WorldMags.nImeprotve exposure
AFTER Recover
underexposure
Slider control
Rescue dull photographs
Make the edits using
the three sliders. The Shadows/Highlights adjustment is
another one of Photoshop’s exposure-
correction features, designed to retrieve lost
details in under and overexposed parts of an
image. The adjustment works instantly to
adjust both the brightest and darkest areas.
This one’s a bit easier than the previous
method, but it’s worth trying out both to see
which works best.
Control shadows
Because there are lots of shadows across the
building as well as on the ground, this
adjustment affects all these areas in one go.
Betterlighting
Dealing with difficult exposure
BEFORE
Open the command
01 To open up the Shadows/Highlights
command you need to visit
Enhance>Adjust Lighting>Shadows/Highlights.
Instant effect Readjust shadows Highlight control
02 The adjustment goes to work 03 Depending on how dark your shadows 04 If the highlight areas of your image look
straightaway on your image by giving a are, boost the Lighten Shadows slider too bright as a result of the changes,
up gradually to bring back details into the areas. slide the Darken Highlights up to lower the
default effect. Assess the effect of this on your With Preview ticked you can see how the exposure and balance things out. This is usually
changes will affect your image. necessary to get the perfect look.
shot as in a lot of cases it will suffice.
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Techniques WorldMags.net
Make creative panoramas
The Photomerge function in Elements makes generating stunning
panoramas a piece of cake
How many panoramas do you Use Photomerge
own? WeÕre guessing not very
many. For some reason, people Transform individual photos to achieve lovely panoramas
either forget about the format or just
donÕt think they can create one. This is Gather your files Light prep work
a shame, as the format enables you to
capture large scenes with the kind of 01 You can use images from a 02 The Photomerge function blends
detail not possible with a single lens. designated folder, add them images together but check to see if
individually or use those currently open. major edits are needed. Since the images
A panorama is an image created by This is our preferred method and it can be have been dragged into the workspace, just
stitching together individual photos. done by dragging the images in. cycle through each one. With these we’ll
There is a bit of thinking needed at the use the Crop tool to cut a bystander out.
photo-taking stage, but if you can hold
a camera steady you can take the
necessary shots. Keep the same
settings and then start to snap while
slowly rotating. You need to keep the
camera level and ensure thereÕs
overlap on each image to be joined.
Once you have your images, open up
Elements and use the Photomerge
function. WeÕll show you how easy it is
to do and since itÕs so simple, weÕll
even make some colour adjustment to
the final image for an extra bit of pop.
52 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMaMgakse c.rneateivetpanoramas
Source files available
Use the images provided
to re-create this
Original images
Enter Photomerge Panorama options Wait and be amazed
03 The other photos are fine, so enter 04 The Photomerge window is where 05 Your images will be stitched
Photomerge. Go to File>New and you decide on the type of together. There will be lots of space
you’ll see Photomerge options. The one we panorama you want and set photos to use. around the final image and you’ll be asked if
want is Photomerge Panorama. Once you Click the Auto option, select Add Open Files, you would like Elements to fill this space. If
select it, a new window will appear. ensure Blend Images is ticked and click OK. you prefer to use the Crop tool, just click No.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 53
Techniques WorldMags.net
Crop to the edges Prepare for the edit
06 Pick the Crop tool from the toolbar and then click and drag 07 Now the basic panorama has been created. You can either
to draw a rough rectangle. Now release this and use the stop here or apply further edits (which is what we are going
corner anchor points to click and drag out so as much of the image to do). Go to the Layers palette and click the dropdown options.
is kept as possible, while all the white space is deleted. Choose Merge Visible to work on just the one file.
Getting smart Sunset effect Brighten up
08 It was a bright day when this photo 09 Hit Cmd/Ctrl+D to deselect, then 10 Deselect, pick the Brighter brush
was taken, but we want some with the Smart Brush tool, pick the from the Lighting set and do the
drama. Head over to the Smart Brush tool Sunset brush from the Nature set. Sticking same as before, clicking and dragging across
from the toolbar and pick the Blue Skies with a large brush, click and drag over the the whole image. This pulls the image out of
from the Nature set. Now click and drag over entire image once more. the dirge realm it was in.
the entire image with a large brush.
Adjust the tone Final touchups
11 Things are much fresher now, but we aren’t finished yet. 12 Take a last look at the image. You might notice areas with dark
Deselect once more and click the New Adjustment Layer icon lines – this is where an original overlap has been highlighted by
in the Layers palette (the half black-and-white circle). Choose Levels, the colour tweaks. To fix this, merge layers as before, pick the Spot
then set the white slider to 210 and the grey to 1.11. Healing Brush set to Proximity Match in the Options bar and apply.
54 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMaMgakse c.rneateivetpanoramas
Get the perfect panorama
Combine several photos into one impressive result
START THE
PANORAMA
Kick things off using the
Photomerge Panorama
option from the
File>New menu.
SMART MOVES CROP THE EXCESS FROM MANY TO ONE LAYER CONTROL
The Smart Brush tool The final panorama will To make a panorama Once the panorama is
makes it easy to add have untidy edges. Tidy you need a series of complete, the Layers palette
colour and lighting tweaks up by using the Crop tool overlapping photos, as holds each image so you can
to make panoramas sing. to delete excess edges. our example shows here. make any edits.
Photomerge window Create a manual panorama
When you select the Photomerge function, you will be greeted with a If you revel in panoramas, you may prefer to take the manual
window. From here you can select the images, whether theyÕre the route. Go to File>New>Photomerge Panorama as usual but tick
currently open files or a folder of files. You also get to choose the type Interactive Layout as your Layout option. This opens another
of panorama you want. The Auto option will be fine most of the time, dialog that enables you to manually move your source files
but you can pick different finishes from the left-hand side. These show into the right position, as well as dictate the vanishing point.
a little preview of the effect. The bottom of the window holds three Elements will still blend between the images and once you click
options, the most important being Blend Images Together. OK the panorama will open as a new file.
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WorldMags.net
PAGE 62 PAGE 66 PAGE 72
Photo editing
Learnhowtofix,editandretouchyourphotos forbettereffects
58 Make one-click fixes 88 Fix heavy shadows
Discover auto options Bring back some light
62 Top guided edits 90 Create exposure effects
Make your editing easier Make a layered composition
64 Make essential 94 Light up your seascapes
adjustments Create some atmosphere
Use blend modes for this efect 98 Improve your landscapes
Adjust colour and exposure
66 Edit portraits
Improve your portrait shots 100 Create the Dragan effect
Get creative with this efect
PAGE 110 70 Add drama with Dodge
PAGE 76 and Burn 104 Retouch for classic effects
Create a vintage portrait efect
Adjust lighting
110 Use the Lighting Effects filter
72 Master HDR toning Add stunning lighting efects
Fake the HDR look
114 Add emphasis to eyes
74 Fix images with curves Apply a rainbow efect
Push contrast as far as you can
116 Selective colour creations
76 Convert images to Bring out the best in your images
black and white
PAGE 90
From colour to monochrome
78 Get the Lomo effect
Push colour limits
80 Edit colours with
Photo Filter
Combat white-balance problems
84 Perfect macro
Add layered macro efects
56 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
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PAGE 58
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 57
Photo editingWorldMags.net
COLOUR BOOST SHARP EDGES
The blues in the original The original suffered
were a little reserved, but from soft edges, which
a blast of the Color option were easily fixed with the
has sorted this out. Sharpen option.
SEE DETAIL FINAL SWEEP
The distant hills were Once you have targeted
originally in deep shadow, certain areas, it doesn’t
but a Levels layer has do any harm to treat the
brought detail to the fore. final image to a sweep
of the Smart Fix option.
This tidies anything you
may have missed.
Make one-click fixes
Get to know the Auto options in Elements and improve images with just a click of the mouse
We will always encourage that you take some time to the edits you need to improve most images. There are options
explore the different commands and techniques in for tackling exposure, colour, blurriness, colour casts and tone.
Elements, as they give you all you need to create Each edit automatically makes a series of corrections using
outstanding images. However, time is precious for most, so the different settings, then presents you with the result of each.
prospect of spending ages editing one image when you have a What this means is that you have a kind of editing market,
whole stack to get through could often mean you leave them as where you get to browse the final images and pick the one you
they are. Even a well-designed interface like Elements can be a want. Simply open the fix you want by clicking on the arrow next
bewildering maze of menus and tools. to its title, scroll over an option to see what it looks like and then
click the one you want. This will be outlined in blue, so commit
So, thank goodness for the Quick Edit section of the program, to the edit by closing the arrow.
where you have a complete environment in which to make all
58 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMagsM.ankeeonte-click fixes
Auto Smart Fix REDUCE THE
SHADOW AREAS
Hand control to Elements and achieve impressive results fast
The outer edges of the
The Smart Fix option sits at the top of all the Quick Edits and is a one-hit wonder. This puppy original photo were
enables you to automatically correct lighting, colour and contrast; essentially giving you most dark previously. This
of the Auto edits in one place. The differences between the edits are quite small, so make has now been fixed.
sure you zoom in to get a good idea of the result.
TRUE COLOURS
Colours are much
brighter in the edited
version, especially the
eyes and nose.
Before
BRIGHTER TONE
The fixed image is
bright, especially the
white fur that was
originally quite dull.
Auto Exposure After
Overcome troublesome light levels in a flash KEEP THE MOOD
Exposure is tricky to get right in-camera and Taken at twilight, the original had a sky
as a consequence is a common problem moving into a sunset. Although the edited
with a lot of photos. We’ve all been there: version is brighter, it hasn’t lost atmosphere.
skies that are bleached or valuable detail
lost in deep, dark shadows. Once you add
limited light into the mix, you have little
choice but to make edits. The Exposure
option will automatically lighten or darken
areas, meaning you just have to pick the
result you like the best.
REVEAL DETAIL Before
The original image was
very dark, meaning that
the carving on the building
was lost. Now you can
read the text.
IMPROVED COLOURS
Because the original was
underexposed, the colours
were dull. Now they are cleaner
and true to life.
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Photo editingWorldMags.net
Auto Levels
Instantly restore balance to your photographs
The Levels command enables you to alter the tones in an image, essentially the shadows,
highlights and midtones. The Levels Auto option is more intense than the others, in that you
can choose from edits for the three tonal ranges, but everything else is the same. Simply
click the one you want, pick the area that needs most work and then adjust the other two.
MIDTONE
TWEAKS
A click on the
Midtones tab
revealed a whole
bunch of edits
here. Nothing too
strenuous was
needed, but the final
effect has more zing.
HIGHLIGHTS Before
It doesn’t cost SHADOWS FIRST
anything to also test
the Highlights tab, The shadows in the
but in this case the original were dragging
whites were bright it down, so we tackled
enough following the these first. Foreground
other edits. and background detail
became brighter.
Auto Color THE CHERRY ON TOP
Pump life back into your tones in a heartbeat When happy with the saturation, click the
Vibrance tab. Things can go too far pretty
The Color option is where you can quickly here, so stay with the small edits.
have most fun and satisfaction.
The brightest of days can be
rendered dull by a digital camera,
so this edit will sprinkle some life
onto your images. There are three
types of edits: Saturation, Hue
and Vibrance. Hue alters the
actual colours, so start in
Saturation, then click on Vibrance
to squeeze out a bit more drama.
IMPROVE THE
SATURATION
Make Saturation the first edit.
Our original had a dull blue
sky and lacklustre bunting.
KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS Before
Ensure you look at the entire image WorldMags.net
when making the edit, otherwise
you could miss some areas that
become over-saturated and
exhibit an unholy glow!
60 The Photoshop Elements Book
WorldMagsM.ankeeonte-click fixes
Auto Balance BACK ON TRACK
Replace original vibrancy and heal undesirable effects The original image
was a lot cooler than
The Balance option primarily sorts colour casts. If your image was taken under artificial light, the flowers were in
it will probably have a yellow wash over it, so use the Temperature tab in the Balance real life, so we needed
command to counteract this and produce a neutral image. The Tint tab produces subtle to sort that out.
shifts in colours and can help restore any of the original strength.
BACK TO PINK
The Saturation tab
presented an option
that was true to the
original, with warm
pinky tones rather
than a cold purple.
TINT Before
A quick visit to the After
Tint tab offered
an option where ZOOM
the flowers’ tones
became dominant, Look at your image and decide on the area that you
forcing the green to want to sharpen, which should be the point in the
recede. most focus. Use the Zoom slider to enlarge this.
Auto Sharpen
Quickly refine your close-up shots for quality results
Regardless of the type of camera you have,
or your abilities as a photographer, digital
images will suffer from softness. A lot of the
time this isn’t noticed, but when it comes to
close-up shots, those soft edges make
themselves known. The Sharpness option
tackles this and defines the edges across the
image. This may not work on extremely blurry
images, but it will sort out most.
SECOND PASS
A good technique is to make
a small edit, commit to it and
then open Sharpen once
more to add another tiny edit.
EXPLORE THE OPTIONS Before
It’s best to keep edits small,
otherwise you will end up with
halos around the edges.
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Top guided BEFORE AFTER
edits in PS
Elements 11 Startwithagreatimage Togetthebest
outcome with the guided edits, be sure
We explore three exciting guided to start with a good image. These tools
edits in Elements version 11 that are meant to increase the quality and
make life easier for those new to enhance your favourite shots, but do not
the photo-editing game expect too much. The Depth of Field will
not bring a blurry image into focus.
E lements 11 has many guided edits, which
include an efect called Orton, named after the Use discretion When doubling up on editing
photographer Michael Orton and his signature effects, it is a lot of fun to play around and see
editing style. This efect changes your photo in several what you can come up with. However, use
creative ways by saturating the colours and then discretion and adjust the sliders under each
blurring the focus to achieve an artistic-looking dream effect with care. Sometimes all it takes is a
efect. Then there is the Depth of Field efect that slight adjustment to make your image shine, so
enables you to apply a blur or fake bokeh by selecting don’t overdo it.
and dragging with the Gradient tool and recovering the
area you want to remain in focus. Last but not least,
the Picture Stack edit takes a single photo and breaks it
up so that it resembles a collection of prints laid out in
front of you. This one is a lot of fun and works best with
group shots. You can choose to divide your photo into
four, eight or twelve prints, and pick the border size and
background. If you switch to Full Edit mode, you can
resize and reposition the frames.
These editing guides are a great way to easily add
some professional efects without buying any of the
special camera gear and require very little editing
experience, so let’s give them a try!
Orton effect Magical depth of field
Add vibrance and fun Beautiful bokeh at your fingertips
The Orton effect is named after Michael Orton, as he is the Have you ever wished you could have the beautiful background blur that you see
photographer who first made this style popular. It is an easy way in professional images, but can’t afford to spend a fortune on the right camera
to add a dreamy, watercolour look to your portraits or landscapes. lens for the job? Well now you can have the ability to apply beautiful bokeh to your
Just open your image, click on Guided along the top and under background while keeping BEFORE AFTER
your model in perfect focus.
Photo Effects you will see the BEFORE AFTER
Orton Effect icon. After you Just open your image and
choose the effect you can alter find the Depth of Field
the blur, noise and brightness of option in the Guided menu.
the image by adjusting the sliders. Click on Add Blur, then
Here you see a before and after choose the Gradient tool
of a portrait shot with the Blur and and select the focal point of
Brightness at the halfway settings your image with one click of
and the Noise at 0. the mouse. Magic!
62 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMGaugidesd.ednitseintElements 11
Wheretofocus WhenusingDepthof Experttip The Depth of Field edit
Field, be sure to study the image and
choose the most important area to add Know The Depth of Field effect is wonderful, but there
sharpness to. This will usually be the where are a few things you need to know before just
face of the model. You will want to blur to find it punching it in. We want you to get the best bokeh
the background quite a lot to really add while recovering the important aspects of your
focus to the face. The effects can all image and maintaining sharpness in the right
be found on the places, so follow these simple tips.
Which effect first? Sometimes it right side under
is important to add effects in the the Guided menu. Create bokeh
proper order. With this image, we Both Orton Effect
used the Depth of Field effect first and Depth of Field 01 Open your
because the Orton image adds are under Photo image, select the
more blur. Effects, and Picture Depth of Field guided
Stack under the edit and click on Simple
The subject matters Both of these Photo Play options. then Add Blur. There is a
effects together create a dreamy slider at the bottom of
and soft look, so be sure your subject your view that says Blur,
matter is appropriate. For instance, this so move this to the right
application looks great on our model to increase the effect.
and would also look pleasing on an
autumnal landscape, but would not suit Dareefianoeftfhoecus
a male model very well.
02 Now click on
the second
option, which is the
Gradient tool. Select this
and you can click your
mouse directly on the
area that you want to
bring back in focus.
More focus
selection
03 Before closing
your image, try
out the Custom options
to choose other
important elements of
your image. Here we
selected the pet’s face.
Picture Stack effect Mix it up
Separate the group with one click Let’s try a few edits together
This effect is great for group pictures such as sports or family Here we played around a little and
shots. Just open your image in the Guided mode and you will tried two of the guided edits on
see the Picture Stack effect in the list. Select it and then click on one image. First we applied the
the number of prints you want to appear (we chose eight). You Depth of Field effect, focusing on
then have a choice of border and background styles. This effect the model’s face, making it nice and
is sure to be a great scrapbooking or poster choice, so have fun sharp and blurring the background.
and experiment. We then added the Orton effect
and really made this model shine.
You don’t have to stop with one
effect, though. You can add as
many as you want to one image,
just remember to click Done before
moving on to the next one.
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AUTO
The fastest way to make
changes to an image’s
lighting is by pressing
Auto in Levels – though
this isn’t always the most
effective way.
LEVELS
Light is represented
as a graph in the
Levels adjustment,
showing the spread
of light inside the
visible spectrum.
EYEDROPPERS MANUAL CONTROL
The three eyedropper Take control of the
tools enable you to highlights yourself with
choose, with precision, the white marker and the
which parts of your shadows with left marker.
image you want to Any part of the graph
be the darkest or the outside these markers will
lightest. lose its detail completely.
Make essential
adjustments
Spruce up any image using these basic adjustments in
Photoshop Elements
The following techniques can be practised on any There are, of course, Guided Edits in Elements,
type of image, although depth of field (the which will perform these edits quickly and
blurring on either side of a subject) works automatically, and version 11 has specific adjustments
particularly well on portraits. Photoshop Elements for portraits. However, Guided Edits can be restricting
makes these essential edits very easy to apply. Using for some, so follow our guide and find out how we can
masks, brushes, filters and adjustments, we can vastly make these improvements to our image manually and
improve a photo’s exposure and general composition. with more control.
64 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMMaakge esss.enntieal atdjustments
Give your photos an instant boost
Take control of light and depth in an image to vastly improve its composition and impact
Crop for impact Automatic start Shadows
01 Remove background parts of your 02 Open up the Levels adjustment 03 If Auto hasn’t produced the ‘goods’,
image and centre the subject by from the black and white circle in hit Reset to undo. Click on the Black
using the Crop tool (C). Click and drag with the Layers panel. ‘Levels 1’ should appear eyedropper tool in the adjustment and click
the tool from one corner to another, lining above the Background layer. Click on Auto on a dark part of your image, like a shadow.
up the central crosshairs with the person. inside the adjustment. This will darken the image’s exposure.
START PHOTO
The quality of this
portrait is lacking in
exposure and contrast,
and it needs a
stronger composition
Brightest spots Depth of field
04 Select the White eyedropper in 05 Click the Background layer and go
Levels and click on a bright area of to Layer>Duplicate Layer. Go to
the image. This should increase contrast of Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and boost Radius
the image significantly. If you need to undo to 27 pixels. This will blur the entire image,
changes at any point, press Cmd/Ctrl+Z. but it’s the background we must look at.
What Mask away! Custom depth
doesitmean?
06 In the Layers panel, click Add Layer 07 Start with faces and remove blurring
OUTPUT LEVELS In the Levels Mask to apply a white mask to the by painting over them repeatedly.
adjustment, the Output Levels blurred layer. Hit D to reset Foreground Get close to the edges to reveal the person.
sliders control the lightness of the colour to black. Grab the Brush tool (B) and Get creative with the blurring, so leave some
image, rather than the exposure. set Opacity to 100% with a soft brush tip. clothing blurred and shift the depth of field.
Sliding the black marker will
lighten and fade the image,
whereas the white marker
has the opposite
effect.
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Textures
Textures can help to make
the image look like It’s printed
on old rough paper. Combine
these with blend modes and the
results will look more authentic.
Light control
Photoshop Elements is
very handy for correcting
light and colour in images.
Read on to find out how this
is done.
Before
Edit portraits GRAPHICS
Photoshop Elements comes
equipped with many preset
effects. These can age a photo,
tint colour and much more.
Get creative and improve your portrait shots with these simple techniques
Whether you are looking to add an artistic effect to a Photoshop Elements should not be underestimated in terms
portrait image, or are trying to capture a portrait of of its editing power. The Smart Brush tool can enliven portraits
someone so it is as natural-looking as possible, here and with adjustment layers, such as Photo Filter and Hue/
are some rather straightforward Photoshop tricks to help you Saturation, the possibilities are endless. From brightening up
out in the process. teeth and eyes, to adjusting the exposure, there is a list of ways
to improve portraits.
Here we will call upon Photoshop Elements and take
advantage of some of its key effects that are ready to go. The We’ll also look at creating a grunge effect with a rough
Graphics and Effects sets of options contain some useful border, applying a texture to the image for a worn feel. Best of
adornments that we’ll put to the test in these images. Once you all, nothing is permanent in Photoshop, so each effect can be
have grasped the techniques, you will be able to apply them to removed using layers. If you know where to look, these require
any of your own shots. little effort to apply.
66 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMags.netEdit portraits
Grunge portraits ART FRAMES NEW LAYER
Get a duotone effect with To apply the rough frame, go into the In the Layers panel, Opt/Alt-double-
a border Graphics tab, apply Filter options by Style click on the Background layer and
and Artistic and select Crop Shape 22 drag it above the frame layer to
from the presets. reorder them.
RESIZE CLIP IT EASY SHORTCUT
Free Transform (Cmd/Ctrl+T) was Clipping masks are indicated Hold Opt/Alt while clicking between the
used to enlarge and shape the by small arrows next to the two layers to apply a clipping mask and to
frame inside the composition. thumbnail of the layer. place the portrait inside the frame.
Crop to square Grunge it up Blend layers
01 Open your image in Elements and 02 Now apply an authentic worn feel. 03 Click the Layers tab. There’s now
select the Crop tool. Locate the Select the Effects tab, move to the another Background layer above
ratios in the options and select 5x5in. Set to Filter options and choose the Old Photo the first. Change the blend mode of the
a Rule of Thirds guide and crop the portrait, preset. This may take a few moments to Background Copy to Screen to lighten the
placing the middle square over the face. apply the necessary adjustments. effect. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+E to merge the layers.
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Improve portraits After
Before
When the light hasn’t come out right,
Photoshop Elements comes to the rescue
Add a Levels adjustment Auto adjust Tweak exposure
01 Open up the image you need to edit. 02 Inside the Levels adjustment, click 03 After pressing Auto, the Midtone
Firstly, let’s go ahead and improve Auto to let Photoshop decide the ranges will be too dark, so click and
the lighting. Click on the black-and-white best edit. It should brighten up a lot at this drag the middle arrow under the graph to
icon in the Layers palette and choose Levels. stage, but the result won’t be perfect yet. the left. Move this across until it reads 1.30.
Use the Photo Filter Adjust your tones Tweak the Density
04 Lighting has been fixed, but the 05 To remove the orange cast, click on 06 Reduce the Density slider to 0%
image still has an orange cast. Click the colour swatch in the and increase until you see a better
the Photo Filter adjustment layer. adjustment and set it to a light-blue (91a8ff). colour cast. 45% works here, but this will vary.
68 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMags.netEdit portraits
Focus on faces Get a new
hair colour
Use Photoshop Elements to
enhance teeth and eyes, or
even change the colour of hair
Before
After
Start with adjustments
01 To change the colour of the hair, or
to add colourful highlights, start by
applying Hue/Saturation (Layer>New
Adjustment Layer). Hit OK in the dialog.
What Shift the hue
doesitmean?
02 Before tweaking colour, change the
Use clipping masks Add a blend mode of the Hue/Saturation
clipping mask to your composition to
merge two layers together. These are adjustment to Color to ensure the image’s
ideal for framing an image, because
the frame will hide the areas outside brightness isn’t affected by the changes.
the design. Once applied, this is
much like having a window in
your Layers panel.
Add new colour
03 Use the Hue slider to set a new
tone for the hair. Ignore the rest of
the image and just focus on the hair’s tone.
Brighten the eyes Whiten the teeth Edit with a mask
Find the supplied ‘Portrait_eyes and teeth. To produce a whiter set of teeth, start in 04 Flip the mask, select the Brush tool
jpg’ to follow these enhancements. The Smart Quick mode in Photoshop Elements. With and set white as Foreground. Pick a
Brush tool in Photoshop Elements is designed your image open, click on the Quick button
to make editing tasks easy to perform, so at the top of the interface, then select the soft brush at 300px and paint over the hair.
select it by hitting the F key and change the Whiten Teeth tool. This works by dragging a
category to Portrait in the tool’s options. The selection over the teeth in your portrait and
Brighten Eyes option should be listed inside. an adjustment is instantly applied. This tells
With this setup, drag a selection over each eye Photoshop to brighten up anything inside the
to boost the brightness. Hit Cmd/Ctrl+D to selection, so be careful not to select the gums
remove the selection, then reduce the Opacity or lips and to set the Size slider to just cover
to 40%. the extent of the teeth.
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BEFORE AFTER
Add drama with
Dodge and Burn
You don’t have to make a raft of selections, just use the Dodge
and Burn tools to adjust lighting exactly where you want to
A nyone who has been using Photoshop needs some areas to be darker or lighter, but the size of brush to suit different areas and
Elements for a while will know that different strengths of light and dark, you would can also adjust the Flow value to set how
there are many ways of doing the be looking at making selections for the different intense the edit is for each of the parts.
same thing. There are times when this feels like edits. This isn’t a problem if it’s an image made
a curse but, more often than not, it is a blessing up of simple shapes but not so great if it’s a bit Dodging and burning is a destructive
because if you can’t face a certain task you can more complicated (like trees), or an image with method in Elements, so always make sure that
bet your bottom dollar there is a swift a lack of definition between colours. you are working on duplicate layers or a copy
workaround somewhere. of your original image so that you always have
The Dodge and Burn tools are useful in a backup. The prinicples covered here will
The Dodge and Burn tools offer such a cases such as this because you use work on any image, or download our one from
solution. Ordinarily, if you have a photo that brushes to apply the effect. You can adapt kozzi.com, image number 24708757.
70 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldAdMd draamgasw.ithnDeodtge and Burn
Strengthen shadows and highlights
Improve exposure with ease
Experttip
Brush
size
It’s important to
pick the correct
brush size so you
edit the areas
you want. Do this
easily using the [
and ] keys on your
keyboard. The [
key reduces brush
size while the ] key
increases it.
Select the Burn tool Start small Go bigger and more intense
01 The Burn tool lives with the Dodge 02 Go to the top Options bar and 03 The tyres will start to get darker. Increase
and Sponge tools in the Toolbar. If it set Exposure to 20% so the the brush size and set the Exposure to
isn’t showing itself, click and hold whatever intensity won’t be so huge. Select
tool is showing and then scoot along to it Shadows from the Range drop-down 50%. Brush over the foreground to darken it down
when it appears in the fly-out menu. menu. We are going to brush over the
tyres, so pick a brush size to suit. and make the car become the focal point.
What Dodge and Burn do
Highlights Understand how the tools work with the Exposure slider. It is generally
best to go for a low setting and
04 With the Dodge tool (50% The Dodge and Burn tools target repeatedly brush over the same area
Exposure) set a brush to go specific areas of an image, either the to build up the effect. See the table
shadows, midtones or highlights. You here for a guide to the intensity of the
over highlights. Set a big brush (20% can decide which areas they edit in Exposure slider.
the top Options bar. You can also set
Exposure) for bright skyline areas. how intense the effects will end up
Burn tool
Exposure: 25% Exposure: 50% Exposure: 75% Exposure: 100%
Dodge tool
Final touch Exposure: 25% Exposure: 50% Exposure: 75% Exposure: 100%
05 For a boost, pick the Sponge
tool, set the Mode to Saturate
and 20% Flow. Choose a big tip and
lightly brush over the sky and truck.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 71
Photo editingWorldMags.net
Master
HDR toning
Fake the HDR look using a combination of
filters and adjustments in Elements
The HDR effect has Photoshop Elements 11 is
gradually become more demonstrated throughout this
popular as a creative tutorial, but these steps can be
way to manipulate photos, applied using earlier versions of
making them seem highly the program, too. You’ll learn to
detailed and more vivid than take masking by the horns and
before. This is especially easy apply depth of field blurring to
to do now that there’s the HDR really make this image jump off
Toning adjustment in the screen.
Photoshop, which requires just
a couple of clicks to create In this tutorial, you will also
achievable HDR tones. be getting to grips with the
colour adjustments and light
Just because there’s no enhancements that Photoshop
direct equivalent in Elements, Elements 11 has to offer. As
this doesn’t mean the effect is well as these, we will be visiting
out of reach. By carefully sharpening techniques using
applying adjustments to alter filters, which will help to bring
colour and using filters to alter out the finer details in this
focus, we can form an dramatic sports moment. Read
eye-popping HDR effect. on and have a go yourself.
Step by step
Prepare your layers
The fastest way to HDR colour and detail
Source file available Expert tip Quick duplicate
Use the image provided Target 01 Open up ‘bike rider.jpg’ from the disc in Elements. Start
to re-create this colours by creating a duplicate of the Background layer by
The Hue/Saturation pressing Cmd/Ctrl+J. ‘Layer 1’ should appear in the Layers panel
adjustment, set to Master,
will affect the entire range on the right.
of colours in the image. To
target just one colour that
stands out, change Master
to Blue (for example) and
adjust Saturation to either
increase or decrease the
strength of this particular
colour. Use the bar below
the slider to assign the exact
range of colours that you
want the adjustment to fix.
72 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMags.MnasetertHDR toning
Shadows/Highlights Boost lighting Overlay new layer
02 Go to the Enhance menu at the top 03 In the Shadows/Highlights 04 Duplicate Layer 1 by going to
and down to Adjust Lighting> adjustment, set Lighten Shadows to Layer>Duplicate Layer, and in the
Shadows/Highlights. The three sliders Ð 60%, Darken Highlights to 23% and Midtone pop-up box enter the words High Pass. Hit
Lighten Shadows, Darken Highlights and Contrast to 50%. This combination OK, then change the layerÕs blend mode in
Midtone Contrast Ð will help us to create that dramatically alters the lighting in the image, the panel to Hard Light to prepare this image
special HDR feel. enhancing detail at the same time. for sharpening.
Sharpen details Improve colour Merge all
05 Head to the Other filters through 06 Colours could do with more life. Go 07 Press Cmd/Ctrl+Opt/Alt+Shift+E to
the Filter menu at the top and to Layer>New Adjustment Layer create a merged version of all the
select the High Pass option. Set Radius to and choose Hue/Saturation, then hit OK. layers, which appears at the top of the stack.
6px and hit OK. High Pass sharpening targets Increase the Saturation slider to 15 to see an After making this layer, any edits made to the
edge detail, enhancing the image so it looks improvement in the blues and yellows on Hue/Saturation adjustment wonÕt be visible.
more HDR. the manÕs shirt. Click the layerÕs name and rename it Blur.
Alter focus Masked control Light levels
08 Head to the Filter menu and down 09 Click on the Add Layer Mask button 10 Add the Levels adjustment layer
to Blur>Gaussian Blur. Set the in the Layers panel, and select the (Layer>New Adjustment Layer) to
Radius to 14px. Look at the background Brush tool (B). Set the toolÕs Opacity to make the final tweaks to the lighting of the
elements when applying the filter, because 100%, Size to 500px, choose a soft edge tip image. Enter 15, 1.00 and 227 into the three
this is designed to create a sense of depth in and set it to black. Carefully paint over the boxes under the adjustmentÕs graph. Save
the image. man and bike to reveal the clear layers below. the image as a PSD to keep the layers intact.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 73
Photo editingWorldMags.net
AFTER
BEFORE Fix images
with Curves
On the web Pull your images back from mediocrity by pushing contrast as
Pick up a Curves far as it will go using the essential Curves command
learning pack online
photoshopcreative. F or many artists, Curves are the saviour of actually starts out as a diagonal histogram line,
co.uk dull images. There, we’ve said it. We try but by making it into a curve you get to make
hard not to have favourites in the world of shadows nice and rumbly, while highlights
Elements tools, but if we had to name one, reach the high notes.
Curves definitely ranks pretty high.
The high-contrast effect is a great one to
It’s easy to see why they are so good the first start with as it really adds pop to an image. You
time you use them. Curves enable you to make can use any starting photograph for this –
deft edits to contrast and help your images the process is exactly the same. As you get
really sing. As the name suggests, the process more confident, try pushing the curve further
takes place around a curve structure. Well, it for even more drama.
74 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMagFisx i.mnageestwith Curves
Experttip
Take the
cheat’s way
The list of Color Curves Open Curves Sort the highlights
presets is a great timesaver.
Use them to not only fix 01Your first step is to get the Curves 02Go to the Adjust Highlights slider and drag it to
photos with one click, but dialog open. This is a quick trip to the right. This increases the photo’s highlights.
as a way to prep images for
other creative projects. For Enhance>Adjust Color>Adjust Color Curves. The aim is to push as far as you can without causing
example, before turning
into digital art. any blow-out.
Midtones Shadow time
03Turn to 04Our final stop is the shadows and darker
the portions of you image. These are represented
Midtone by the Adjust Shadows slider. Your task is to drag the
Brightness slider, slider to the left to enhance.
which sees to
the midtones. What to avoid
This time you
need to drag it Although the high-contrast effect is about pushing
to the left. You shadows and highlights to the maximum, you still need
are looking for to be mindful of going too far. Whites can quickly blow
more and, if you have people in your picture, you can end up
definition here. with some odd skin tones! Here is an example where
we have gone too far with the midtones.
Once-click edit The Photoshop Elements Book 75
05Elements comes with preset styles that will achieve a certain look with
just one click. Open the Color Curves dialog as before but ignore all of
the sliders. Look to the left for a list of different styles. Simply click one to apply it.
WorldMags.net
PhotoeditingWorldMags.net
AFTER
BEFORE
Convert images to
black and white
Learn how to convert your captures from
colour to black and white in Elements
C onverting colour captures to black steps for each, we will take you all the people, this involves the Convert to Black
and white is one of the quickest way through the conversion process and and White command. With this simple
and easiest things to do in any then we’ll show you exactly how you can mode of converting to monochrome, you
photo-editing software. Removing colour create your very own perfectly contrasted will be able to apply the steps to many of
is simple, but adding depth and bringing monochrome masterpieces. your own photographs.
out contrasting tones requires a little
more technique. Working with your software’s essential We will finish of the tutorial with some
all-in-one conversion tools, we take you extra black-and-white tips and adjustment
In this tutorial we are going to show you through the ins and outs of black and white techniques in order to add a creative twist to
how to do just that. In only six very simple image adjustments. For you Elements your conversions.
76 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldCoMnveartigmasge.sntoeblatckandwhite
Convert colour in Elements
Use the Convert to Black and White command
Prepare the image Convert to Black and White Channel adjustments
01 Open your image in Elements. 02 Convert your image by going to 03 You will need to make further
Select it from the bar at the bottom, Enhance>Convert to Black and White. adjustments to the channel
ready to begin making adjustments. Click Your original colour photograph should now sliders in the Effects palette to increase
on the Background layer in the Layers appear in the command adjustment box contrast and improve the effect. Slowly
palette and Ctrl/right-click to select showing a before and after preview. Begin by increase the Red channel to around +43
Duplicate Layer. Rename the new layer selecting the appropriate image style option; which will add a punchier contrast result.
Black and White. Portraits in our case. You can preview This will work particularly well on skin tones
alternative adjustments for a comparison. and red lipstick.
Tonal enhancement Control contrast Save it out
04 Adjust the Green and Blue sliders to 05 Now adjust the Contrast slider to 06 Finally you will need to flatten the
add more tonal contrast to the create a punchier result. Bring the original and the black and white
image. Set the Green to around +39 and Blue value up to around +7 and make sure you layer in order to save your image. Select
to +14. You can also use the Undo and Redo
buttons on the left if you make a mistake or preview the results as you go to avoid creating Flatten Image in the Layer’s palette and
want to go back to a previous slider position.
an unwanted posterisation effect on the image. you can then go to File>Save As and save it
Once you are happy with the results, click OK. as a JPEG.
Monochrome in Elements
Understand the options
1. Select the appropriate style option to help save time
when converting colour captures to black and white.
2. Use the Red, Green and Blue channel adjustment
sliders to increase contrast and add more tonal
definition to your image.
3. Punch up the tones using the Contrast adjustment
slider, increase it slowly and preview the result.
4. Use the Undo and Redo buttons to correct any
mistakes or return to a previous setting.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 77
PhotoeditingWorldMags.net AFTER
BEFORE
Source file available Get the Lomo efect
Use the image provided Digitally master the effects of Lomography
to re-create this using Elements as your darkroom
78 The Photoshop Elements Book T he Lomo effect has become something of a Lomo image can be made using a gradient map,
classic style to emulate, and Elements has and this is really open to artistic interpretation.
alll you need to be the program of choice The number of possible styles is endless, as it’s
for a do-it-yourself digital Lomograph. The original an expression of creativity rather than an effect
Lomographic camera came out of Austria in the that can ever be rendered correctly or with
early Nineties after the discovery of the captivating precision. For inspiration for more effects, look up
Lomo Kompakt Automat, a Russian film camera of www.lomography.com, the official website that
the time. The style of this little shooter sparked the exhibits the creations of Lomographers and puts
inspiration for the hundreds upon hundreds of the multiple cameras and films to use. The
photo effects that soon followed. combinations vary greatly, with effects including
overexposure, blurring, fisheye, distorted hues,
Through these steps, we show you how this grain and a film negative frame. You can really let
stylish and distinctive type of photograph can be your hair down on this project, with no
re-created. We’ve pulled out some of the finest boundaries on what’s wrong, right, bad or good.
adjustments that Elements has to offer, with a few Follow our steps for an effective variant, but don’t
brush techniques thrown in for good measure. be afraid to experiment.
The strong and abstract mixture of colours in a
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.GnetethetLomoeffect
Push colour limits for the Lomo look
Turn an image into an artistic and wacky version of itself
Add grain Motion effect Experttip
01 Open up the 02 For a moving, blurry effect, go to Anything
start image Filter>Blur>Radial Blur. Set goes here!
provided for this Amount to 5, Blur Method to Zoom and
tutorial. Duplicate the Quality to Best. Hit OK. The image will look The Lomo effect can
Background layer by like it’s had zooming issues, but this is fine. essentially be given any
dragging it onto the colour variations. Opening
Create a new layer the Gradient Editor inside
button. Go to its adjustment layer, try
Filter>Noise>Add out different coloured
Noise and set Amount gradients with the layer
to 10%, Distribution to set to Color Burn and 60%
Uniform and tick Opacity. Depending on
Monochromatic. Hit your image, you may want
OK for a grainy effect. to change the colours used
from this tutorial.
Gradient map Abstract colour
03 Head to Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Gradient Map and 04 Choose the Green, Yellow gradient from the examples and
hit OK in the pop-up window. In the Gradient Editor (click hit OK in the Editor. Select Reverse in the Gradient Map
once on the gradient to open) load up the Color Harmonies 2 adjustment to flip the colours. Change the adjustment layer’s blend
gradient set from the small arrow at the top. mode to Color Burn and lower its Opacity to 60%.
Increase brightness Apply vignette Bleach out highlights
05 Apply a Brightness/Contrast 06 Add a new blank layer at the 07 To exaggerate overexposure, select the
adjustment layer from top of the stack above both Background Copy layer and then the Dodge tool
either the Layers menu or inside the adjustments. Select the Brush tool, with Midtones chosen from the Options bar and set to
Layers palette using the black and set to black with a brush size of 80% Opacity. With a large soft brush, dodge the sky and
white button. Increase the approximately 600px and zoom out water’s surface to lighten the areas.
Brightness value to 40 to boost the of your image. Paint around the
whites in the image, replicating corners of the image in a curved
overexposure in your image. fashion to apply a vignette.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 79
PhotoEeditingWorldMags.net
80 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net AFTER
WorldMEadigtcoslo.unrsweitthPhotoFilter
BEFORE
Edit colours
with Photo Filter
Take a leaf out of traditional photographers’ books and
use coloured filters to combat white balance problems
or go further by using them to enhance your hues
T raditional photographers have for more dramatic efects. The easiest that of editing colours. The beauty of
long used coloured filters in front application of this tool is to make light using the Photo Filter over something
of the camera lens to improve work of dodgy white balance by reaching like Hue/Saturation is that you are
the colour balance and temperature of for the Warming Filter (80) or Cooling provided with a batch of ready-made
a photo. This is applied over the entire Filter (80) settings. These fix the two improvements. This makes it less likely
image or is graduated to concentrate on most common balance problems (too for you to create something that looks a
one area (such as the sky). blue or too yellow, respectively), but if bit fake.
you have sufered a more unusual blight,
The Elements equivalent of this is the just pick a complementary colour to tame There is no start image for this tutorial
Photo Filter tool, which can be found things down. on the disc, but the technique can be
lurking in Filter>Adjustments. This tool applied to any shot. If you do want to use
enables you to gently coax extra colour However, we are going to concentrate the same image as us, download it for
out of your image or push things further on a diferent aspect of the tool, namely free from http://tinyurl.com/63b8gmo.
Selectyourareas
Keep editing zones separately for total control
Make a copy Select areas The first edit
01 It might be that you want to 02 Time to start carving up the image. 03 Repeat the selection process for
apply one of the filters to the Pick the selection tool of your the other areas (ours were the sea,
entire image, in which case just open choice (we plumped for Magnetic Lasso) the grass and the brickwork of the
up the command, pick a colour and and select an area (in our case, the sky). Go lighthouse). Before making a selection, make
press OK. We want to be a bit more to Edit>Copy and then Edit>Paste and call sure you click on the Copy layer.
selective, though. Go to the new layer ‘Sky’.
Layer>Duplicate Layer. Name this
layer ‘Copy’.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 81
PhotoeditingWorldMags.net
Work through the layers
Click on your areas and then have fun with colours
Experttip
Make the adjustment Enrich the blue Land locked Smooth
transition
04 Click on a layer and then go to 05 Make sure that the Filter 06 We settled on a
Image> Adjustments>Photo circle is selected in the Density setting of 44 It doesn’t matter
Filter (Photoshop) or dialog and then pick Cyan from the for the sky. Click OK to exit the how you select
Filter>Adjustments>Photo Filter drop-down menu. The Preserve Photo Filter dialog and then areas and you
(Elements). We clicked the Sky layer to Luminosity option is usually best click on another layer. We don’t even need to
boost the intensity of the blue a little. left checked, as it keeps the picked our grass area. Open the be that accurate.
highlight information, but we are Photo Filter as before. This time However, if you find
unchecking it as we have white we picked Green and kept that the edges look
areas. Move the Density slider to Preserve Luminosity checked. false once you have
set the intensity of the colour. A setting of 50% sorted us. applied the Photo
Filter, flatten the
images and use the
Blur tool on a low
setting to smooth
the edges.
Final edit Using the Photo Filter tool Pick the filter
Use this drop-
07 Now move on to the body of Justselectoptionsandwatchthemagichappen. down menu to
the lighthouse. When making select one of the
the colour edits, try to enhance what Pick a colour supplied filter
is already there. In the case of our If you need a colours. Most
brickwork, we went for the Deep Red colour that isn’t of these will do
filter at 29%. supplied in the what you need.
Filter menu,
simply click the
Color setting to
call up a picker
and use that to
set a colour.
Go your own way Set the intensity Light show In
You control how most cases,
08 We have concentrated on aggressive the the Preserve
the supplied colours, but if filter is by way Luminosity
you click on Color instead of Filter and of the Density option
then click the coloured square, you will slider. Left for should be left
see a picker. Simply click on the colour less, right for checked, as
you want to use as your filter. We used might! this keeps the
this approach on the Sea layer. highlight detail
WorldMags.net in the image.
82 The Photoshop Elements Book However, if
you have areas
where you
want to kill
the highlight,
simply uncheck
the box.
WorldMEadigtcoslo.unrsweitthPhotoFilter
Photo Filter options in full
Checkoutwhat’sonoffer
The diferent coloured filters are perfect for quick colour corrections,
or to be used as the basis for a more intense image makeover. Here’s
a look at what they all do – each filter has been applied to the same
image at 70% Density with Preserve Luminosity selected.
Warming Filter (85) Warming Filter (LBA) Warming Filter (81) Cooling Filter (80) Cooling Filter (LBB)
Cooling Filter (82) Red Orange Yellow Green
Cyan Blue Violet Magenta Sepia
Deep Red Deep Blue Deep Emerald Deep Yellow Underwater
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 83
Photo editingWorldMags.net
Source file available Before
Use the image provided
to re-create this
Perfect macro
Use Photoshop Elements to add stunning, layered macro effects to your images
Most digital cameras can capture macro images, with some Most of the blurring occurs in the background areas behind the main
zooming as close as 1cm or less to the subject. But what do subject. However, the subject is also blurred, though not to the same
you do when you want to convert an image to macro that extent. Using selections and masks, we’re able to isolate both parts of
wasn’t captured using that effect? the image and add depth.
Call upon Photoshop Elements! Here’s a way to apply the effect Head to the last page of this tutorial for a quick look at the interfaces
quickly using layers and masks. Elements can create this effect with of both Photoshop Elements and standard Photoshop, to see the
just a few layers and the whole process is simple. Start off with the differences. The latest version of Photoshop Elements 11 has had some
right aspect ratio and you’re all set to make a close-up macro image. big changes made to it, and looks very different to earlier versions.
84 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMags.nePterfect macro
Crop to size Crop down
01 Open the 02 Click and drag with the Crop tool over the
image flower in the image. Aim to leave a slight
‘Flower.jpg’. Before
we begin to edit gap between the top and bottom of the cropping
the image, it needs
to be cropped to boundary and the edge of the flower. Place the
look more like a
macro image. centre point over the middle of the flower. Click
Select the Crop
tool (C) and head on the green tick to apply the crop.
to the various
options assigned
to the tool. From
the list of preset
sizes, change it
from No
Restrictions to
8 x 10in.
Double up Magic selections Expand the selection
03 Before any further edits are made to 04 Select the Magic Wand tool (W) 05 With the Magic Wand tool ready,
the image, make a copy of your from the Toolbar (in Elements 11 click once on the flower to select it.
A selection should now appear over the
image’s layer by pressing Cmd/Ctrl+J. Layer 1 this is hidden under the Quick Selection whole flower, but some parts may be left out.
Hold Shift and click on those areas of the
should now appear in the Layers panel just tool). In the tool’s options, set the Tolerance flower that were left out of the initial
selection until the entire flower is selected.
above Background. to 50 and untick the Contiguous box, so that
the maximum number of pixels is selected.
Refine the selection Blur background Expert tip
06 Remove areas of the selection on parts 07 Press Cmd/Ctrl+J to copy and paste the Refine
other than the flower – such as the flower onto a separate layer. Click on the Edge
background – by ticking the Contiguous box. duplicated background layer (Layer 1) and go to Photoshop Elements has
a Refine Edge option that
Increase the Tolerance to 80 to make this easier Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur. Set Radius to 45 pixels comes with all the selection
tools. After using the Magic
and then click over these areas, holding Opt/Alt to blur the areas behind the flower, then hit OK to Wand tool, head to the tool’s
options to find Refine Edge.
to remove them from the selection. apply the filter. Change the View to see
how the area looks against
various colours. Use the Shift
Edge slider to adjust the
position of the selection and
tidy it up. For macro effects,
selections don’t have to be
perfect because the blurring
hides any rough edges.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 85
Photo editingWorldMags.net
Expert tip
Visual
clues
Opt/Alt-click on the layer’s
mask to reveal a black and
white overlay on your image.
This indicates just how soft
the transitions are between
the blurred and sharp parts.
From here, the Brush and
Eraser tools can be used to
paint or remove the mask.
Opt/Alt-click on the mask
again to return your image to
its original, colourful state.
Invert mask Add depth
08 Select the flower’s layer (Layer 2) and make a 09 To help add depth to the effect,
direct copy of it by pressing Cmd/Ctrl+J. This select Layer 2 and then go to the
new duplicate will contain the in-focus flower. Click on Gaussian Blur filter again. Reduce the
the Add Layer Mask button in the Layers panel, and Amount slider to 15px, so it’s not as blurry as
then press Cmd/Ctrl+I to invert it from white to black. the background of the image, and hit OK.
The Eraser tool Goodbye blur! Flip selection
10 Select the Eraser tool (E) and set 11 Work out from the centre of the flower 12 The background colours can be
your Foreground colour to black by with the Eraser tool, removing the reduced to draw more attention to
blurry areas to reveal the in-focus flower
clicking on the front swatch beneath the underneath. The layer mask in the Layers the flower. Cmd/Ctrl-click over the flower’s
panel should show the changes in white. For
tools. Set the eraser’s Opacity to 100%, Size areas surrounding the centre, lower the layer thumbnail to activate it as a selection.
eraser’s Opacity to 30% to give it a soft blur.
to 250px and choose a soft edge brush. Go to Select>Inverse (Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+I) to
Now select the layer mask on Layer 2 Copy. flip the area, so the background is selected.
Adjust colour Expert tip
13 With the selection showing around the background, go Sharpen
to Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Hue/Saturation. Hit OK it up
in the pop-up box and reduce the Saturation slider to -25. This In this image, as with many
macro images, the main
will reduce the green colours, making the reds seem stronger. focal point could do with
sharpening. This feature
in Photoshop Elements is
under the Enhance menu
and is called Unsharp
Mask. Set the Amount to
100% and Radius between
2-10 pixels. For high Radius
values, increase the
Threshold slider gradually
to around 5-10 levels to
lessen the effects and
prevent over-sharpening.
86 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMags.nePterfect macro
Photoshop Elements Developing the effect in this beginner’s choice software
LAYERING UP MASK A LAYER
After separating the flower from A mask was added to the
the background using the Magic top layer, enabling us to
Wand tool, different amounts of use the Brush and Eraser
blurring can be applied for depth tools for customising the
with the Gaussian Blur filter. effect non-destructively.
HISTORY STATES
The History panel comes in
handy, as it lets you jump back
to any point if you don’t like
how the effect is looking.
BRUSH-LIKE VERSION 11
QUALITIES
This is the new Photoshop
The Eraser tool Elements 11 interface. If you’re
works just like a using an earlier version then it’ll
brush, with Size and look very different. Additional
Opacity sliders for panels are opened from the
adapting its shape. More button next to Favorites.
This was used on
the layer mask to
selectively blur
parts of the image.
Photoshop Using the more advanced features in Photoshop EXTRA CONTROL
SMART FILTERS The Color Balance adjustment
(Layer>New Adjustment
Use Smart Filters Layer) gives the freedom to
(Filter>Convert tweak colours in the highlight,
for Smart Filters) midtone and shadow regions
for any layer, so for just the flower.
that settings can
be readjusted at
any stage. Double-
click on the Smart
Filter’s layer and the
options will open.
ANY DIFFERENCE? CHOOSE A CHANNEL
The final image is just as good as The Channels palette shows which
the one made in Elements. One areas of the image are found under
big difference is that Photoshop the colours red, green and blue. Cmd/
contains more options Ctrl-click over one of the channels to
for making selections and activate it as a selection.
controlling colour such as Color
Range from the Select menu.
WorldMags.net The Photoshop Elements Book 87
Photo editingWorldMags.net
TARGET YOUR
ADJUSTMENTS
The background didn’t
need to be made
lighter, so we used a
selection around just
the subjects. This
enabled us to make
adjustments in only
one area.
RESPECT SKIN SHADOW LIFT
TONES
We used Levels to lift the
Brightening and using shadows in our image so
Levels on our image also
that they’re less harsh.
enhanced the orange
glow on the subjects’
faces, so we had to
correct the lighting for
their skin tones.
PROTECT YOUR ORIGINAL
All our adjustments were made on
a duplicate layer. This means we
have the original intact in case we
need it again in the future.
Before
Fix heavy shadows
Dark shadows can ruin a portrait shot, but simple selections can help to
bring them back to life
It’s hard enough to get the family to sit still long enough to We will have to delve into the world of selections to do this
get the perfect group photograph and it’s even more difficult though, as we don’t want to simply brighten the whole image, or
to make sure that your composition, lighting and background the already-bright background would blow out. This means
are just right as well. we’re going to make a selection around just the people in the
picture, so that we can lighten them and soften the shadows
Here we have a lovely shot, but there are heavy shadows cast without affecting the background. We’ll also be sympathetic to
across the faces of our subjects due to the bright window in the skin tones, so that we’re left with a natural shot.
background. However, rather than resign it to the digital bin, we
can use Photoshop Elements 11 to fix this.
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WorldMags.Fnix heeatvy shadows
Bring back
the light
Remove harsh contrast
in a few simple steps
THE QUICK
SELECTION TOOL
Use the Quick Selection tool
to isolate your subjects in the
photo, so that you can edit just
them and not the background.
ADD TO SELECTION SUBTRACT FROM BRUSH SIZE
SELECTION
Make sure that this is The smaller the brush size, the
selected at first to start If you include bits in the selection more accurate your selection, but
adding to the selection area. you don’t need, switch to Subtract the longer it will take. Adjust it as
mode to remove them again. needed here.
Duplicate the original Play with Levels More precise adjustments
01 Open Elements and go to Expert. 02 Go to Quick mode. In the View 03 Go back to Expert mode. Pick the
Make sure the Levels panel is open, menu, select Before & After – Quick Selection tool from the
Cmd/right-click on the Background layer Horizontal to see what you’re doing. Open Select category of tools. Begin to draw
and select Duplicate Layer. Ensure the new the Levels option and click the previews to around just the subjects in your image so
Background copy layer is highlighted. find the one that best improves the image. that they are surrounded by marching ants.
Refine the selection Edit brightness and contrast Perfect the skin tones
04 At the bottom of the screen, in the 05 To tweak the figures go Enhance> 06 Go to Enhance>Adjust
Quick Selection options, you can Adjust Lighting>Brightness/ Color>Adjust Color for Skin Tone.
make your brush add to or subtract from Contrast and play with the sliders until Click on a skin tone and the image will be
the selection. Experiment until you get a happy. We pulled the Brightness slider to adjusted. Use the sliders to perfect your
reasonable selection around your subjects. the right and the Contrast a little to the left. result, which should now look a lot better.
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LAYERS
Layers contain various
effects that are stacked
up, the order of which
can be altered by
dragging them up or
down the panel.
PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 11
This is how the Layers panel
looks inside Photoshop Elements
11. Commands for adding new
layers, masks and adjustments
are featured at the top.
EXTRA STYLE
To add some distortion
to the effect, the
highlights were bleached
out in this image by using
the Levels adjustment.
What
doesitmean?
Layer masks – When a mask
is applied to a layer, parts of the
image can be hidden by using
the Brush tool. Masks offer the
best way to edit images
without actually deleting
any of the important
pixels.
LEVELS ADJUSTMENT
The Levels adjustment layer only
affects the layers underneath
it. Pull the points under its graph
to the left and right to adjust
the contrast in the highlight and
shadow regions.
Create exposure effects
Add movement to subjects and double up on exposure with these
techniques in Elements
Some artists refer to Photoshop Elements 11 as a two-in-one image, whereby details from one are
condensed Photoshop CS6. To an extent this is true, overlapped onto another and then faded out. Any images
but this shouldn’t lower your expectations of what can can be used to create this, and the results can be quite
be done. For effects such as these that involve exposure, abstract.
Photoshop Elements performs just as well as its big
brother. Masking, blurring and adjustment layers are all Following this, we show you blurring techniques for
included in Elements, and in an interface that’s much adding movement and rotation to objects such as water
friendlier for beginners. and an umbrella. These are the sorts of effects that
photographers capture by adapting their camera’s settings,
Here, we show you three types of effects involving but, thankfully, Photoshop Elements lets us skip this
layering and blurring. The double-exposure effect creates a difficult camera work and get straight to it!
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Create the double-exposure effect
How to use Photoshop Elements 11 for creating a layered composition
Radial Blur Layer mask Boost contrast
01 Duplicate the Background layer of 02 Click the Add Layer Mask button in 03 Go to Layer>New Adjustment Layer
your image. Head to the Filter menu the Layers panel. Select the Brush and add the Levels adjustment.
tool (B) and set brush size to 700px. Set Increase contrast by sliding black and white
and down to Blur>Radial Blur, then set Foreground colour to black and paint over markers inwards. The adjustment layer
faces and central parts of your image. comes with its own mask for customising.
Method to Zoom and Amount to 10.
Source images
Double up Blend layers
04 Load up your second image by 05 Press Cmd/Ctrl+T to activate Free
going to File>Open. When it’s Transform. Use the corner boxes
loaded, head to Select>All and then around the second image to resize it so it
Edit>Copy. Turn to the first image by fits over the first. Change the blend mode of
double-clicking on its picture in the Photo/ the second image’s layer to Lighten from
Project Bin and then head to Edit>Paste to inside the Layers panel. Changing the blend
insert the new image into the first. mode creates different effects.
Having contrasting images Customise effect Save As
will make for a stronger
06 Details can be removed by adding 07 As a multi-layered image, it needs to
double-exposure effect. a layer mask to the second image. be stored as a PSD to retain all
Use the Brush tool to hide areas of the layers. Go to File>Save As and change
second image that cover up the subjects in Format to Photoshop. Enter a name and
the first image. This will depend on the make sure Layers is ticked. Hit Save to finish.
images you use for the double-exposure.
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Fake movement in water Source image
Use the Blur filters for a long exposure effect
Long exposure effects are usually created using a camera set to a slow
shutter speed. Using Photoshop, we can experiment with just how much
blurring we need and also adjust where the blurring occurs in the image.
For water, we can select just that and then apply a level of blurring that
suits. Follow the steps below to learn how the Motion Blur filter can be
used in conjunction with the Magic Wand tool.
USING MASKS
After the filter was applied,
a black layer mask was used
to hide parts of the blurring.
The Eraser tool was then
used to selectively bring
blurring back through in
certain areas.
MOTION BLUR
FILTER
This filter blurs subjects
in a given direction. Used
with a selection of the
water, we’re able to add
movement to otherwise
static images.
MOTION BLURRING
The movement of the water can
be captured using Photoshop’s
filters and masks. It’s as if a long
exposure was used at the time the
photo was taken.
Magic Wand tool Make selection Motion Blur
01 Open an image with water and select 02 Click on the water to apply a new 03 Go to the Filter menu and then
the Magic Wand tool (W) from the selection. Contiguous isn’t ticked, down to Blur>Motion Blur. Set the
Tools panel. Set Tolerance to 23 in the tool’s so all water areas should be included. With Distance slider to around 100px. Alter the
options; this figure will depend on the the selection active go to Layer>New>Layer Angle in the filter to match the direction of
resolution of your image and may need via Copy (Cmd/Ctrl+J). This places selected the water in your image. If it’s falling straight
increasing if your image is high-res. Untick water onto a new layer for further editing. down then a setting of 90 degrees will work.
the Contiguous box to finish setting up.
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Refine Edge
Preview the selection
The Magic Wand tool comes with the
Refine Edge command, found with
the tool’s options. Click and select a
View mode such as On Black to see
just how the selection looks and which
areas have been included or excluded.
Adjustments inside Refine Edge enable
you to customise the selection and
tweak it for a better Motion Blur effect.
Duplicate Background Add blur
04 Click on the Background layer and 05 Click the Add Layer Mask button then
create a duplicate. Go to the Blur press Cmd/Ctrl+I to invert the white
filters and this time to the Gaussian Blur mask to black. The blurring should disappear.
option. Set the Radius slider to 12 pixels and Select the Eraser tool (E), then set its colour to
hit OK. The entire image will appear blurry, black, Size to 200px and Opacity to 50%. Paint
but this can be fixed with a layer mask. over and around the water to soften hard edges.
Circular blur effects Usethisquicktechniqueforspinningobjects
SPIN BLUR HIDING
LAYERS
Movement was
added to this Masks are
umbrella by setting crucial in
the Radial Blur filter this effect
to Spin. to hide the
background
Source image AFTER EFFECT and woman
from the
This visual trick makes an object appear This is a creative
as if it’s spinning around quickly in a way to transform a blurry
circle. This uses the Radial Blur filter and normal image with a umbrella.
clever brushwork to make the object
appear as though it’s moving quickly, blurring effect.
without affecting the person or the
background areas. This works best on
round objects, such as umbrellas or
wheels of some sort, as the filter uses a
central point to rotate around.
Duplicate and spin Invert mask Eraser tool
01 Duplicate the Background layer. 02 Apply a layer mask to this duplicate 03 Grab the Eraser tool (E) and set it
Apply Radial Blur filter. Set Amount layer from inside the Layers panel. to a soft brush tip at around 400px.
slider to 20 and Method to Spin. Ensure the With your Foreground colour set to black,
Blur Center box shows blurring around the Go to Filter>Adjustments>Invert to turn the paint over the part you want blurry. Note
same location as your image’s main object. how white areas appear on the mask,
white mask to black. indicating changes being made.
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Light up your
seascapes
Shine new light into your seascapes with atmospheric
rays of sunshine using Photoshop Elements
Source file available
Use the image provided
to re-create this
L ighting is a strong dictator of the mood of an image. essential adjustments and filters are all there. With Photoshop
Learning how to adapt light in Photoshop is a very useful Elements 11, the interface has changed considerably from earlier
skill to have, as you’ll likely need to call upon this on more versions, but the tools, panels and menus have (helpfully!) all kept
than one occasion. the same names.
Rays of light can be used to turn a normal seascape image into Although this tutorial was performed in Photoshop Elements, it
can be done in Photoshop CS versions as well. Just follow through
something of a natural marvel. We explore how Photoshop the steps to discover how filters and layers can be used alongside
brushes and clipping masks to create shining beams of light.
Elements handles the task of transforming an image. Elements has
many of the same controls as Photoshop CS versions, as the
94 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net
WorldMaLgigsht.unp yeoutr seascapes
Before
New layer Render clouds Blend layers
01 Open ‘Seascape.jpg’ from the 02 Go to the Filter menu at the top of 03 In the Layers panel, change the
supplied files in Photoshop Elements, Elements and then down to blend mode of the Clouds layer
then add a new layer to the image by clicking Render>Clouds. An instant black and white from Normal to Overlay. This will reveal the
on the folded paper icon in the Layers panel smothering of clouds should appear over original image underneath. Also, lower this
(Cmd/Ctrl+Shift+N). A new layer called Layer the image. As this is on a separate layer, the layer’s Opacity to 80% to fade it slightly.
1 should appear abHoavveintghceonBtaracsktginroguimnadg.es main image has been left untouched.
will make for a stronger
double-exposure effect.
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Motion Blur Transform rays
04 Apply the Motion Blur filter to the Clouds layer by going into the 05 Hit Cmd/Ctrl+T to activate the Free Transform controls.
Filter menu and to the Blur options. In the Motion Blur dialog box, Using the corner boxes around the edges, shrink down
set Angle to 90 and Distance to the maximum setting. Hit OK to apply. the Clouds layer and squash it to fit just under the main point of
the light in the image. Ctrl/right-click over the layer and then
select Skew from the list to slant the direction of the new rays.
Soften clouds Boost effect More clouds!
06 To remove the hard edges of the 07 Duplicate the Clouds layer by 08 Add a new layer to the top of the
Clouds layer, go to Filter>Blur> pressing Cmd/Ctrl+J. This will stack and apply the Clouds filter
Gaussian Blur. In the filter’s menu, set Radius strengthen the appearance of the light rays. once more. Lower this layer’s Opacity to
to 12 pixels and hit OK. To remove some of Press Cmd/Ctrl+E to merge both layers 60% and then change its blend mode to
the layer overlapping the sea, use the Eraser containing the Clouds filter. Screen. This will merge the new Clouds layer
tool (E) at 100% Opacity and 700px. with the rest of the image.
Experttip Clipping mask Levels adjustment
A new 09 To make sure that the new Clouds 10 Add a Levels adjustment layer by going into the
perspective layer only affects the light rays, go to black and white circular icon in the Layers
If you want to try a new angle Layer>Create Clipping Mask. This should panel. Add a clipping mask to this layer to link it with
for the light rays, go back to
Layer 1 (containing the rays) also help to remove a few of the darker parts the Clouds layer below (this can be done by Opt/
and select Image>Transform>
Perspective. Drag the bottom of the light rays coming down from the sky. Alt-clicking on the line between the two layers).
corner of the transform
box to the left and the top
corner to the right. This will
reposition the rays so they’re
more central and change
the look of the composition.
Alternatively, choose the Flip
Layer Horizontal transform
option to make the rays point
in the opposite direction.
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Brighten rays Surface light Experttip
11 Inside the Levels adjustment layer, drag the 12 Select the Brush tool (B) and set the Editing
middle marker to the left until it reads 1.20. Then size of the tip to around 370px and light rays
drag the white marker inwards to around 200. These Opacity to 10%. Be sure to have a soft-edged When editing light rays
and the white glow seen
Levels adjustments will brighten up the light rays and brush selected, and then paint over the on the surface of water,
make sure that the Eraser
make them stand out more. parts of the sea which the light rays fall onto. tool is set to a large, soft
brush tip such as 300px
Round. In Photoshop CS
versions this can be done
with the Softness setting
which Elements doesn’t
include. Using a soft tip
means that any areas of
transition between layers
are unnoticeable. The large
brush makes it easier to
mould the shape of the light
to how you want it to look.
Add definition Save as PSD Compressed version
13 To create more defined rays of light, 14 To save a version of the composition 15 To save a smaller version of the
select the Eraser tool (E) and then with all its layers intact, go to File>Save composition, after saving it as a PSD,
As. Choose a location to store the file and go to Layer>Flatten Image. This compresses
click on Layer 1 to edit it. Click once over the set its Format to ‘Photoshop’ (PSD). Tick the all the layers into one Background, instantly
Layers box and hit Save. The image can now making its file size much smaller. Save this
top of the rays and, holding Shift, click over be opened at any time in the future if some version as a JPEG, which is ideal for printing
re-editing is required. or uploading to online galleries.
the point where they meet the sea to create
straight, cutaway lines between the rays.
Opacity mismatch Wrong Right
Beware of imperfect blends
When working with multiple layers, each
with different opacities, it can be easy to get
a mismatch of settings, especially if you’re
focussing too much on the positioning and
transformations. For instance, the surface
glow on the sea needs to match up with the
strength of the light rays that are coming
down from the sky, or else you’ll lose the detail
of the waves and end up with an unrealistic
seascape. Keep an eye on the Opacity settings
for both layers when painting and erasing
to make sure that the layers are the same
brightness. Lowering the Opacity setting will
make a layer appear less obvious in the final
effect, so it’s best to err on the side of caution.
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BLURRY MOUNTAINS What
doesitmean?
The image’s brightness
is quite low, so it could Hue or saturation? – Hue
do with these essential controls the actual colour of an
adjustments object. Saturation, on the other
hand, deals with the intensity of
MISTY MOUNTAINS
that colour. Setting higher
It’s a combination of all saturation values gives
these different edits and more vibrant colour.
adjustments that make
this landscape much more
impressive to look at.
Source image
BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST LIGHTER SHADOWS MIDTONE CONTRAST
The Brightness slider in this Shadows can be This slider inside the
adjustment controls the overall controlled separately Shadows/Highlights dialog
exposure, and is our first stop in the from everything else using box controls the contrast of
editing process. the Shadows/Highlights the regions that fall
adjustment under the between the brightest and
Enhance menu. darkest subjects.
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WorldMagsI.mnpreovetlandscapes
Improve landscapes
Achieve better colour and exposure in landscapes with Elements
W ith any form of editing in Photoshop, the results can Shadows/Highlights feature can be used to bring out the details in
easily be overcooked. When editing landscape poorly exposed regions of the image. If you have any images that
images, for example, the trick is to pick and choose didn’t quite turn out the way that you had hoped, then try out
the adjustments carefully. Adjustment layers are ideal as they’re these techniques and inject some life back into them.
not permanent edits, and can be changed at any point. When using
“Adjustment layers are
tools such as the Burn tool to adjust exposure, however, a duplicate ideal as they are not
permanent edits, and can
layer needs to be added. This enables us to backtrack any edits be changed at any point”
and undo any mistakes more easily.
For this image, we’ve taken a look at improving the exposure,
contrast and colour, to make the grassy mountains in the
background and the cool water in the foreground stand out. The
Essential photo edits in Elements
Bring out the colours in a landscape using the tools and adjustments in Elements
Upload image Improve exposure Smarter editing
01 Find an image you have taken for 02 In the Adjustment panel, boost 03 We’re going to use the Shadows/
which you would like to improve Brightness to 54. You’ll notice a Highlights adjustment, which needs
exposure and colour. We’re going to start off huge improvement to the exposure. to be applied to a duplicate copy of the
by boosting the exposure here, so head to Increase Contrast to 14 to add punch to the Background layer. Click on the Background
Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Brightness/ lighting. Close this adjustment via the ‘x’. To layer and go to Layer>Duplicate Layer. Name
Contrast and then hit OK. reopen, double-click the layer’s thumbnail. it ‘Shadows/Highlights’ then hit OK.
Shadow detail Better colour Darker mountains
04 Go to the Enhance menu and to 05 Make extra improvements to colour 06 To deepen the exposure of the
Adjust Lighting>Shadows/Highlights. by clicking on the Create New Fill Or mountains in the background,
The image will look lighter upon opening. Adjustment Layer button at the top of the select the Burn tool (O) from the Toolbar.
Lower the Lighten Shadows slider to 5% and Layers panel. Select the Hue/Saturation Set it to Midtones in the tool’s options, then
boost Midtone Contrast to 11%. The shadow option and adjust the Saturation to around set the Size to 1000px and Exposure to 23%.
regions will have mHoarveindgectoaniltnraoswti.ng images +15 for extra colour throughout the image. Brush over the mountains to darken them.
will make for a stronger
double-exposure effect.
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AFTER
100 The Photoshop Elements Book WorldMags.net