for the number 17. I set the color to white and used the Soft Light blend mode to make the number look like it was part of the shirt, not just sitting on top of it. The young man’s crossed arms presented a challenge, but one that was easily solved in seconds thanks to layer masks.
What to do about his arms? Layer Masks to the rescue!
With the base layer selected, I chose the Lasso tool and selected the portion of the picture containing the arms. Then with that selection active, I right-clicked on the image and chose “New Layer via Copy.” This created a new layer in my Layers panel, which I moved to the top of the list by clicking and dragging.
With the new layer selected in my Layers panel, I went to the Layer menu and selected Layer Mask>Reveal All. This created a new masking layer, much like the truck and sunset example, that I could use to show and hide whatever portions of the arms I wanted to.
Click the white box next to Layer 1 to edit the layer mask for the top layer.
With the new Layer Mask in place, the rest of the operation was fairly simple.
I zoomed in on the image to get a closer view by pressing ‘Z’ and then clicked on the arms. Then I pressed the ‘B’ key to select my Brush tool and used the [ and ] keys to get the right size. As I brushed out the part of the top layer I did not want, I pressed the ‘X’ key to switch back and forth between erasing and un-erasing. This makes it very simple to perform fine adjustments to your layer mask.
Brush options such as Opacity and Smoothing can be used to perform edits to your layer mask with surgical precision.With one hand on your mouse and another hand on the X key, you can quickly show and hide whatever part of your layer that you want.
Using layer masking instead of just erasing portions of an image means you can continue to manipulate your image as separate layers even after you have made your edits. Watch how the number 17 can be moved and resized without any additional editing or erasing. This is possible because the arms are a separate layer in front of the number, and the blue part of the arms layer has been erased or masked out.
Reading through all these steps to learn Layer Masks in Photoshop might seem kind of overwhelming. If you follow along step by step, it’s a lot easier than it seems. Also, there are hundreds of ways to edit layer masks to create compositions you probably thought were previously unattainable.
If you have never tried using layer masks in Photoshop, I recommend giving it a try, and see where your creativity takes you. You might find that it opens up a door to entirely new types of artistic expression and editing possibilities.
Share your results with us in the comments below!
The post A Beginner’s Guide to Layer Masks in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.
The post How to Arrange Your Photoshop Workspace for Faster Editing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
The key to quick and painless retouching is creating a workflow that works for you. Photoshop has a highly customizable workspace that you can set up in a way that best suits your needs. Here are some tips on how to declutter your Photoshop workspace for a seamless and efficient workflow.
Photoshop workspace preferences
A workflow that’s effective for one photographer may not be as helpful for another.
Your Photoshop workflow has to be built around your preferences and your most-used tools and windows. For example, the tools that I use most for my food photography may not be as useful for wedding photography or street photography.
For this reason, you may want to have multiple workspaces set up for different applications, especially if you shoot in more than one genre.
You may want to have a workspace for black and white photography only, and another you use for color retouching. It’s up to you if you want to have multiple workspaces and how you organize them.
The important thing is that you arrange your workspace in a way that you’re best prepared for the type of retouching that you want to do. This will keep distractions to a minimum and make the process of retouching go faster.
Photoshop comes with some pre-configured workspaces, depending on what you use the program for. You’ll find these, as well as your various options to set your preferences, under the Window tab at the top of the Photoshop workspace. The panels that show up in your workspace are denoted with a checkmark. Click them on or off accordingly.
Choose the default Photography workspace as a base and customize it from there.
When setting up your workspace, I recommend always showing your Layers and Histogram panels to keep you on track while retouching. I also like to sometimes have my History and Actions visible.
Rename your workspace in a way that will help you quickly differentiate it from other workspaces, if you have them. I personally only use one workspace because I mostly shoot in one genre – food photography.
Creating a new workspace
To create a new photoshop workspace:
go to > Window navigate to > Workspace choose > New Workspace Give your workspace a name Hit >Save
Toolbar and windows
The toolbar and various menus in the Photoshop workspace can be easily dragged to where you want them. In the default workspace, you can find the toolbar on the left-hand side. However, you can drag it to the right-hand side of your workspace, so you have all your tools and menus on one side. This can make the workspace cleaner and more effective because everything you need to access will be consolidated in one area, and your eyes won’t be bouncing around, looking for things.
Make sure that your most important windows are visible, and that you hide or collapse any that are unused, or rarely used.
Observe which windows and tools you use the most and make sure that they are prominent and easy to navigate to.
You can make your menus larger or smaller in relation to the rest of your workspace, depending on your preference. If you have a large screen, you might feel comfortable having several wide menus.
In my Photoshop workspace, I want to see my Histogram and Navigator panels at the top, where I’m used to seeing them in my RAW editor.
Below that, I have my Adjustments and Actions, which I access regularly.
I also always have my Layers panel open so I can see them all and know exactly which one I’m working on.
You can minimize a given window and have it noted by an icon. For example, I have minimized my History panel to a small icon because I want it accessible in case I need to step back in my retouching process, but it’s not a panel that I constantly use, therefore I don’t need to expand it.
History panel denoted with an icon.
When you move your panels around, note that they will be saved as such in the organization of the current workspace. If you go to another workspace and then come back, all your panels will be found in their most recent arrangement.
Floating menus
Any of the individual panels can be moved onto the screen. They can be moved outside the Photoshop window, or even onto other monitors, if you use a double or multiple monitor set-up.
Some photographers like to work this way, while others find floating panels annoying and intrusive.
Docking panels
You can dock panels with other panels to create panel groups.
To do this, you hover the pointer of the mouse over the boundary of another panel. A blue outline will show you where the panel will be docked.
Two panels docked together.
You can also dock several panels into columns, as I did with my History panel. Again, you probably want to do this with the panels that you need but use less often.
Shot at 38mm on a 24-70 f.2.8 zoom lens at ISO 100, shutter speed 1/160th.
Conclusion
An organized workspace is one of the most important factors in working effectively in Photoshop. Arrange your tools and panels in a way that makes sense for you.
This might mean:
creating multiple workspaces with various preferences for different applications
consolidating your toolbar and panels on one side of the screen
hiding unused menus and collapsing those that are used less often
docking floating panels and tools together or using floating panels on another monitor
minimizing the number of panels in your workspace to avoid distractions
At the end of the day, your retouching process has to make sense for you. Hopefully these tips will help you declutter your Photoshop workspace for a faster and efficient retouching workflow.
If you have any other tips for decluttering your Photoshop workspace, let us know in the comments.
The post How to Arrange Your Photoshop Workspace for Faster Editing appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
The post How to Create Mandalas in Photoshop Using Stack Modes appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
There are so many facets to Photoshop that even regular users can sometimes be surprised by new ways to use particular features. Stack Modes is one of the tools in the Photoshop repertoire that I’ve only just started really playing with recently. And, it turns out, the function is great for generating intricate patterns and even mandala-like designs. In this tutorial, I’ll guide you through the steps to create mandalas in Photoshop with Stack Modes.
Can I use Stack Modes?
First things first – unfortunately, Stack Modes aren’t available in all versions of Photoshop. For this tutorial, I’m going to be using Photoshop CS6 Extended. Doing a little research, it looks like Extended and CC versions of Photoshop have the stack mode function. However, if you don’t have the Stack Modes tool required for this tutorial, you can try creating something a little similar here.
What are Stack Modes?
So what exactly are Stack Modes?
The Stack Modes function works by combining a group of image layers with similar content into the one image. For example, astrophotographers may use Stack Modes to combine hundreds of shots into one frame.
Stack Modes can also be used to reduce noise and remove people and objects from photos. It’s a pretty nifty function!
What are mandalas?
Throughout history, mandalas have seen numerous incarnations and applications. Meaning circle in Sanskrit, mandalas are a geometric array of symbols and designs made for spiritual, meditative and artistic purposes.
In modern terminology, mandala is a phrase sometimes used to describe other circular visual arrangements like spirographs and scientific diagrams. The term mandala may also be used to describe the meditative or visual quality of an artwork.
How to create mandalas in Photoshop with Stack Modes
Setting up
To create mandalas in Photoshop, the first step is to pick a single photograph to work with. Something with a few colors and small details is a good bet. I’m going with the flower seen below:
Open your image in Photoshop and right-click on the image layer in the Layers Panel. Select Duplicate Layer… and click OK at the prompt.
Select the Background layer in the Layers Panel (not Background copy) and hit Delete.
Next, click on Image on the top toolbar. Select Canvas Size… and (roughly) double the height and width of your canvas so we have room to expand the design.
Click OK.
Adjusting layers
Drag your image to the top of the canvas. Right-click on your image layer in the Layers Panel and select Duplicate Layer… hit OK at the prompt.
With the Move Tool selected, click on the image on the canvas to select it (one layer will be behind the other).
Hold the Shift key on your keyboard down and drag the selected image by the top-middle transform control icon towards the bottom of the canvas, flipping the image to mirror the remaining photograph so it looks like this:
Select both layers by depressing the Shift key and clicking on each layer in the Layers Panel.
Right-click on either layer icon and select Merge Layers. The two layers will merge into one. Drag the merged image to the left edge of the canvas.
Right-click on the layer in the layers panel and hit Duplicate Layer… and Click OK at the prompt. Hold down the Shift key and click the left-most transform icon and drag the duplicated layer towards the right edge of the canvas, flipping the second layer to mirror the first. Like in the example below:
Making room
We have a pretty cool image now, but we aren’t finished yet!
To create mandalas in Photoshop, we need to extend the canvas further to accommodate the rest of the layers we will be making.
Click on Image->Canvas Size… and add an extra hundred-or-so cm’s to the height and width of the image. Don’t worry if the canvas looks too large, we can always crop it back down once the mandala is finished.
Back to layers
Okay. In the expanded canvas, select our two layers by holding Shift and clicking on both layers in the Layers Panel. Right-click and select Merge Layers.
Next, right-click on the merged layer and click Duplicate Layer… Click OK at the prompt. Hold down the Shift Key and rotate this newly created layer to form a cross-like structure.
Duplicate one of the layers again and rotate it so that it looks like mine below:
Duplicate the layer again and rotate it so that your image looks like this:
You can continue adding layers with the duplicate/rotate process until you are happy with the look of your image, or you can leave it as is.
When you are ready, select all the layers in the Layers Panel by holding Shift and clicking on the first and then the last layer in the Layers panel. Right-click on the selection and select Convert to Smart Object. This will combine your layers into a single Smart Object.
Making the mandala happen
With all this duplicating and rotating, the final step to creating mandalas in Photoshop is pretty straight forward. With your Smart Object layer selected, click Layer (in the top tool bar) then click on Smart Objects->Stack Modes. A range of options like Entropy and Kurtosis will become available.
You can look up the exact mathematics behind each setting here, but basically, each option is an algorithm that blends the layers together a different way. Select one and see how it looks…and if you don’t like it, simply undo it and try a different mode.
Here’s my result using the Maximum Stack Mode:
The result from using the Maximum Stack Mode
Final touches
Now you have your mandala, the rest is up to you! You can adjust the colors of your creation or increase/decrease the contrast…you can even invert the colors via the Curves Adjustment Layer and see what that looks like.
You can create mandalas in Photoshop forever – the possibilities are endless! It’s a great opportunity to experiment and explore.
If you’ve created a mandala with this method, go ahead and share below!
The post How to Create Mandalas in Photoshop Using Stack Modes appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.
The post Removing Reflections and Other Unwanted Elements in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
Photoshop gives you a lot more options for retouching than Lightroom because it’s a pixel editor. This means you can manipulate the individual pixels in your image file to refine your images. It allows you to make complex adjustments, such as removing reflections and other unwanted elements in your photo.
You can do one thing in multiple different ways in Photoshop. For the scope of this article, we will focus on two tools: the Content-Aware Fill and the Clone Stamp tool.
Shot at f/7.1 at 65mm IS0 200 Shutter Speed 1/160
How to approach retouching
Before you get started with any retouching, it’s important to assess your image and your end goal for it. Every image is different, and therefore requires a unique approach.
How complex is the adjustment you want to make? Is there a lot of pattern or other detail in the area you wish to retouch? How much contrast is there, and how will that influence your decisions? Will one technique be enough, or will you need to layer various techniques or tools to get the end result you are seeking?
Retouching is a process of problem-solving. It’s important to know where you want to get to before you get started.
Shot at f/8 100mm macro lens at 100 IS0 Shutter Speed 1/160
Content-Aware Fill
Content-Aware Fill is an incredibly useful tool in retouching your photography. It works by analyzing the content in your image to provide a seamless blend in the elements or objects you wish to alter. It allows you to remove unwanted objects or move them to other areas of the image.
To use Content-Aware Fill, you must duplicate your layer to access the information contained within the image. It’s also important to work in a way that is non-destructive, so you can simply delete any mistakes or unfavorable results and start again.
I first created a layer called “Clean” to clean up any dust or small blemishes from the image and then went on to remove the seeds.
To duplicate your layer, hit the shortcut Cmd/Ctrl+J.
For simple edits, like removing small objects from your composition, you can do a quick Content-Aware Fill by using a selection tool to select the object, then hit Shift+Delete.
For example, in the pomegranate image below, I wanted to remove some seeds from the surface, as I felt there were too many causing distraction.
Before Content-Aware Fill
I used the Lasso tool to select the seeds I wanted to remove from my image, then hit Shift+Delete. This can often give you great results, but you might have to blend edges with the Clone Stamp tool.
After Content-Aware Fill
The other way to use Content-Aware Fill is a method that allows you to bring up a Preview window so you can see how your adjustment will look before committing to any changes. This is a good way to work on larger objects or areas.
For the image of the raspberries below, I wanted to remove a couple of the raspberries so the client could add text to it.
Shot at f/3.5 with 100mm macro lens at 1S0 100 Shutter Speed 1/160
To use this method, use the appropriate tool to make a selection of the area you wish to adjust.
Use the Lasso tool to make a selection.
Go to Edit->Content-Aware Fill.
This will bring up the Preview window.
The area in green shows you where Photoshop intends to sample from. However, you may not want it to include all of those areas. So use the brush found in the tool panel in the Preview window to brush out any area you don’t want it to sample from.
Be sure to brush out shadows that may cause your final adjustments to look uneven.
Set the desired Opacity.
Keep in mind that when you’re selecting areas for Content-Aware Fill, that you need to account for depth-of-field throughout your frame, or your image can end up looking fake.
Once you are satisfied with the look of your image, choose New Layer to keep the file size small, or Duplicate Layer for a larger file size. I usually choose the latter.
If your final result is good but not perfect, you might want to use the Clone Stamp tool to finesse it further.
The Clone Stamp Tool
With the Clone Stamp Tool, you’re copying pixels to a new location. This is one of the most utilized tools in Photoshop because it’s a great way to touch up the various elements in your image, especially when your object has a defined edge.
The Clone Stamp tool is perfect for removing reflections in Photoshop.
The shortcut for the Clone Stamp tool is Cmd/Ctrl+S.
Use the softest brush in Normal Mode.
10% to 20% Opacity at 100% Flow is generally a good place to start, but see what works for your individual image.
In the image of the chocolate cake below, I used the Clone Stamp tool to remove the hard reflection on the knife at 20% Opacity.
Before and After of reflection on knife Shot at f/5.6 on 100mm macro at 100 ISO Shutter Speed 1/160
When using the Clone Stamp tool, you can flip it if your pattern looks too repetitious.
It’s also great when you want to mirror a reflection to make it look more realistic. This feature is one of the key reasons the Clone Stamp tool is the best tool to remove reflections in Photoshop.
To flip your brush, go to the Toggle Clone Stamp icon.
You can also use “T” to transform the clone stamp collection, to adjust its size and placement.
Flips the clone source
Conclusion
To sum up, use the Content-Aware Fill tool when you want to remove unwanted objects or elements by using the surrounding areas.
Use the Clone Stamp tool to copy and paste pixels to areas with more defined edges.
Keep in mind when you want to remove reflection in Photoshop, that you want to keep some of the reflection. Our eyes are used to seeing reflections in glass and similarly shiny objects, so removing all of the reflection tends to look fake.
Try this method for removing reflections in photoshop out, and show us your before and after results in the comments section!
The post Removing Reflections and Other Unwanted Elements in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
The post How to Convert a Photo to a Drawing in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.
If you are anything like me, your artistic skills with a pencil are not great. I can, however, take pretty good photographs. So, this technique will show you how to convert a photo to a drawing in Photoshop.
The steps aren’t complicated, but we will use smart objects, filters and blend modes. If you are not familiar with these, check out the related links to learn more about them.
You will need to use Adobe Photoshop for this particular technique and I will be using the current 2020 CC version of Photoshop. Different versions of Photoshop may require slightly different approaches, particularly as it applies to smart objects.
Start with a portrait
To convert a photo to a drawing in Photoshop, I will start with a portrait of a writer I know, Jane Marshall. I photographed this during a recent portrait session. My version of Photoshop is windows-based, but the commands apply to Mac too.
Make sure you are working with an 8-bit image, or some of the filters will not be visible within Photoshop.
Start with the image you want to convert into a pencil sketch
We will be converting the layers into Smart Objects. Converting them into a smart object will allow you to make modifications to each layer.
Before you do this, use the Quick Select tool on the left side. With that highlighted, you can look across the top of the bar (on Adobe Photoshop CC) and use the Select Subject.
This uses Adobe’s Sensei AI technology and selects the subject for you. It generally does a pretty good job.
Mask out the subject
Create a layer mask so you are only working on the portrait
Create a layer mask so that you are only working on the portrait.
To do this, with your selection still made, go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection. Alternatively, select the little layer mask icon in the Layer palette.
Clean up the mask by either using a black brush on the layer mask or use the Select and Mask tool. The Select and Mask tool is similar to the prior versions Refine Mask function, but works much better now. Fundamentally, the mask doesn’t need to be perfect, just smooth.
Remember when working on the mask, white reveals and black conceals.
Refine the mask
Once you are happy with the mask, we need to invert the selection, so press Ctrl I or Command I (Windows/Mac) and select the background.
Press Delete and the background will disappear. We will proceed to convert the layer into a Smart Object by clicking on the layer. You can also do this from the Edit menu.
Convert the base image into a Smart Object
You can convert the image into a Smart Object by right-clicking on the layer or going to the edit menu
Duplicate the layers and rename the new layers.
Because the layer was already a smart image, all the duplicates will also be smart images and will be tied to the original layer (more about that later).
There will be four layers above the original layer.
The original layer should be called Original (it will change from “Background” when you convert it into a Smart Object). We will leave that one alone and only work on the layers above it.
Title the layer above the original “Base.” We can call the layer above Base, “Pencil Outline.” The layer above that, call “Shading” and the Layer above that, call “Lines” or “Edges.”
Naming layers makes adjustments easier to keep track of. Smart objects will make the files larger, but will make all the changes non-destructive and editable.
Create multiple Smart Object layers
Once you create the first Smart Object layer, you can create all the additional layers we will need. Turn off all the layers above the one you are working on at the time.
Create the Pencil Outline layer
Turn off all the layers bar the layer you are working on using the Eye icon next to the name of each layer in the Layers palette. In this case, we will start on the Pencil Outline layer. To start the conversion, press Ctrl I or Command I to invert the layer.
Only the layer we are working on should be visible and we need to invert it to create the initial colored pencil effect
Once you have inverted the image, we are going to use the blend mode, “Color Dodge” to create the initial colored pencil outline effect.
The blend mode has created the initial effect, but it is not strong enough
Add a Gaussian Blur
The next thing we need to do to convert a photo to a drawing in Photoshop is to add a Gaussian Blur. We will do this to improve the appearance of the initial colored pencil effect.
Select Gaussian Blur from the Menu bar, by going to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. The amount of blur you add will affect how much of the underlying image appears.
Adding the Gaussian Blur creates the amount of the image that will be visible
Adjust the amount of Gaussian Blur you want, and a color version of the pencil sketch will start to appear.
However, we can improve the image by creating shading and emphasizing some lines.
Adjust the amount of Gaussian Blur to an amount you like, but you want to clearly see your subject.
With an appropriate amount of blur (the amount will vary depending upon your image and image size), the base becomes visible
Make the image black and white
While on the Pencil Outline layer, add a new Black and White Adjustment Layer from the Adjustments Panel. This will add a layer above the Pencil Outline layer.
If you cannot find your Adjustments Panel, go to the menu bar and select Window > Adjustments. You will then see the panel open. The Black and White Adjustment icon is a box with a positive and negative rectangle inside.
Remember that if you have the layers above the one you are working on turned on, you will not see any changes. So make sure only the layer you are working on and the ones below are turned on.
You don’t need to change anything from the default settings for the black and white adjustment layer for the purposes of this exercise.
A black and white adjustment layer creates the pencil image effect
Working on the shading
When you are converting a photo to a drawing in Photoshop, you want some shading to give depth. However, pencils are usually shaded with texture and blending.
You can create this appearance in Photoshop.
Select your Shading layer.
To improve the effect, we are going to change your brush color from pure black to a dark grey and leave the white as white. You want the foreground color to be the dark grey and the background to be white.
As this will be a pencil effect, we are looking for the pencil color to not be 100% black
With the shading layer selected, go to the Filter Gallery (Menu > Filter > Filter Gallery) and choose the Charcoal Filter under the Sketch Group. Set the Charcoal thickness to 1, Detail to 5 and Light/Dark balance to 50.
At 100% this become the new layer. But we want a pencil effect, not a charcoal effect.
On the Shading Layer, change the blend mode to “Multiply.” This allows the underlying layer to merge with the shading layer, creating some detail and some shading.
The multiply blend mode combines the two main layers
Change the Opacity
Change the Opacity of the Shading layer to a pleasing amount. This will add texture to the image and make it look a lot more like a pencil drawing with shading. For this example, I used 62% opacity for the shading layer. This allows the underlying layer to start showing through. Choose an amount that works for your image
Balance the shading and the pencil outlines
Improve the outer edges
Most pencil drawings have stronger edges emphasized. Because we are converting a photo to a drawing in Photoshop, the photograph has lots of details but the edges aren’t pronounced. To do this, we are going to work off the Lines layer (this is the top layer we created earlier).
Work on the Top Layer
Invert the image by pressing Ctrl I or Command I.
To get stronger edges we need to invert the image again
Once the image has been inverted, we need to go to Menu > Filter > Filter Gallery and chose “Glowing Edges.”
Use the Filter Gallery to Access the Glowing Edges Filter
With Glowing Edges chosen under the Stylize Folder, use this to create the lines. Don’t worry that they are color – we are just looking for stronger edges like an artist would draw.
Glowing Edges makes the image strong
Change the blending mode to “Multiply.”
Use the blend mode to enhance the edges
Convert it to black and white
This time, instead of adding another layer, we can convert this layer to black and white. Do this by going to Menu > Image > Adjustments > Black and White.
Convert this last layer to Black and White for finished effect
Any filter effects below other filter effects will not show up live until you move to a different layer (no live preview as you change).
The finished effect can be tweaked because each smart object can be re-edited
Because each layer is a Smart Object, you can go back and adjust each layer’s filter settings to your liking. Essentially, everything is non-destructive. You can even replace the original image and apply the same settings (but that is a more advanced topic).
The finished look
The Final Portrait
In conclusion, by following all these steps you get a lovely pencil drawing image with shading and definition all starting from a color portrait photo.
There are other ways to accomplish converting a photo to a drawing in Photoshop, but I like how this technique adds subtle shading. This is how a sketch artist would convert a photo into a pencil drawing sketch.
Try converting a photo to a drawing in Photoshop yourself at home, and share your results in the comments section!
The post How to Convert a Photo to a Drawing in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Mark C Hughes.
The post The top Still Life Photography Cleaning Techniques in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
Photoshop is a powerful program with a great variety of tools to help you get the most out of your images. From simple cleaning techniques to complex composites, the software offers everything photographers need for photo manipulation at all levels.
There are a variety of tools to help you, depending on your subject and goals for your image. With the exception of product photography, there are only a few key tools that you’ll need 90% of the time in retouching still life photography. Cleaning techniques in Photoshop are the foundation of beautiful imagery in this exciting but challenging genre.
Let’s take a look at what they are.
Canon 5D Mark III, EF 100mm 1:2.8, 1/160 f/9 ISO 100 Manual Mode, Evaluative Metering
The cleaning tools in Photoshop
There are just a few key tools that you need for cleaning techniques in Photoshop. These are: the Spot Healing tool, the Healing tool, the Clone Stamp tool, and the Patch tool. These tools are all you really need to take your still life images from good to great.
Each tool has its strengths and weakness. Some will achieve desired results more easily than others. When you combine the tools together, the result is a clean and refined image.
Canon 5D Mark III, EF 100mm 1:2.8, 1/250 f/5.6 ISO 100 Manual Mode, Evaluative Metering
The Spot Healing Tool
The Spot Healing tool is the quickest way to fix little blemishes in Photoshop because it doesn’t require you to select an area to sample pixels from. Photoshop’s algorithm looks at nearby pixels and replaces them with pixels that it determines to be a good match.
When using this tool, you have some choices that will help Photoshop make the best guess as to what pixels would be the best replacement.
You can find the Spot Healing tool by the icon that looks like a bandaid. The shortcut for this tool is “J“.
When using this tool, you have some choices that will help Photoshop make the best guess as to what pixels would be the best replacement.
First, you want to choose a very soft brush. Start with a hardness of “0” and increase it slightly if needed. When retouching in Photoshop, every image is unique, so you have to assess your approach on a case-by-case basis.
Proximity Match will only look at the pixels around the sample area.
When you use this tool, it’s best to choose Content-Aware Fill. This will ensure that the tool chooses pixels that will give you a seamless result.
In still life photography, it’s a good starting tool to quickly clean up any dust or small bits and blemishes before moving on to bigger blemishes or imperfections. It’s better than using the Spot Removal tool in Lightroom because if you use this tool repeatedly, it will slow down Lightroom’s performance very quickly.
Although the Spot Healing tool is one of the best cleaning techniques in Photoshop, one drawback to note is that using it excessively in a given area can lead to a plastic-like look. You may have to layer your use of this tool with others.
The Healing Brush Tool
Still life should look clean and refined. Canon 5D Mark III, EF 24-70mm f/2.8, 1/160 f/9 ISO 100 Manual Mode, Evaluative Metering
The Healing Brush tool is similar to the Spot Healing Brush tool. However, when using this tool, you choose the area that you want to sample from. This gives you much more control, but of course, it’s not as quick as simply using the Spot Healing tool.
Imperfections blend into the surrounding areas. the brush works by matching texture, lighting, transparency, and shading of sample pixels to the pixels in the area we want to heal.
To use this tool, pick a source point to sample from. Think about what is going to work in terms of color and texture.
Start with a hardness of zero. You need a soft brush, but can add a bit of hardness if needed, depending on what you want to heal
Choose Aligned and Current & Below.
Choose where you want to select from and head over to where you want to “paste” the pixels
When utilizing cleaning techniques in Photoshop, the Healing Brush is a powerful tool because of the control it gives you.
Using the Healing Brush to clean up small flaws. Canon 5D Mark III EF 100mm 1:2.8 1/160 f/5.6 ISO 100 Manual Mode, Evaluative Metering
The Patch Tool
Using the Patch tool in Photoshop is another important tool for cleaning techniques in Photoshop. It’s like a large, customizable Healing Brush tool. The Patch tool repairs a selected area with pixels from another area. It seeks to match, lighting, shade, and texture from sample pixels to the source.
It basically works like a “cut and paste” tool. However, it doesn’t work very well on larger areas because there usually are differences in tonality.
If you need to work on a larger area, you should attack the area by working in sections. Also, note that it also doesn’t work well on edges. In this case, you may have to use another tool or combine it with another tool for more precision.
To use the Patch tool, select it from the sidebar or use the “J” key. Also, decide on your blending parameters.
The Patch tool’s Content-Aware mode works on empty layers by sampling below. It shuffles the content around a bit as it acts like a patch. If you’re using normal mode, don’t worry about lightness or color, as there will be a healing calculation when you release the mouse.
Use your mouse or pen to draw a slightly loose selection around the problem area (as pictured above) and then drag it to an area that might work to replace the pixels. You can drag it several times until you find a proper match.
The Clone Stamp Tool
Perhaps one of the most popular and often used tools in Photoshop, the Clone stamp tool may possibly be your best ally when employing cleaning techniques in Photoshop.
The Clone Stamp copies pixels to a new location. With this tool, you’re literally painting over one part of an image with another. You can do this in both very small and large amounts, depending on the brush size you use.
Unlike the Patch Tool, it works very well in areas where you have texture, pattern, or an edge. It doesn’t work as well in areas where you have conflicting exposures on colors.
Although it’s a fantastically useful tool, when it comes to cleaning techniques in Photoshop, it might not work perfectly in every situation; you’ll need to combine it with other tools and techniques.
To activate the Clone Stamp, use the shortcut > Cmd/Ctrl + S.
Use the clone stamp to clean up areas with texture.
You can also use “T” to Transform to adjust further. This means that you can alter the size and rotation of your cloned area to make it blend better.
One last tip
Canon 5D Mark III, EF 100mm 1:2.8, 1/160 f/5.6 ISO 100 Manual Mode, Evaluative Metering
When working with cleaning techniques in Photoshop, it’s a good idea to work using a lot of layers. This will allow you to go back a few steps if you make mistakes.
Using these tools together in Photoshop will give you the best results and will cover most of your bases when retouching your still life photography.
Do you have any other tips you’d like to share with us on cleaning techniques in Photoshop for still life images? If so, please do so in the comments section.
The post The top Still Life Photography Cleaning Techniques in Photoshop appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darina Kopcok.
You’re working on some text in Photoshop for your photo. Things are going along great…until you realize that your text is horribly pixelated! Why? You may have even created this exact type of file before and not had this problem. Why is the text pixelated now? There are a few things that can cause pixelated text in Photoshop. The good Continue Reading
The post 6 Causes of Pixelated Text in Photoshop and Their Fixes appeared first on Photodoto.
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