Photoshop Elements 4: The Missing Manual

Chapter 9. Retouching 102: Fine-Tuning Your Images

Basic edits like exposure fixes and sharpening are fine if all you want to make are simple adjustments. But Elements also gives you the tools to make sophisticated changes that aren't hard to apply, and that can make the difference between a hohum photo and a fabulous one. This chapter introduces you to some advanced editing maneuvers that will greatly help you either rescue damaged photos or give good ones that little extra zing.

The first part of the chapter shows you how to get rid of blemishes—not only those that affect skin, but also dust, scratches, stains, and other photographic imperfections. There's also information later on in this chapter about some of the more sophisticated digital darkroom techniques you can use to fine-tune your images, like making your colors more vivid or removing all the color from your photo to make it black and white. You'll also learn how to colorize a black-and-white photo and how to add a pattern to an image.

Fixing Blemishes

It's an imperfect world, but in your photos, it doesn't have to be. Elements gives you some amazing tools for fixing the flaws in your subjects. You can erase crows' feet and blemishes, eliminate power lines in an otherwise perfect view, or even hide objects you wish weren't in your photo. Not only that, but these same tools are great for fixing problems like tears, folds, and stains. With a little effort, you can bring back photos that seem beyond help. Figure 9-1 shows ...