Studio lighting can be quickly and easily dramatized by blending multiple layers.
Duplicate a layer with a subject by pressing Command – J (PC: Ctrl-J).
Desaturate the new layer, then adjust the Levels dialog (Command – L [PC: Ctrl-L]) to create a strong contrast.
Now, apply a Gaussian Blur (Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur) to the new layer and set its blend mode to Overlay, which amplifies the saturation of the base colors, while retaining the tonal contrast of the new layer.
This effect can provide a strikingly more provocative sense of depth with very little effort.
Don’t use the grid view very often? Then turn it into a rule-of-thirds grid. In Photo-shop, press Command – K (PC: Ctrl-K) to open your Preferences. Click on Guides, Grid & Slices from the list on the left and change the settings for the Grid section as follows: Gridline every 100 percent, Subdivisions 3, and click OK. This creates a grid that divides the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. When you turn on the grid by pressing Command – ‘ (PC: Ctrl – ‘(apostrophe)), a rule-of-thirds grid will be superimposed over the image. Don’t use the grid view very often? Then turn it into a rule-of-thirds grid. In Photo-shop, press Command – K (PC: Ctrl-K) to open your Preferences. Click on Guides, Grid & Slices from the list on the left and change the settings for the Grid section as follows: Gridline every 100 percent, Subdivisions 3, and click OK. This creates a grid that divides the image into thirds both horizontally and vertically. When you turn on the grid by pressing Command – ‘ (PC: Ctrl – ‘(apostrophe)), a rule-of-thirds grid will be superimposed over the image.
Provided by NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals)
Corey Barker is Executive Producer of PlanetPhotoshop.com and is an Education and Curriculum Developer for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals. Corey has also made numerous appearances on the highly rated podcast, PhotoshopUser TV, and is co-host of Layers TV.
Another way to lighten an image uses the Overlay screen mode. Here’s how: Open the image and click on the Create a New Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers panel. Press D to set the Foreground/Background colors to their default black/white, respectively, and then press Command-Delete (PC: Ctrl-Backspace) to fill the new layer with solid white. Change this layer’s blend mode to Overlay and you can then adjust the brightness of the image by changing the layer’s Opacity until it looks right to you.
When I’m shooting concert images, the lighting often changes quickly, and I end up with an image that’s just a little too dark. One of the simplest and most effective tricks to lighten an image is to use the Screen layer blend mode. Open the image, duplicate the Background layer by pressing Command-J (PC: Ctrl-J), and then change the blend mode of the new layer to Screen. Then simply adjust the Opacity of the new layer until it suits your needs.
dekePod Episode 015: Imagine yourself on a once-in-a-lifetime underwater adventure. Adift in a world of wonder. Watch as if in a dream as you ignore the souvenir stand, bypass the lounge chair, even avoid the swim-up bar. Your only intention is to grab the gear, strap on the fins, and plunge into the astonishing azure alure.
Or more simply put: Mix with the fish.
Such destinations have names as to make the heart sigh: Fiji. Kealakekua Bay. Ningaloo. The Red Sea. Read more…
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Thankfully, Photoshop’s Smart Objects make it easy for you to work smarter instead of harder, saving tons of time. In this tutorial you’ll learn what a Smart Object is, why they’re useful, and how you can use them to make some of the slickest photo templates you’ve ever seen. Then use what you’ve learned to create limitless smart effects of your own! Read more…
