Photoshop Elements 13 For Dummies

Photoshop Elements 13 For Dummies

Released September 2014
Publisher(s): For Dummies
ISBN: 9781118964644

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Book description

Take your photos from "meh" to "wow!" with Photoshop Elements 13 and this expert guide

Photoshop Elements 13 For Dummies is your guide to picture perfection using Adobe's Photoshop Elements. This full-color manual walks you through the process of photo editing, from basic color corrections to advanced filter effects, drawing, and more. Work through from beginning to end for a complete lesson, or keep it handy as a quick reference for unfamiliar tools and techniques. Designed for beginner and intermediate Photoshop Elements users, this book provides straightforward instruction in a fun, richly illustrated, easy-to-read style that makes learning feel like play.

Combining powerful tools with a user-friendly interface has made Photoshop Elements the number-one selling photo editing software. Photoshop Elements 13 For Dummies shows you how to take advantage of everything the software has to offer, helping you create high-quality images for print, e-mail, and the web. Even with no digital image editing experience at all, you'll learn how to take your photos from bland to beautiful and have a blast along the way.

  • Adjust resolutions, color modes, and file formats to best suit the project

  • Work with layers, filters, effects, styles, type, and more

  • Correct color, contrast and clarity for a simple photo makeover

  • Optimize for print, or share on Facebook, Flickr, and other social networks

    • The power and simplicity of Photoshop Elements makes it the perfect solution for amateurs seeking an affordable digital editing platform. The quicker you learn the tools, the sooner you'll be turning out photos to brag about - and Photoshop Elements 13 For Dummies will get you there in a flash.

    Table of contents

      1. Introduction
        1. About This Book
        2. Icons Used in This Book
        3. Beyond the Book
        4. Where to Go from Here
      2. Part I: Getting Started with Photoshop Elements 13
        1. Chapter 1: Getting Started with Image Editing
          1. Launching the Photo Editor
          2. Making Basic Edits in Quick Mode
          3. Sharing a Photo
          4. Creating Images from Scratch
          5. Retracing Your Steps
            1. Using the History panel
            2. Reverting to the last save
          6. Getting a Helping Hand
          7. Saving Files with Purpose
            1. Using the Save/Save As dialog box
            2. Saving files for the web
        2. Chapter 2: Basic Image-Editing Concepts
          1. Grappling with the Ubiquitous Pixels
            1. Understanding resolution
            2. Understanding image dimensions
          2. The Art of Resampling
            1. Changing image size and resolution
            2. Understanding the results of resampling
          3. Choosing a Resolution for Print or Onscreen
          4. Go Ahead — Make My Mode!
            1. Converting to Bitmap mode
            2. Converting to Grayscale mode
          5. Understanding File Formats
            1. File formats at a glance
            2. Audio and video formats supported in Elements
          6. Getting Familiar with Color
          7. Getting Color Right
            1. Color the easy way
            2. Calibrating your monitor
            3. Choosing a color workspace
            4. Understanding how profiles work
        3. Chapter 3: Exploring the Photo Editor
          1. Examining the Photo Editor
            1. Examining the image window
            2. Uncovering the contextual menus
            3. Selecting the tools
            4. Selecting from the Tool Options
            5. Playing with panels
          2. Using the Photo Bin
            1. Creating different views of an image
            2. Viewing filenames
            3. Using Photo Bin Actions
          3. Finding Your Bearings in Guided Mode
          4. Controlling the Editing Environment
            1. Launching and navigating preferences
            2. Checking out all the preferences panes
          5. Customizing Presets
      3. Part II: Managing Media
        1. Chapter 4: Navigating the Organizer
          1. Organizing Photos and Media on a Hard Drive
          2. Adding Images to the Organizer
            1. Adding files from folders and removable media
            2. Downloading camera images with the Elements Downloader
            3. Importing additional photos from folders
            4. Getting photos from iPhoto (Mac only)
          3. Navigating the Media Browser
          4. Using a Scanner
            1. Understanding image requirements
            2. Using scanner plug-ins (Windows)
            3. Scanning on the Mac
            4. Scanning many photos at a time
          5. Phoning in Your Images
          6. Setting Organizer Preferences
        2. Chapter 5: Organizing Your Pictures
          1. Touring the Organizer
          2. Organizing Groups of Images with Tags
            1. Creating and viewing a tag
            2. Adding icons to tags
            3. Working with custom tags
            4. Working with default tags
            5. Working with subcategories
            6. Sorting photos according to tags
          3. Rating Images with Stars
          4. Adding Images to an Album
            1. Creating an album
            2. Using albums for temporary work
            3. Editing an album
            4. Finding out more about sharing your albums
          5. Adding People in the Media Browser
          6. Placing Pictures on Maps
          7. Working with Events
        3. Chapter 6: Viewing and Finding Your Images
          1. Cataloging Files
            1. Using the Catalog Manager
            2. Working with catalogs
            3. Backing up your catalog
            4. Backing up photos and files (Windows)
          2. Switching to a Different View
          3. Viewing Photos in a Slide Show
          4. Searching for Photos
            1. Using Search
            2. Searching for untagged items
            3. Searching captions and notes
            4. Searching by history
            5. Searching metadata
            6. Searching similarities
          5. Grouping Files That Get in the Way
            1. Marking files as hidden
            2. Stacking ’em up
            3. Creating versions
      4. Part III: Selecting and Correcting Photos
        1. Chapter 7: Making and Modifying Selections
          1. Defining Selections
          2. Creating Rectangular and Elliptical Selections
            1. Perfecting squares and circles with Shift and Alt (Option on the Mac)
            2. Applying Marquee options
          3. Making Freeform Selections with the Lasso Tools
            1. Selecting with the Lasso tool
            2. Getting straight with the Polygonal Lasso tool
            3. Snapping with the Magnetic Lasso tool
          4. Working Wizardry with the Magic Wand
            1. Talking about Tolerance
            2. Wielding the Wand to select
          5. Modifying Your Selections
            1. Adding to, subtracting from, and intersecting a selection
            2. Avoiding key collisions
          6. Painting with the Selection Brush
          7. Painting with the Quick Selection Tool
          8. Fine-Tuning with the Refine Selection Brush
          9. Working with the Cookie Cutter Tool
          10. Eliminating with the Eraser Tools
            1. The Eraser tool
            2. The Background Eraser tool
            3. The Magic Eraser tool
          11. Using the Select Menu
            1. Selecting all or nothing
            2. Reselecting a selection
            3. Inversing a selection
            4. Feathering a selection
            5. Refining the edges of a selection
            6. Using the Modify commands
            7. Applying the Grow and Similar commands
            8. Saving and loading selections
        2. Chapter 8: Working with Layers
          1. Getting to Know Layers
            1. Converting a background to a layer
            2. Anatomy of the Layers panel
            3. Using the Layer and Select menus
          2. Working with Different Layer Types
            1. Image layers
            2. Adjustment layers
            3. Fill layers
            4. Shape layers
            5. Type layers
          3. Tackling Layer Basics
            1. Creating a new layer from scratch
            2. Using Layer via Copy and Layer via Cut
            3. Duplicating layers
            4. Dragging and dropping layers
            5. Using the Paste into Selection command
          4. Moving a Layer’s Content
          5. Transforming Layers
          6. Adding Layer Masks
          7. Flattening and Merging Layers
            1. Flattening layers
            2. Merging layers
        3. Chapter 9: Simple Image Makeovers
          1. Cropping and Straightening Images
            1. Cutting away with the Crop tool
            2. Cropping with a selection border
            3. Straightening images
          2. Recomposing Images
          3. Employing One-Step Auto Fixes
            1. Auto Smart Tone
            2. Auto Smart Fix
            3. Auto Levels
            4. Auto Contrast
            5. Auto Color Correction
            6. Auto Sharpen
            7. Auto Red Eye Fix
          4. Editing in Quick Mode
          5. Fixing Small Imperfections with Tools
            1. Cloning with the Clone Stamp tool
            2. Retouching with the Healing Brush
            3. Zeroing in with the Spot Healing Brush
            4. Repositioning with the Content-Aware Move tool
            5. Lightening and darkening with Dodge and Burn tools
            6. Smudging away rough spots
            7. Softening with the Blur tool
            8. Focusing with the Sharpen tool
            9. Sponging color on and off
            10. Replacing one color with another
        4. Chapter 10: Correcting Contrast, Color, and Clarity
          1. Editing Your Photos Using a Logical Workflow
          2. Adjusting Lighting
            1. Fixing lighting with Shadows/Highlights
            2. Using Brightness/Contrast
            3. Pinpointing proper contrast with Levels
          3. Adjusting Color
            1. Removing color casts automatically
            2. Adjusting with Hue/Saturation
            3. Eliminating color with Remove Color
            4. Switching colors with Replace Color
            5. Correcting with Color Curves
            6. Adjusting skin tones
            7. Defringing layers
            8. Adjusting color temperature with photo filters
            9. Mapping your colors
          4. Adjusting Clarity
            1. Removing noise, artifacts, dust, and scratches
            2. Blurring when you need to
            3. Sharpening for better focus
          5. Working Intelligently with the Smart Brush Tools
      5. Part IV: Exploring Your Inner Artist
        1. Chapter 11: Playing with Filters, Effects, Styles, and More
          1. Having Fun with Filters
            1. Applying filters
            2. Corrective or destructive filters
            3. One-step or multistep filters
            4. Fading a filter
            5. Selectively applying a filter
            6. Working in the Filter Gallery
            7. Distorting with the Liquify filter
          2. Correcting Camera Distortion
          3. Exploring Element’s Unique Filters
            1. Creating a comic
            2. Getting graphic
            3. Using the Pen and Ink filter
          4. Dressing Up with Photo and Text Effects
          5. Adding Shadows, Glows, and More
            1. Applying layer styles
            2. Working with layer styles
          6. Mixing It Up with Blend Modes
            1. General blend modes
            2. Darken blend modes
            3. Lighten blend modes
            4. Lighting blend modes
            5. Inverter blend modes
            6. HSL blend modes
          7. Using Photomerge
            1. Photomerge Panorama
            2. Photomerge Group Shot
            3. Photomerge Scene Cleaner
            4. Photomerge Exposure
            5. Photomerge Compose
        2. Chapter 12: Drawing and Painting
          1. Choosing Color
            1. Working with the Color Picker
            2. Dipping into the Color Swatches panel
            3. Sampling with the Eyedropper tool
          2. Getting Artsy with the Pencil and Brush Tools
            1. Drawing with the Pencil tool
            2. Painting with the Brush tool
            3. Using the Impressionist Brush
            4. Creating your own brush
          3. Filling and Outlining Selections
            1. Fill ’er up
            2. Outlining with the Stroke command
          4. Splashing on Color with the Paint Bucket Tool
          5. Working with Multicolored Gradients
            1. Applying a preset gradient
            2. Customizing gradients
          6. Working with Patterns
            1. Applying a preset pattern
            2. Creating a new pattern
          7. Creating Shapes of All Sorts
            1. Drawing a shape
            2. Drawing multiple shapes
            3. Specifying Geometry options
            4. Editing shapes
        3. Chapter 13: Working with Type
          1. Understanding Type Basics
            1. Tools
            2. Modes
            3. Formats
          2. Creating Point Type
          3. Creating Paragraph Type
          4. Creating Path Type
            1. Using the Text On Selection tool
            2. Using the Text On Shape tool
            3. Using the Text On Custom Path tool
          5. Specifying Type Options
          6. Editing Text
          7. Simplifying Type
          8. Masking with Type
          9. Stylizing and Warping Type
            1. Adjusting type opacity
            2. Applying filters to your type
            3. Painting your type with color and gradients
            4. Warping your type
      6. Part V: Printing, Creating, and Sharing
        1. Chapter 14: Getting It on Paper
          1. Getting Pictures Ready for Printing
          2. Working with Color Printer Profiles
            1. Printing a photo with the printer managing color
            2. Printing a photo with Elements managing color
            3. Printing a picture package or contact sheet
          3. Getting Familiar with the Print Dialog Box
            1. Using Page Setup
            2. Creating transfers, borders, and more with More Options
        2. Chapter 15: Sharing Your Work
          1. Getting Familiar with the Elements Sharing Options
            1. Planning ahead
            2. Understanding photo sharing in Elements
          2. Working with Adobe Revel
            1. Knowing what Adobe Revel offers you
            2. Downloading the Adobe Revel applications
            3. Understanding the Adobe Revel interface
            4. Editing a photo with Adobe Revel
            5. Sharing photos with Adobe Revel
            6. Downloading images from Adobe Revel
          3. Using the Share Panel
            1. Emailing photos
            2. Working with Adobe Premiere Elements
            3. Sharing your photos on social networks
        3. Chapter 16: Making Creations
          1. Checking Out the Create Panel
          2. Creating Facebook Cover Images
          3. Grasping Creation-Assembly Basics
          4. Creating a Slide Show
          5. Creating a PDF Slide Show
          6. Making Additional Creations
      7. Part VI: The Part of Tens
        1. Chapter 17: Ten Tips for Composing Better Photos
          1. Find a Focal Point
          2. Use the Rule of Thirds
          3. Cut the Clutter
          4. Frame Your Shot
          5. Employ Contrast
          6. Experiment with Viewpoints
          7. Use Leading Lines
          8. Use Light
          9. Give Direction
          10. Consider Direction of Movement
        2. Chapter 18: Ten More Project Ideas
          1. Screen Savers
          2. Flyers, Ads, and Online Auctions
          3. Clothes, Hats, and More
          4. Posters
          5. Household and Business Inventories
          6. Project Documentation
          7. School Reports and Projects
          8. Blogs
          9. Wait — There’s More
      8. About the Authors
      9. Cheat Sheet
      10. More Dummies Products

    Product information

    • Title: Photoshop Elements 13 For Dummies
    • Author(s):
    • Release date: September 2014
    • Publisher(s): For Dummies
    • ISBN: 9781118964644