# Photoshop tutorials



## audioaficionado (Apr 19, 2011)

I'd get 5.5 instead if you can. CS6 is due out later this year if your student discount is still good.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

I might be wrong, but I don't think Photoshop was upgraded in CS5.5. It's still just Photoshop CS5.

I can get CS6 when it comes out at the student discount, just not sure I want to wait or if it's even worth waiting.


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## audioaficionado (Apr 19, 2011)

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&gs_nf=....,cf.osb&fp=d272a33775ff33c4&biw=1053&bih=673


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Right, there is no Photoshop CS5.5, just extended. I don't want the entire CS bundle, just Photoshop. The other stuff is worthless to me. What I can get with my student discount is Photoshop CS5 Extended. I can't really find what differences there are going to be in CS6 so I can't determine if it'll be worth it or not. Besides, I figure if I get CS5 now, I can upgrade later.

Anyways, what I am looking for are tutorials that will help me learn how to use the program. There's lots of stuff on the net, just trying to get some help weeding through the endless options.


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## audioaficionado (Apr 19, 2011)

Look in your local library and see if they have any decent books on the subject. My rule of thumb is the shortest book wins especially if you are just looking to get a good basic foundation on what you can do in Photoshop.


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## tetra73 (Aug 2, 2011)

Well, generally, photoshop is an overkill for photo editing. In fact, it often lacks some important features such as tagging and categorizing your photos based on ISO, F stops, focal length, and etc. If you want to do localized editing (cloning, color corrections, layering, and etc), you need photoshop. With photoshop, you can do all these localized editing in a batch process as well.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Yeah, I don't often feel the need to have photoshop over lightroom as LR does 99% of what I need to do. I figured since I want to get a little more serious with my photography and I had some cash and I can get a $400 discount, why not go ahead and get it.


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## jayviado12 (Nov 23, 2011)

i have the unregistered one and enough for a newbie like me


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## nvladik (Jan 12, 2012)

I am using photoshop now for about 10 years, and LR for about 2. Unless you are missing specific features in LightRoom that are available in Photoshop, LR should be more then enough. Don't get me wrong, photoshop is great and every kid other kid gets it through torrents and claims to be an expert. But it's like the Microsoft Office suite, there are tens of thousands of features, and an average user will utilize maybe a few hundred.


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## nvladik (Jan 12, 2012)

You should also take a look at http://www.gimp.org/, pretty advanced open source alternative (and free).


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Have gimp and don't like it at all. I am still debating, I might end up getting the Topaz bundle to use with my LR (might even get LR3 or wait for LR4). What I want it to be able to fix photos as needed, not just color correction. Since LR doesn't have that ability, I want something that can do those sort of things. I'm not sure if Topaz has anything that can either, so I am still in the same boat however I may grab a newer version of Elements to take care of that and use LR with Topaz for the majority of my processing.


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

If you really want to learn PS join NAPP. 
PS is great for most everything you would want to do to photos and it's the GoTo program for most in the graphics field who have to have "it" done for a deadline. It's an intense program though even for those of us that use, and teach it.

There isn't another program out there that can really touch it for what it does. Wait for CS6 though. Just saying.

And you're right, you don't need the entire suite. I have it because I have to. For personal use PS is just fine. It's a little different when you have to worry about spot channels and CMYK varnishes etc.


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## audioaficionado (Apr 19, 2011)

Gimp is nice and it's free, but it isn't in the same league as Photoshop. Gimp is more like Paint Shop Pro maybe.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Everyone learns differently. Some read a book, others need a video, etc.

I usually just dive in, get stuck, and google me a solution. So for me the best way is to fire it up, load an image, think about what I want to do to it, and then try it.

Keep in mind that it is a complex beast and it will take you almost forever to learn to use EVERYTHING. But there isn't really a need for that.

Start with basic things like levels and curves, smart sharpen and lens correction filters, crop, rotation, clone stamp, and see how you can already improve your images with a few basic tools. Don't be afraid to try different things with the same image and compare them to see which ones you like best.

I still discover new tools for various purposes after many years of using it.

Oh and to answer your question, there are plenty of resources online that will help you mastering PS. Here is one for example.


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## speedie408 (Jan 15, 2009)

Wasserpest said:


> Everyone learns differently. Some read a book, others need a video, etc.
> 
> I usually just dive in, get stuck, and google me a solution. So for me the best way is to fire it up, load an image, think about what I want to do to it, and then try it.
> 
> ...


X2 roud: I'm exactly the same way.


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## manualfocus (Jun 15, 2011)

Here's a good resource: http://psd.tutsplus.com/


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

Wasserpest said:


> Everyone learns differently. Some read a book, others need a video, etc.
> 
> I usually just dive in, get stuck, and google me a solution. So for me the best way is to fire it up, load an image, think about what I want to do to it, and then try it.
> 
> ...


WP, there are so many things in PS that don't work like you think they will it is a harder program to learn than most. I've been a member of NAPP for over 12 years and feel it's worth it just for the ideas and the tutorials on line. More than once it's gotten me over a design slump. (Yeah I have those on occasion) Many I teach have taught find that most of their trouble is in understanding layer masks.
One thing about NAPP, it's who Adobe goes to.

Want to see what PS is capable of? look at bertmonroy.com. This guy is amazing. have talked to him a few times. Nice guy.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

nvladik said:


> I am using photoshop now for about 10 years, and LR for about 2. Unless you are missing specific features in LightRoom that are available in Photoshop, LR should be more then enough. Don't get me wrong, photoshop is great and every kid other kid gets it through torrents and claims to be an expert. *But it's like the Microsoft Office suite, there are tens of thousands of features, and an average user will utilize maybe a few hundred.*


Try 4 or 5. lol. I taught Office for years and people who used the software on a daily basis had no idea how it worked. People using Excel and using a calculator to add numbers in a row and type them in. Show them the autosum button and they realize how many hours of their lives they have wasted. lol.


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## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

GraphicGr8s said:


> Want to see what PS is capable of? look at bertmonroy.com. This guy is amazing. have talked to him a few times. Nice guy.


He calls himself a digital painter? Over 11 months time and 15,000 layers? That's efficient! :hihi:

I went insane when dealing with outsourced art that came in highly unorganized and completely bloated.


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

prototyp3 said:


> He calls himself a digital painter? Over 11 months time and 15,000 layers? That's efficient! :hihi:
> 
> I went insane when dealing with outsourced art that came in highly unorganized and completely bloated.


Actually Times Square was 500,000 layers and 4 years. Look at the level of detail and the attention paid to it. I've seen some of the files and they are highly organized. Every layer has a name so you know what it is. Layer 1 tells you little. It's one of many tips I took from him.His print file is 1 layer. If he wants to change something he knows where it is. It's not all PS he also uses illustrator. I wish I was as organized in my workflow.
I've been a beta tester for Adobe. He's one of the few Alpha testers. The guy is good.

As for your outsourced art. That's because not everyone that claims to be a "graphics" person is. Down here the worst offender of churning out unqualified people is the Art Institute. I wouldn't hire any grad from there. They have no clue what's involved in prepress nor the rules of design and when to bend them and break them. And I'm talking basic stuff like setting Shelley Allegro in all caps.


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## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

Amazing stuff and sells for pretty cheap considering the work involved.


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

GeToChKn said:


> Try 4 or 5. lol. I taught Office for years and people who used the software on a daily basis had no idea how it worked. People using Excel and using a calculator to add numbers in a row and type them in. Show them the autosum button and they realize how many hours of their lives they have wasted. lol.


Or what about Word? Does anybody that uses Word know how to set a tab? Do they know what a tab is?


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## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

How organized can half a _million_ layers really be?









I just find it curious that he refers to himself as a painter. It's more of digital collage creation. Looking at that Times Square shot you have randomly lit people everywhere, some glowing like Scooby Doo items. A painter would catch that. 

This guy is a detail monster for sure, I give him that. I'm not knocking the guy, he's obviously got down a system that works for him; and works well. I just got hung up on the painter label.

I hear you on the non-qualified "artists." They are in all walks of art. (especially tattooing) I was pretty shocked when I spoke as a guest at the AI in Santa Monica. I think it's poor practice to take on people with little to no ability, just to pad the pockets.



GraphicGr8s said:


> Actually Times Square was 500,000 layers and 4 years. Look at the level of detail and the attention paid to it. I've seen some of the files and they are highly organized. Every layer has a name so you know what it is. Layer 1 tells you little. It's one of many tips I took from him.His print file is 1 layer. If he wants to change something he knows where it is. It's not all PS he also uses illustrator. I wish I was as organized in my workflow.
> I've been a beta tester for Adobe. He's one of the few Alpha testers. The guy is good.
> 
> As for your outsourced art. That's because not everyone that claims to be a "graphics" person is. Down here the worst offender of churning out unqualified people is the Art Institute. I wouldn't hire any grad from there. They have no clue what's involved in prepress nor the rules of design and when to bend them and break them. And I'm talking basic stuff like setting Shelley Allegro in all caps.


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## crowconor (Jan 29, 2012)

If you are good with a computer then you can pick up photoshop easily, it is very user friendly


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

prototyp3 said:


> How organized can half a _million_ layers really be?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You have to understand that the 500,000 layers aren't all in one file. He will create a file for a person's face say and that may have 30 layers. When it's done he will flatten it then put the flattened layer into the main file. As for the lighting, remember you have light coming from a variety of sources. It's not just one or two places.


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

crowconor said:


> If you are good with a computer then you can pick up photoshop easily, it is very user friendly


You're kidding, right?


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## audioaficionado (Apr 19, 2011)

GraphicGr8s said:


> You're kidding, right?


I certainly hope so.


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## GeToChKn (Apr 15, 2011)

GraphicGr8s said:


> Or what about Word? Does anybody that uses Word know how to set a tab? Do they know what a tab is?


Sure, space-space-space-space-space that's 95% people's idea of a tab. lol.


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## GraphicGr8s (Apr 4, 2011)

GeToChKn said:


> Sure, space-space-space-space-space that's 95% people's idea of a tab. lol.


I really love it when people give me Punisher files and call themselves graphic artists. Punisher is ok but they never seem to know where to go to get it into cmyk. They love RGB. Or I get people from a certain college that have their brand new 4 year degree and there are 2 spaces after a period. I see that and you can forget about working for me. 2 spaces after a period are only used with 12 pt, Courier/American typewriter/Underwood and then only in a business letter. Forget about it in every other situation.

I describe Word as 4 generations before the original typewriter. Actually it's ok for business letters. Not for a newsletter you want 5000 of. I love Windows. MS should have stopped with operating systems. They stink at graphics programs.


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