2013

Secret To Creating Shadows In Photoshop – A Phlearn Video Tutorial

pixelmove.com

Check out the full post at: http://phlearn.com/the-secret-to-creating-shadows-in-photoshop

How to calculate light in shadows

Creating realistic shadows in Photoshop really is about the hardest thing you can do. The reason for this, is that there is so much more going on than what most people think about. In today’s episode, I am going to shed some light on what needs to be done to create perfect composites.

Today’s Episode Timeline

0:32 – Announcing Amelia’s Move & what that means for you
1:00 – Announcing the winners from last week’s contest!
3:00 – The secret that no one thinks about when doing composites
4:20 – Showing light bouncing back and forth
6:20 – Why this contest is going to benefit you
7:30 – Adding a bit more to the mushroom
8:50 – Fixing exposure and color
10:10 – Taking the light and color from the mushroom
16:20 – Adding depth to the shadow
19:30 – EPISODE PUMP UP .

Website: http://phlearn.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Phlearn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aknacer
Google+: https://plus.google.com/105267656376269695918/posts

For more tutorials and how to videos check out our extensive Photoshop and photography video channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/PhlearnLLC
We cover everything from Photoshop tutorials, photography tutorials, how to videos and more!

The Secret Behind Levels Vs Curves In Photoshop – A Phlearn Video Tutorial

pixelmove.com

Check out the full post at: http://phlearn.com/the-secret-behind-levels-vs-curves-in-photoshop

Why Curves and Levels Are Important

Curves and Levels are the bread and butter of photo editing, but it can be difficult to know which one to use. Today we analyze both, and give the strengths and weakness of each. I also cover when I use levels and when I use curves, and how to make the process more simple.

Today’s Episode Timeline

0:03 – Adjustment layers are like Jelly Beans
1:30 – What Curves and Levels have to do with editing.
2:40 – Overview of when I use Curves
3:15 – Overview of when I use Levels
4:40 – Explaining input and output levels
7:00 – Showing the parallels between levels and curves
8:20 – Drastic changes with Curves
9:30 – How to make Curves very user friendly
13:30 – Choosing your black point, grey point and white point.
14:00 – A great tip for people who shoot with a grey card
13:30 – Choosing your black point, grey point and white point.
16:30 – Teach me something about Curves and Levels
What to use if you don’t like graphs

There is a hand tool in the curves adjustment layer that will allow you to click directly in your image and change your values and colors based on where you click. It takes all the technical stuff out of editing, and just leaves the fun. Highly suggested.

Curves

In general, curves are a bit more user friendly, and will allow you to make more dramatic changes than levels. With the ability to change things drastically comes the ability to either really mess an image up, or make it great.
Here is when I will use Curves

Adjusting the colors of highlights, mid-tones and shadows
Adjusting very specific values (Using the Hand)
Creating Vignettes (Pull RGB up in center slightly)
In compositing, often you will need to change colors, lights and darks to make an image fit. Curves handle this very well
Making drastic changes
Levels

Levels are perfect for large global adjustments such as making the lights of an entire image a little less bright. They are a bit more subtle than curves.
Here is when I use Levels

Making subtle changes
Adding slight color to highlights and shadows (as depicted in the image be Annie Leibovitz below)
Making white leves slightly darker so things don’t look blown out
In this amazing image of the White Stripes, Annie’s retoucher Pascal Dangin uses levels to add the perfect amount of cyan into the shadows. This is a perfect application for Levels. .

Website: http://phlearn.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Phlearn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aknacer
Google+: https://plus.google.com/105267656376269695918/posts

For more tutorials and how to videos check out our extensive Photoshop and photography video channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/PhlearnLLC
We cover everything from Photoshop tutorials, photography tutorials, how to videos and more!

How To Use Adjustment Layers In Photoshop – A Phlearn Video Tutorial

pixelmove.com

http://youtu.be/57-Xb9Ym3nQ

Check out the full post at: http://phlearn.com/unlocking-the-mystery-of-adjustment-layers-in-photoshop

Which Adjustment Layer is Best?

The right one for the job of course. Knowing what that is can be a headache however. Today we are going through the rest of the Adjustment Layers, and showing you which ones should be used in what circumstances. You will be able to make your images much better in less time by knowing the right layer to grab.

For Curves and Levels, check out yesterday’s episode: The Secret Behind Levels VS Curves in Photoshop

Today’s Episode Timeline

0:30 – Intro to all the adjustment layers
1:10 – Using the Hue/Sat adj layer
2:40 – One of the best uses for Hue/Sat
4:00 – Showing how Selective Color is amazing for skin
6:20 – Learn how to make great cross tones
7:30 – Why Vibrance is better than Saturation
9:20 – Color Balance is for finishing images off
11:10 – Fun with Photo Filter
12:30 – Using a Gradient Map to Color Your Image
13:40 – Extreme Power with the Channel Mixer
17:30 – Showing Color Depth vs Hue/Sat
18:30 – Everything Else!
Hue/Sat

This is a great layer to use if you want to make crude color changes, something like turning a green car into a blue car. It is not the best tool for skin, because it tends to flatten everything out, and produce a less deep image.

If you do need to color something that is not saturated, click on the colorize button, and you are good to go. You will likely have to add colors to the highlights and the shadows to give your object depth.

Selective Color

This is one of my favorites. It is the perfect tool to adjust skin tone, providing you want your skin to look like skin. This is not the tool to use if you are trying to make a person’s skin blue, but if you are adjusting subtleties, there is none better.

It will also create stunning cross process images very easily, as I show in this episode

Color Balance

A great way to finish off an image. Adding a bit of color to the midtones and highlights can draw some attention to your image in a great way, as long as you keep it subtle.

Color Balance Tip: Stay away from the shadows slider, most of the time it will make your image look worse.

Vibrance

A great way to add some POP to your image without going overboard. This tool does a great job at keeping mid tones and skin tones in place. Compare this to Saturation, and you will like the results much better!

Channel Mixer

The Big Boy! Using the channel mixer is very hard, so don’t worry if it doesn’t come naturally to you. It is the perfect tool for some dramatic black and white images.

When you are using the Channel Mixer with colors, it will allow you to greatly alter your image, which can be a really good thing, as long as you keep it under control. Too much, and you will wind up with something crazy.

Photo Filter

This thing is just fun. Choose what color cast you want on your image, and how strong you want it, couldn’t be easier!

Gradient Map

The Gradient Map will completely colorize your image, allowing you to choose which colors make up the highlights/midtones/shadows and everything in between. .

Website: http://phlearn.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Phlearn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aknacer
Google+: https://plus.google.com/105267656376269695918/posts

For more tutorials and how to videos check out our extensive Photoshop and photography video channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/PhlearnLLC
We cover everything from Photoshop tutorials, photography tutorials, how to videos and more!