Photoshop Elements 8: Top 100 Simplified Tips and Tricks

Book description

Expand your basic skill set with these best practices for getting the most out of Photoshop Elements 8!

Photoshop Elements combines an easy-to-use set of features and enhancements with image editing power in an affordable program. The newest version—Photoshop Elements 8—features more online integration with products like the new Flash-based Web galleries.

Packed with beyond-the-basic techniques that show you how to take your Photoshop Elements skills to the next level, this invaluable book reveals ground-breaking ideas and innovative tips and tricks for taking digital images from basic know-how to creative wow!

  • Provides adventurous Photoshop Elements users with a visual reference on how to use the bells and whistles found in the latest version of the software, Photoshop Elements 8

  • Distinguishes itself as not your ordinary how-to guide by revealing the best features of Photoshop Elements 8

  • Offers easy-to-follow, full color step-by-step instructions and detailed imagery throughout

Take your image editing skills to new heights with the featured Photoshop Elements 8 tips and tricks.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. PRAISE FOR VISUAL BOOKS
  5. CREDITS
  6. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  7. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
  8. Table of Contents
  9. Chapter 1: Organize and Prepare Photos for Processing
    1. Develop a WORKFLOW
    2. IMPORT your images
    3. VIEW PHOTOS with full-screen mode
    4. SORT the good pictures from the bad
    5. STACK your images
    6. CREATE ALBUMS to group your pictures
    7. USE KEYWORDS to tag your images
    8. FIND PHOTOS with face recognition
    9. CHANGE THE ORGANIZER interface as needed
    10. SET PREFERENCES to make Organizer work for you
    11. BACK UP YOUR PICTURES to protect them
  10. Chapter 2: Start Adjusting Your Images in Photoshop Elements
    1. Open pictures and USE SAVE AS
    2. MAKE THE EDITOR INTERFACE your own
    3. SET PREFERENCES to make Editor work for you
    4. EXPERIMENT TO LEARN more about controls
    5. YOU CANNOT HURT your pictures
    6. CROP YOUR PHOTOS for tighter shots
    7. FIX AND ROTATE crooked pictures
    8. USE GUIDED EDIT to help you learn the program
    9. SET BLACKS AND WHITES with Levels
    10. ADJUST YOUR MIDTONES with Levels
    11. ADJUST YOUR MIDTONES with Color Curves
    12. QUICKLY ADJUST dark shadows and bright highlights
    13. CORRECT COLOR to remove color casts
    14. ENHANCE COLOR with Hue/Saturation
    15. Use Quick Edit to WORK FAST
  11. Chapter 3: Work with RAW Photos in Photoshop Elements
    1. Change images NONDESTRUCTIVELY
    2. CROP YOUR PHOTOS to start your processing
    3. ADJUST BLACKS AND WHITES to give a photo strength
    4. ADJUST MIDTONES to make tonalities light or dark
    5. CORRECT COLOR to clean up color casts
    6. USE VIBRANCE AND CLARITY to intensify images
    7. SHARPEN PHOTOS with precision
    8. CONTROL NOISE in your photo
    9. Apply adjustments to MULTIPLE PHOTOS
    10. MOVE YOUR PICTURE to Photoshop Elements
  12. Chapter 4: Choose Local Control Features
    1. CREATE AND USE a Selection
    2. USE MARQUEE TOOLS for specific shapes
    3. USE LASSO TOOLS to follow picture elements
    4. USE AUTOMATED TOOLS for easy selections
    5. EXPAND OR CONTRACT your selection
    6. SELECT WHAT IS EASY and invert
    7. BLEND EDGES by feathering
    8. USE SELECTIONS FOR traditional edge darkening
    9. USE THE SMART BRUSH for specific area fixes
  13. Chapter 5: Create Adjustment Layers for Nondestructive Changes
    1. Understand HOW LAYERS WORK
    2. Understand HOW ADJUSTMENT LAYERS WORK
    3. WORK BLACKS AND WHITES with a Levels adjustment layer
    4. WORK MIDTONES with a Levels adjustment layer
    5. CORRECT COLOR with an adjustment layer
    6. ENHANCE COLOR with an adjustment layer
    7. FIX PROBLEM EXPOSURES with layer blending modes
    8. Understand HOW LAYER MASKS WORK
    9. REMOVE ADJUSTMENTS with black
    10. ADD ADJUSTMENTS using black and then white
    11. COMBINE LAYER MASKS with selections
    12. BALANCE COLORS AND TONES in a picture
    13. BRING OUT SHADOW DETAIL in specific areas
    14. DARKEN HIGHLIGHT DETAIL in specific areas
    15. Add a GRADUATED FILTER EFFECT
    16. FLATTEN LAYERS when done
  14. Chapter 6: Solve Photo Problems
    1. CLONE OUT problems
    2. REMOVE PEOPLE FROM A SCENE with Photomerge Scene Cleaner
    3. Fix problems due to LENS DISTORTION
    4. FIX PERSPECTIVE PROBLEMS with building photographs
    5. REMOVE DEAD SPACE with Recompose
    6. Make an OUT-OF-FOCUS BACKGROUND
    7. Remove DISTRACTING COLORS
    8. Improve BLANK SKIES
    9. CREATE THE FOCUS with Gaussian Blur
    10. ADD A NEW BACKGROUND for your subject
  15. Chapter 7: Size and Sharpen Photos
    1. BASIC WORKFLOW for image sizing
    2. Size photos FOR PRINTING
    3. Size photos FOR E-MAIL
    4. SHARPEN PHOTOS with Unsharp Mask
    5. SHARPEN PHOTOS with Adjust Sharpness
    6. Sharpen photos WHEN YOU HAVE LAYERS
    7. SELECTIVELY SHARPEN parts of your photo
  16. Chapter 8: Go Beyond the Basics
    1. Convert color photos to BLACK-AND-WHITE
    2. Adjust your photos in BLACK-AND-WHITE
    3. Create TONED IMAGES
    4. Use the Smart Brush FOR CREATIVE EFFECTS
    5. Create a HAND-COLORED LOOK
    6. Photograph a scene FOR A PANORAMIC IMAGE
    7. MERGE PHOTOS for a panoramic picture
  17. Chapter 9: Software Plug-ins Make Work Easier
    1. USE COLOR EFEX PRO for quick creative adjustments
    2. USE COLOR EFEX PRO for efficient photo work
    3. REMOVE NOISE with Dfine
    4. GET DRAMATIC BLACK-AND-WHITE with Silver Efex Pro
    5. Use FocalPoint for EASY DEPTH-OF-FIELD EFFECTS
    6. TRY PHOTOTUNE FOR fast color and tonal adjustments
    7. Use Enlarge It for MAKING BIG PRINTS
  18. Chapter 10: Get Photos out of Photoshop Elements
    1. Gain more options WITH Photoshop.com
    2. PROTECT YOUR PHOTOS with online backup
    3. ACCESS YOUR PHOTOS anywhere Internet service is available
    4. Create online PHOTO ALBUMS
    5. SHARE YOUR PHOTOS online
    6. PRINT your photos
    7. PRINT A GROUP of photos
    8. Make a photo GREETING CARD
    9. Create PHOTO COLLAGES
    10. ADD FRAME EFFECTS to your pictures
    11. Make a SLIDE SHOW
    12. Put your photos ON A DVD OR CD
  19. Index

Product information

  • Title: Photoshop Elements 8: Top 100 Simplified Tips and Tricks
  • Author(s): Rob Sheppard
  • Release date: January 2010
  • Publisher(s): Visual
  • ISBN: 9780470566916