To capture a perfect image, a photographer needs to understand the delicate balance between the light conditions, the precise amount of exposure that his image needs and also the precise lenses and filters which will deliver him the final, flawless photograph.
A perfect photograph is constituted of a number of elements light conditions, the amount of exposure and selecting the ideal lens and the filter. It is only when these factors are at their most optimal, that a flawless image is created. However, sometimes even the most talented and exacting of photographers may find that his image lacks a certain "Something" or that the photograph would have looked a lot better, had he just fined tuned a few elements. And hence he turns to editing, which allows him to correct any inadvertent flaws that mar his image while also saving him the time and cost that he would have had to invest of he chose to re-shoot the image. With the passage of time and development of technology, several new kinds of editing software have been developed, among which, the most noteworthy is Adobe Photoshop.
Many a times, editing software does produce the desired effect, but significantly lowers the image quality. As a result, many photographers choose not to experiment with editing software but try the more conventional "darkroom techniques." With Photoshop, this hurdle is vanquished as you can work on your image without altering the original content itself. And this can be accomplished by using "Layers" which are similar in nature to transparencies, each of which consists of a part of the image. When stacked over each other, these layers collectively form the complete image. Hence, by using layers, you can work on only a particular part of the image to which you can apply your choice of effects while leaving the rest of the photograph unchanged.
Thus, you can work on the overexposed part of your image, building density and correcting the color until you are completely satisfied with the results. What's more, if you aren't too happy with the final outcome, you can even undo the specific effect on the explicit part of the image, as you are not modifying the image itself, but rather only the part which is superimposed on the screen or 'Layer'. Here, the multiple undo option proves invaluable, as it allows you to experiment with as many effects as you wish and retain only the ones that enhance your final product.
Adjustment Layers also allow you to undo all the effects that you have applied on your image, and start all over from scratch without compromising on the image quality. You can also view your editing process at every step by turning of the visibility of the layer you are working on to analyze the final outcome and then turn to visibility back on to continue with the process.
You can custom create your own adjustment layer by making your selection from the New Adjustment Layer Sub-menu which you can find in the main Layer Menu, or click on the Palette Icon which opens up a pop up menu for you to make your selection from. Once you've found just the right adjustment layer, you can even preserve your preferences for later images to achieve the same spectacular effect without having to toil for hours over it.
To distinguish between layers, once you have divided your image, you can name each layer with a distinct title which will make it easier for you to switch between layers and avoid confusion. To do this, double click on the layer you wish to rename and enter the title you've selected in the name field. Once you click on OK, the new name will be saved, letting you proceed with the other layers. If it helps you focus, you can also hide the other layers and concentrate on only one specific layer at a time. You can do this by clicking on the eye icon beside each of the layers to make them disappear and then click on the icon again to bring them back. This allows you to work on one layer at a time, without being distracted by the other un-worked or reworked layers.
If you find yourself flooded with more layers than you can handle, you can delete the ones you don't need, while keeping the others which you plan to work on just as they are. If you like, you can also merge layers into a single layer by clicking on the layers you want to merge and then choosing the Merge layers option in the Layer Menu. If you plan to master Photoshop, it is vital you learn the finer nuances of layers to make the most of your software as the clich goes, the results will be for all to see! - 17943
A perfect photograph is constituted of a number of elements light conditions, the amount of exposure and selecting the ideal lens and the filter. It is only when these factors are at their most optimal, that a flawless image is created. However, sometimes even the most talented and exacting of photographers may find that his image lacks a certain "Something" or that the photograph would have looked a lot better, had he just fined tuned a few elements. And hence he turns to editing, which allows him to correct any inadvertent flaws that mar his image while also saving him the time and cost that he would have had to invest of he chose to re-shoot the image. With the passage of time and development of technology, several new kinds of editing software have been developed, among which, the most noteworthy is Adobe Photoshop.
Many a times, editing software does produce the desired effect, but significantly lowers the image quality. As a result, many photographers choose not to experiment with editing software but try the more conventional "darkroom techniques." With Photoshop, this hurdle is vanquished as you can work on your image without altering the original content itself. And this can be accomplished by using "Layers" which are similar in nature to transparencies, each of which consists of a part of the image. When stacked over each other, these layers collectively form the complete image. Hence, by using layers, you can work on only a particular part of the image to which you can apply your choice of effects while leaving the rest of the photograph unchanged.
Thus, you can work on the overexposed part of your image, building density and correcting the color until you are completely satisfied with the results. What's more, if you aren't too happy with the final outcome, you can even undo the specific effect on the explicit part of the image, as you are not modifying the image itself, but rather only the part which is superimposed on the screen or 'Layer'. Here, the multiple undo option proves invaluable, as it allows you to experiment with as many effects as you wish and retain only the ones that enhance your final product.
Adjustment Layers also allow you to undo all the effects that you have applied on your image, and start all over from scratch without compromising on the image quality. You can also view your editing process at every step by turning of the visibility of the layer you are working on to analyze the final outcome and then turn to visibility back on to continue with the process.
You can custom create your own adjustment layer by making your selection from the New Adjustment Layer Sub-menu which you can find in the main Layer Menu, or click on the Palette Icon which opens up a pop up menu for you to make your selection from. Once you've found just the right adjustment layer, you can even preserve your preferences for later images to achieve the same spectacular effect without having to toil for hours over it.
To distinguish between layers, once you have divided your image, you can name each layer with a distinct title which will make it easier for you to switch between layers and avoid confusion. To do this, double click on the layer you wish to rename and enter the title you've selected in the name field. Once you click on OK, the new name will be saved, letting you proceed with the other layers. If it helps you focus, you can also hide the other layers and concentrate on only one specific layer at a time. You can do this by clicking on the eye icon beside each of the layers to make them disappear and then click on the icon again to bring them back. This allows you to work on one layer at a time, without being distracted by the other un-worked or reworked layers.
If you find yourself flooded with more layers than you can handle, you can delete the ones you don't need, while keeping the others which you plan to work on just as they are. If you like, you can also merge layers into a single layer by clicking on the layers you want to merge and then choosing the Merge layers option in the Layer Menu. If you plan to master Photoshop, it is vital you learn the finer nuances of layers to make the most of your software as the clich goes, the results will be for all to see! - 17943
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