Photoshop Elements SIG 1-21-09

Pseudo HDR in Elements

1. You can create the 2 exposures by opening a RAW image 2 times, first adjusting for highlights and then adjusting for shadows. You have to save the first one before you open the RAW converter to do the second.
2. Do the first 2 steps in the Photoshop Pseudo HDR
3. Add a Levels Adjustment layer to the background - shadow layer. The Mask in the Adjustment Layer will serve as the Layer Mask in Step 3 of Photoshop steps.
4. Do steps 3 and 5 andAlt click the mask in the Adjustment layer to display it
5. Ctrl+V to paste in the copied background image
6. The rest of the steps are the same.
   

Magnetic Lasso Tool Tips

1. Select the tool and click to set the starting point of your selection; like the Polygonal Lasso tool, you don't need to keep the mouse button held down as you move around your object.As you move the mouse pointer, Elements draws a temporary path where it detects contrast, applying these reference points automatically.If the line isn't appearing where you'd like, click to set a reference point (this technique is particularly helpful when specifying sharp angles).
2. Did a reference point appear where you don't want it?Notice that the last-created point is solid; press the Delete key to remove it without disrupting the path.
   
3. When you come back around to the starting point, click on it to complete the selection.
4. The reference points the tool creates are only guidelines for specifying the selection; you can't go back and edit them later as you would paths in a drawing application. But the Add/Subtract/Intersect modes (see "Editing the Selection") are also available for the Magnetic Lasso tool to help you fine-tune the selection.
5. TIP: Double-click the mouse to complete the selection at any point.
6. Using controls on the Options Bar, you can control the strength of the magnet's pull and how many points appear when drawing:
7. Width: This value (between 1 and 256 pixels) is the distance between an edge and the mouse pointer that will be considered for a path. A larger value can often accurately grab edges without requiring a lot of precision mousing on your part; a smaller value is better for close-in selections.
8. Edge Contrast: This percentage helps Elements define what an "edge" is. A higher percentage looks only for high-contrast areas, while a low value can pull an edge out of fuzzy areas.
9. Frequency: A higher Frequency value prompts Elements to create more reference points on a path, increasing the accuracy of the selection (but also potentially creating a more jaggy area, depending on the image).
10. Tablet pressure: This control is represented by the small pen icon to the right of the Frequency setting. When enabled, this will use the pressure-sensitivity setting of a drawing tablet to affect the Width value.
11. You could try to draw a selection perfectly the first time, but that trail leads only to frustration. Instead, treat a lassoed selection as sculpture: start rough and refine as you go.
12. With a broad selection made and the Lasso tool selected, click one of the selection modes in the Options Bar.
13. Add to Selection lets you grab areas you may have missed initially or create non-contiguous selections.
14. Use Subtract from Selection to pare away areas and get closer to your subject.
15. Or,Draw within your selection using the Intersect with Selection mode to keep just that area.
16. Better yet, ignore the Options Bar altogether and switch modes using modifier keys. With any of the Lasso tools active, hold the Shift key to Add to Selection; hold Alt (Mac: Option) to Subtract from Selection; or hold both Alt and Shift to Intersect with Selection. The tool's icon changes to reflect the mode as you're working.
    

Refinements

1. The controls in the Options Bar, such as Feather, apply only if you set them before creating a selection. What if you decide you want a feathered edge after it's drawn?
2. Right click and select feather
3. Click the Refine Edge button to bring up a dialog that can alter an existing selection.(The Refine Edge button doesn't appear when the Magnetic Lasso tool is selected.
4. Simply switch to the Lasso tool after you've made a magnetic selection to make it appear.)
5. The Smooth slider removes jagged edges and rounds out the selection.
6. Feather applies a soft edge.
7. And the Contract/Expand slider reduces or enlarges the selection in percentage increments.
8. With the Preview button enabled, use the sliders to adjust the selection.
9. You can press F or click the red Custom Overlay Color mode button at the bottom-left of the dialog to see a mask overlay that helps preview the selection;
10. You can also press X to temporarily remove the 'marching-ants' border around the selection.
11. Feel free to move the image using the Hand tool or change the zoom level using the Zoom tool while the dialog is still open.