Lesson 8 - Objectives 8-11 (Thursday)
B08-08 Skill: Use the shadows/highlights dialog to adjust your images.
Objectives:
- Understand and use the shadows/highlights adjustment in the Image > Adjustments menu.
Shadows/Highlights is a luminance adjustment that allows you to retrieve detail in an image: It will bring back details in dark shadow areas, and pull detail back from overexposed sections. Watch the two Lynda.com videos at below. They offer a great explanation of how to use the Shadow/Highlights command. To work non-destructively with this adjustment, you need to make your layer a smart object first.
B08-09 Skill: Learn three ways to add an adjustment layer
Objectives:
- Know the three ways you can add adjustment layers in Photoshop
There are three ways to add an adjustment layer in Photoshop. First, remember to have the layer selected that you wish to add the adjustment to.
Then you can use the adjustments panel. If you don't see the adjustments panel, go to the Window menu and make sure that adjustments is checked. As you hover your mouse over each adjustment icon in the adjustments panel, a tool tip will pop up telling you what the adjustment is. The second way to add an adjustment layer is at the bottom of the layers panel itself. You'll see an icon that is a circle, half black, half white. Click on that, and a list of adjustment layers and fill layers will pop up, and you can choose there. The third way is in the layer menu - new adjustment layer (or new fill layer). |
B08-10 Skill: Use fill layers (solid, gradient, and pattern fill layers)
Objectives:
- Learn about fill layers and how to use them.
Photoshop provides three kinds of fill layers - solid, gradient, and pattern fills. The big advantage of using a fill layer vs. using other tools to accomplish the same thing is that they are non-destructive and re-editable.
If you don't like the fill, you can always go back and change it by clicking the fill layer icon on the fill layer you've created. Watch the video, "Photoshop Tutorial - Fill Layers."
You'll find that Photoshop's tool set provides you multiple ways of achieving the same result. For example, a solid fill layer set to color blending mode, and then reducing the layer opacity will work exactly the same as a Photo Filter layer adjustment. You could use fill layers and masks to color a black and white photo, which we did another way back in lesson 3. To see how to do this with fill layers, watch the video, "How to Colorize a Black and White Photo in Photoshop."
You'll find that Photoshop's tool set provides you multiple ways of achieving the same result. For example, a solid fill layer set to color blending mode, and then reducing the layer opacity will work exactly the same as a Photo Filter layer adjustment. You could use fill layers and masks to color a black and white photo, which we did another way back in lesson 3. To see how to do this with fill layers, watch the video, "How to Colorize a Black and White Photo in Photoshop."
B08-11 Skill: Prepare to send your image to a professional print shop
Objectives:
- Understand the typical process for working with a print shop to print your images professionally.