Photoshop SIG 11-10-08 - Photoshop CS4

OpenGL 2.0

For Photoshop to access the GPU, the display card must contain a display driver that supports OpenGL 2.0 and Shader Model 3.0 and has enough Graphics RAM to support Photoshop functions, at least 128 MB (256 MB is recommended).

Information on the GPU accelerated features and on Adobe tested and supported graphics cards can be found at http://tinyurl.com/6rdxql.

The Accelerated Features can be turned on or off in the Preferences > Performance.

New Tabbed image window - To move a selection from one image tab to another, make the selection in one image and Ctrl + Drag to the other image until it opens and then drag the selection down into the image.

Photoshop CS4 Features and Shortcuts

Hide Panels - Shift + Tab

Change the Brush Size by pressing the Alt key and right click and drag to change the size. There will be a visual appearance in red of the brush. The color is set in the Preferences > Cursor. To change the Hardness press Shift +Alt and drag.

Spring Loaded Tools - with a tool selected press and hold the shortcut tool for the 2nd tool. This tool will be active as long as the key is held. You will return to the selected tool when you release the shortcut.

Zoom - For continuous zooming, choose the Zoom tool - shortcut Z and click and hold. Release the mouse when you reach the desired zoom level. Press the H and click again to fit in the screen and get a navigation square that can be moved in image to a different point in the image.

Content Aware Scaling - Ctrl+Alt+Shift+C - Must be on a layer. Double click background to change the background to a layer.

Select an area that you want to protect and save as a channel. In the Options pick the Alpha channel in the Protect box to protect the selected area or the People Icon to order to protect skintones.

Bridge in CS4 - Change thumbnail size - press Ctrl and use the mouse scroll wheel.

New Tool - To increase the tonal range of an image take two photos of the scend, one exposed for the highlights and the other for the shadows. Use the same f-stop and change the shutter speed to do this. In Bridge select the two images and choose Tools > Photoshop > Load Files into Photoshop Layers. On the top image add a Layer Mask and blend the two images together.

Increase Depth of Field - Take multiple images with different focus points and in Bridge select these and then choose Tools > Photoshop > Load Files into Photoshop Layers. In Photoshop select all layers using the shift key and in the Edit menu > Choose Auto Align Layers > Auto. Next choose Auto Blend Layers > Stack Images and make sure Seamless Tones and Colors is checked.

In Bridge to get a Full Screen Preview - Press the Space Bar

Stack like Images - Ctrl + G. To open the stack, click on the number in the upper thumbnail corner.

Adjustment Panels - Add a new Adjustment layer by clicking the left arrow in the lower part of the panel.

For Targeted adjustments click the icon at the top of those on the left that looks like a hand. Drag in the image. This is available in the Curves Adjustment where dragging up lightens and down darkens; in the Hue/Saturation where dragging to the right increases saturation and to the left decreases saturation. Ctrl dragging changes the Hue; in the Black and White panel, clicking in the image and dragging to the right lightens this tone and to the left darkens this tone in the image.

Clone and Healing brush live previews - To get a live preview of what you are cloning or healing make sure Show Overlay is checked in the Clone Source Panel. This should be checked by default.

For excellent tutorials on Photoshop CS4 go to http://www.lynda.com/cs4u/ All of the tutorials on this site can be accessed for a fee of $25 per month. I received a free month when I purchased the upgrade from Adobe.