At the Elements SIG I showed a technique for creating an Orb. The steps are as follows:
Creating an Orb
1. Full Edit open flower bunch
2. Crop to a square
a. Marquee tool
b. Cookie Cutter Tool
3. Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates
a. Polar to Rectangular
4. Image > Rotate > 180 deg
5. Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates
a. Rectangular to Polar
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Photoshop Elements SIG - 11/18/25
Captions Alive Pro
The software that I used to create the animated text captions that I have been showing in my slide shows the past few months has now been released. It is called Captions Alive Pro found at the web site can be found at http://www.visisketchpro.com/CAP/CAP_Main.html
You can download a free trial and then buy it from the web site.
Essentials 3
A few months ago I posted information on Essentials 2, a very reasonably price set of plugins for Photoshop Elements. Unfortunately this version is not compatabile with Elements 8. OnOne Software recently released Essentials 3. Here are the top new features in this release in addition to support for Photoshop Elements 8:
• New Photo Essentials Palette - The Palette provides quick access to all five modules from a single location right inside Photoshop Elements.
• Make It Cool - This new module offers a library with dozens of professional effects that can be added to images in one click. This is based on our award-winning PhotoTools 2 plug-in.
• A new dynamic range optimization algorithm in Make It Better.
The web site for Essentials 3 is
http://www.ononesoftware.com/detail.php?prodLine_id=11
The software that I used to create the animated text captions that I have been showing in my slide shows the past few months has now been released. It is called Captions Alive Pro found at the web site can be found at http://www.visisketchpro.com/CAP/CAP_Main.html
You can download a free trial and then buy it from the web site.
Essentials 3
A few months ago I posted information on Essentials 2, a very reasonably price set of plugins for Photoshop Elements. Unfortunately this version is not compatabile with Elements 8. OnOne Software recently released Essentials 3. Here are the top new features in this release in addition to support for Photoshop Elements 8:
• New Photo Essentials Palette - The Palette provides quick access to all five modules from a single location right inside Photoshop Elements.
• Make It Cool - This new module offers a library with dozens of professional effects that can be added to images in one click. This is based on our award-winning PhotoTools 2 plug-in.
• A new dynamic range optimization algorithm in Make It Better.
The web site for Essentials 3 is
http://www.ononesoftware.com/detail.php?prodLine_id=11
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Photoshop Elements 8 SIG 10-21-09
Steps to add texture to an image
1. Open a photo to which you would like to add texture
2. Open a texture image
3. Add the texture to the photo by dragging it into the photo. It will appear as a new layer.
4. Use the Move tool to position it and Free-Transform to size the texture to fit the image
5. Change the Blending mode to what you like best. The best are Overlay, Soft Light or Multiply.
6. Change the layer opacity to suite
7. To apply your texture selectively you can add an adjustment layer above the background image
8. Group this adjustment layer with the Texture layer by selecting the Texture layer and select Group with Previous from the Layers menu (Ctrl + G)
9. You can now paint with black the areas on the mask associated with the adjustment layer where you want to hide the texture.
There are many, many more free textures on deviantArt; enter ‘texture’ into the search box to find them.
Creating an Orb
1. Full Edit open image
2. Crop to a square
a. Marquee tool - Shift Drag a selection and the in Image menu choose Crop
b. Cookie Cutter Tool - Choose a Square Shape, Check Crop in the Options bar and shift drag.
3. Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates
a. Polar to Rectangular
4. Image > Rotate > 180 deg
5. Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates
1. Open a photo to which you would like to add texture
2. Open a texture image
3. Add the texture to the photo by dragging it into the photo. It will appear as a new layer.
4. Use the Move tool to position it and Free-Transform to size the texture to fit the image
5. Change the Blending mode to what you like best. The best are Overlay, Soft Light or Multiply.
6. Change the layer opacity to suite
7. To apply your texture selectively you can add an adjustment layer above the background image
8. Group this adjustment layer with the Texture layer by selecting the Texture layer and select Group with Previous from the Layers menu (Ctrl + G)
9. You can now paint with black the areas on the mask associated with the adjustment layer where you want to hide the texture.
There are many, many more free textures on deviantArt; enter ‘texture’ into the search box to find them.
Creating an Orb
1. Full Edit open image
2. Crop to a square
a. Marquee tool - Shift Drag a selection and the in Image menu choose Crop
b. Cookie Cutter Tool - Choose a Square Shape, Check Crop in the Options bar and shift drag.
3. Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates
a. Polar to Rectangular
4. Image > Rotate > 180 deg
5. Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates
Monday, October 12, 2009
Adobe Photoshop SIG Meets
The Adobe Photoshop SIG - October 12, 2009 Notes:
RAW Converter
If your version of PS (CS3 or before) or Lightroom RAW Converter doesn't support your new camera, go to the Adobe Web Site > Downloads > Adobe DNG Converter 5.5 Update,
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4576
Download and install the DNG and then when you want to move your digital RAW images from your camera's memory card use the DNG Converter to convert the camera's RAW image files to DNG and move to your computer's hard drive. You can open these files in CS3 or earlier RAW file converters.
Tips
Zoom
Ctrl + "+" to zoom in and Ctrl + "-" to zoom out.
To resize the window as you zoom go to Edit > Preferences > General and check Zoom Resizes Windows.
You can also zoom in using the Zoom tool (Z) and click in the image. To Zoom out Alt+click with the Zoom tool.
If you are zoomed in and would like to zoom in on a different part of the image, with the zoom tool Click with keep the "H" key pressed. The image will zoom out and you can move the square showing the zoom around to a different part of the image. Release the mouse button and you will be zoomed in on the selected area.
Press the F key to view the image in a full window. You can move the image using the spacebar. Press the F key again the window changes to black and the menu bar,toolbar and palletes go away. To get them back press the Tab Key. Press the F key again to go back to normal view.
Fixing Overexposed or Faded images
You can duplicate the background to a new layer by pressing Ctrl + J and then change the Blend mode to Multiply. This doubles the file size, unfortunately, but another, better way is instead of duplicating the background or a layer that is underexposed, add an Adjustment Layer such as Levels. If you change the Blend Mode to Multiply you get the same effect with no increase in file size. If the increased image density is too much, you can reduce the layer opacity. This technique is very handy for restoring old faded photographs.
Fixing Underexposed or Dark Images
You can do the opposite of the above for dark or overexposed photos by changing the Blend mode to Screen.
In both cases you have the advantage of the Mask that comes with the Adjustment Layer. For example to
Lighten eyes and maybe teeth in a portrait
Add a Levels Adjustment Layer and change the blend mode to Screen. This lightens the whole image so you want to fill the mask with black to hide the adjustment. With black as the foreground color press the Alt + Backspace key. This will fill the mask with black. Now change the foreground color to white and with the Paintbrush at about 30% opacity paint with the white foreground color on the eyes to allow the Screen mode to show through. You can adjust the opacity of the layer to get the right amount of lightening. You can also do this on the teeth or any other areas you would like to lighten.
This is a good technique for opening up detail in the shadows.
RAW Converter
If your version of PS (CS3 or before) or Lightroom RAW Converter doesn't support your new camera, go to the Adobe Web Site > Downloads > Adobe DNG Converter 5.5 Update,
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4576
Download and install the DNG and then when you want to move your digital RAW images from your camera's memory card use the DNG Converter to convert the camera's RAW image files to DNG and move to your computer's hard drive. You can open these files in CS3 or earlier RAW file converters.
Tips
Zoom
Ctrl + "+" to zoom in and Ctrl + "-" to zoom out.
To resize the window as you zoom go to Edit > Preferences > General and check Zoom Resizes Windows.
You can also zoom in using the Zoom tool (Z) and click in the image. To Zoom out Alt+click with the Zoom tool.
If you are zoomed in and would like to zoom in on a different part of the image, with the zoom tool Click with keep the "H" key pressed. The image will zoom out and you can move the square showing the zoom around to a different part of the image. Release the mouse button and you will be zoomed in on the selected area.
Press the F key to view the image in a full window. You can move the image using the spacebar. Press the F key again the window changes to black and the menu bar,toolbar and palletes go away. To get them back press the Tab Key. Press the F key again to go back to normal view.
Fixing Overexposed or Faded images
You can duplicate the background to a new layer by pressing Ctrl + J and then change the Blend mode to Multiply. This doubles the file size, unfortunately, but another, better way is instead of duplicating the background or a layer that is underexposed, add an Adjustment Layer such as Levels. If you change the Blend Mode to Multiply you get the same effect with no increase in file size. If the increased image density is too much, you can reduce the layer opacity. This technique is very handy for restoring old faded photographs.
Fixing Underexposed or Dark Images
You can do the opposite of the above for dark or overexposed photos by changing the Blend mode to Screen.
In both cases you have the advantage of the Mask that comes with the Adjustment Layer. For example to
Lighten eyes and maybe teeth in a portrait
Add a Levels Adjustment Layer and change the blend mode to Screen. This lightens the whole image so you want to fill the mask with black to hide the adjustment. With black as the foreground color press the Alt + Backspace key. This will fill the mask with black. Now change the foreground color to white and with the Paintbrush at about 30% opacity paint with the white foreground color on the eyes to allow the Screen mode to show through. You can adjust the opacity of the layer to get the right amount of lightening. You can also do this on the teeth or any other areas you would like to lighten.
This is a good technique for opening up detail in the shadows.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Photoshop Elements 8
Yesterday Adobe announced Photoshop Elements 8, http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopelwin/?promoid=BPDEM.
There is no upgrade price from any previous version of Elements, bummer, but they are offering a $20 mail-in rebate until the end of October.
You can check the above web site for the new features that are included. Among the new features is an image scaling feature similiar to Content Aware Scaling that was introduced in Photoshop CS4 that allows the user to reduce the width or height of an image to fit into a set width and heighth without distorting the major elements of the image.
I will go over this new release in the Photoshop Elements SIG on Wednesday, October 21 at the Tampa Bay Resource Center Resource Center.
There is no upgrade price from any previous version of Elements, bummer, but they are offering a $20 mail-in rebate until the end of October.
You can check the above web site for the new features that are included. Among the new features is an image scaling feature similiar to Content Aware Scaling that was introduced in Photoshop CS4 that allows the user to reduce the width or height of an image to fit into a set width and heighth without distorting the major elements of the image.
I will go over this new release in the Photoshop Elements SIG on Wednesday, October 21 at the Tampa Bay Resource Center Resource Center.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Color Management
Devices for monitor calibration are:
X-Rite Pantone Huey - $89
http://www.xritephoto.com/ph_product_overview.aspx?id=756&catid=107&action=overview
Datacolor - Spyder3Express - $89
http://spyder.datacolor.com/product-mc-s3express.php
X-Rite Pantone Huey - $89
http://www.xritephoto.com/ph_product_overview.aspx?id=756&catid=107&action=overview
Datacolor - Spyder3Express - $89
http://spyder.datacolor.com/product-mc-s3express.php
Edit JPEG in Camera RAW
Note: This does not work in Elements 8.
If you have JPEG files and would like to process them in the Camera RAW Converter you can do this currently in the Editor, File menu choose Open As and choose Camera RAW (not Photoshop RAW) as the format. Your file will open in the RAW converter. This may be a good or bad thing as the a lot of file information in creating a JPEG in the camera has been lost.
If you would like to open a JPEG or other non-raw files from Organizer you can download a free EditInACR appliclation from http://johnrellis.com/editinacr/
The web page will have "Open JPEGs in Adobe Camera Raw from the Photoshop Elements Organizer" by John R. Ellis information and how to download a use the EditInACR.
If you have JPEG files and would like to process them in the Camera RAW Converter you can do this currently in the Editor, File menu choose Open As and choose Camera RAW (not Photoshop RAW) as the format. Your file will open in the RAW converter. This may be a good or bad thing as the a lot of file information in creating a JPEG in the camera has been lost.
If you would like to open a JPEG or other non-raw files from Organizer you can download a free EditInACR appliclation from http://johnrellis.com/editinacr/
The web page will have "Open JPEGs in Adobe Camera Raw from the Photoshop Elements Organizer" by John R. Ellis information and how to download a use the EditInACR.
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