The Secret Benefits of CS2 Free Photoshop Tutorial

Photographers, designers, artists, and service providers nowadays are offered with innovative prospects that request for advanced speed and better flexibility than ever before, covering technologies and media.

As an answer, Adobe, the world leader in image editing, had created Creative Suite 2 or CS2 to answer the growing demands for creative opportunities. CS2 provides a complete collection of vastly incorporated, modern elements in an integrated environment enabling end-users to work comfortably in one place.

And because the new CS2 has a common user interface elements and toolsets, end-users can easily operate the programs and use the features without the hassle. Learning new functions can even be more fun.

With every set of Adobe CS2, you get a world of support and knowledge resources. The tips and tricks that you will learn from the guidelines were provided by creative professionals who are experts in Adobe CS2 techniques and training.

However, the guidelines provided in the packaged are just the beginning. You will need additional access information, inspiration, and productivity tools to maximize the full potential of your CS2 Photoshop. Hence, for additional data on all the necessary tips and tricks you need to learn, browse, or read some CS2 free Photoshop tutorials.

With CS2 free Photoshop tutorials, you can get access on illustrated step-by-step lectures and easy-to-understand instructions on tips and techniques. The best thing about CS2 free Photoshop tutorials is that they can give you how-to information on designs, image editing, illustrations, page layout, web and mobile design, and photo enhancements without the cost.

To know more about the advantages of CS2 free Photoshop tutorials, read on:

1. Easy access point

You can get fully illustrated CS2 free Photoshop tutorials at easy access point, the most common of which is the Internet. With this, you can easily browse for topics that you need to learn and read the detailed instruction on how to manipulate the functions of CS2 Photoshop.

And because it is free, you really do not have to worry about spending a dollar just to get additional tips and techniques on using CS2 Photoshop. You can start your artistic career as soon as you have downloaded the CS2 free Photoshop tutorial.

2. Brand awareness

The reason why many people are willing to provide CS2 free Photoshop tutorials is that, in some ways, this technique creates worldwide brand awareness of the product — Adobe CS2 Photoshop. Hence, bigger sales are expected for the product.

Besides, advertising experts say that when business give something for free, they do not mean charity at all — they still mean business because complimentary packages are still considered good forms of advertising.

3. Advancement

With CS2 free Photoshop tutorials, you an easily advance your knowledge on photo editing without having to buy another book or spend thousand of dollars just for short courses on image editing.

This free tutorial can instantly uplift and boost your potential as an artist and create a new world of beauty and art crafted into one exquisite creation.

4. Convenience

They are almost everywhere. You can find so many links in the Internet regarding CS2 free Photoshop tutorials. You just have to choose the right website and you can easily obtain the CS2 free Photoshop tutorial in no time.

All of these things say a lot about CS2 free Photoshop tutorials. So if you want to start your career in image editing, start reading those tutorials now and head for a bigger, brighter change.

Problems with the Fashion Industry

There are numerous dilemmas plaguing the modern fashion industry. Advertising in the fashion industry can be blamed for many of society’s problems with weight and eating disorders. There are many individuals in the world who do not have the ideal body type and the aggressive advertising campaigns waged by numerous fashion companies, portraying beautiful, skinny models and muscle clad men, create this illusion that this is the perfect body type and everyone should strive to look exactly like this. This puts a great deal of stress on people to try and look this way. These types of advertisements have an enormous impact on the youth at the present as many of them appear in youth magazines.

Another very prominent problem facing the fashion industry is the extreme body forms many of the models are portraying. The vast majority of catwalk models are dangerously skinny and it has been suggested that they even suffer from malnourishment. Members of the youth, upon seeing these outrageously skinny models, may become obsessed with wanting to look like them to the extent to which they develop some eating disorder.

Of course these are just problems on the surface of the fashion industry. Underneath all of this is the issue of sweatshops and child labor. In search of a cheap, exploitable labor base, many multinational fashion companies relocate to the lesser developed countries of the world. In doing so they can hire young children to work for very long hours and at very low wages, especially since many of these children are so desperate. Furthermore, many of the less fortunate countries have no laws in place to protect children from being exploited in this manner at the hands of multinational organizations. As such, the slave-labored children do not have any means through which they can lobby for better wages or better working conditions and, if they wish to continue making the minute amount of money they are at the present, they must simply tolerate the conditions they are subject to.

Repair Your Photo Using Photoshop Clone Stamp Tool

The Clone Stamp Tool selects and samples an area of your picture. You can then uses these pixels to paint over any marks. It is also useful in duplicating objects and covering flaws in an image. To put it simply, it copies an area exactly how it is being presented in the photo.

Most of the time the clone stamp tool is use to repair photos. Torn and stained photos can be repair by clone stamp tool, once done you would not even know it was damaged. Even the oldest photo can be repaired. For most of my image editing jobs, I use clone tool to fix unwanted images or defects in pictures.

Repairing Photos in Photoshop doesn’t need to be difficult. I am going to make this tutorial simple and easy to follow for the novice.

To start our tutorial, you will need to open your Photoshop. Click on File, then select Open and pick the picture you wish to repair. It doesn’t matter if it’s scanned or a digital picture.

Before you start repairing your photo, go to the Layer window then drag the first or the original layer towards the Create a New Layer icon at the bottom part. In that way, you can make a duplicate layer so you can restore the original one. After that, double click the duplicate layer and renamed it.

Check your photo and determine which part of it you think that would needed some repair. After that, select the Clone stamp Tool located at the left tool menu. Take note that the clone stamp tool cannot be used directly, you need to have a source area where you would take a sample from. Usually, you need a part of the picture or image that matches the defective part.

Once you’re done identifying the part of the picture you think you can use, Hold down the Alt key, then you will see cross hairs, after that click on your target area or your source area. You can start to paint the area that you need to repair.

Remember to adjust the opacity and the flow of the brush that you’re going to use. Furthermore, if you want a good result, keep re-selecting your target area and wipe the brush over the defective area.

Take it slowly when you are repairing your photo. If you made a mistake just click on Ctrl + Z to undo it. You can also go to the history window to go back.

How to Use Digital Backgrounds and Props in Your Photography Studio

Digital Props and Backgrounds are becoming increasingly popular in many photography markets. This has helped beginners start their own photography business with very little start up cost. Now you can look like you have a full size studio without spending $1,000’s of dollars on equipment. Here’s what you will need to get professional results every time.

1. White seamless background — You can find white vinyl in 60″ widths at most craft stores very inexpensively. I would recommend 5ft wide by 10 ft long to start.

2. External Flash or Soft Box — You will need an external flash that attaches to your camera’s hot shoe that can be bounced off a side wall or ceiling. This will give you a softer light and eliminate shadows. This is critical to getting a clean line around your subject when cutting out and selecting in Photoshop. (I’ll talk about this in a minute) If you want to get fancy, use a Soft Box on a stand. Position your Soft Box on the right side facing your subject at a 45 degree angle. This is the set up most professional studios use for their portraits.

3. Bounce Card (Reflector) — Use a 2×4 ft piece of poster board as a bounce card on the opposite side of your flash or Soft Box. This will help fill in any shadows you may have on the opposite side. You can also cover this with aluminum foil to give it more of a reflective finish.

Note: This will be a harsher light.

4. (Important) Distance From Background — It’s always best to have your subject as far from the background as possible. The minimum should be 4 to 6 ft. This will give you a shallow depth of field and no shadows casting on the background.

5. Photoshop (Selection) — You will need a version of Photoshop to use digital backgrounds and props properly. Photoshop Elements will work just as well as the expensive full versions. There are many ways to cut out your subjects using Photoshop, but the easiest way is the Magic Wand tool. (As long as you did the steps above) Select the tool and set the tolerance to 50. The higher the number the more aggressive the selection will be. Click anywhere on the white background. Photoshop will find the lines and set the selection. Play with the tolerance until you get a clean selection. Once you see the marching ants, go to (Select) and choose (Feather) and set this at 1 or 2 pixels. This will soften your edge making it look more realistic.

6. Digital Backgrounds and Props — Now open your Digital Prop or Background. Click on your image with your subject and drag the cut out layer into your Digital Background or Prop. Position it so it looks proportioned and when your happy with the results, click on (Layer – Flatten Image).

Now Save your image as a new file, not overwriting your original. After you complete these steps over and over again, you will develop a workflow that can be done in just a few minutes. There you have it. Following these suggestions I have given you will greatly improve your digital background and prop portraiture. Your portraits will look like they were created in a full-sized studio allowing you to charge studio prices.

Learn the Secrets to Edit Photos Professionally - Photo Editing Made Easy

There are many forms of art and unbelievably, photography is one of them. Some critics may argue that because the finished product has not been produced by hand then it should not be considered an art. Stop and think about it, capturing a moment within a frame on a piece of equipment and knowing exactly when to shoot is art at its very best.

When it stops becoming an art is when individuals take it for granted and simply snap any old photo. Then they take it back and let their editing software get it to a reasonable composition and they are satisfied with that. In this case, it is simply called taking a picture; it does not come into the same category as art.

To extend this concept if every effort is put into taking the picture then this effort is carried over to the editing aspects of it. They are not a separate entity. The photo is a creation and the photo editing software is a tool that assists in this area.

If an individual is new to digital editing software, they will learn to work with the basics and usually are quite impressed with their accomplishments. If at this point they extend their knowledge and truly learn, what some of the editing software is capable of they will be astounded at the outcome.

The basics are the cropping, sharpening, adjusting the exposure and changing the color for example. Some of the more advanced techniques are cutting and pasting. Inserting objects within the pictures and creating a unique piece of art. You can even take old pictures, scan them in to your computer, and edit them bringing forth a completely new photograph.

You can even create storybooks with your photographs. You can add text and even add pictures of your kids using them as the focal point without them even being in the existing photo. What you are doing here is manipulating your photos. A great piece of software for this technique is the Adobe Photoshop. In fact, photographers will use the term shoppe to refer to manipulated photos.

When you are trying to determine the best photo editing software you may want to think about downloading one of the free ones from the net first. Use these as your learning tools. Once you have mastered them then move on to one of the more advanced ones, which you will probably want to buy. If you learn on the free ones, first you will have a good idea what you want to buy in the advanced version. You will not be spending money on basics that you do not need. This can afford you a great saving, because you will only end up buying what you need.

It takes time to learn good skills at digital editing, but you will reap the benefits when you see your finished work. Between striving to take excellent photos and then editing, those to make them even better, you are bound to get the best from your photography efforts.

Free Printable Bridal Shower Invitation Templates

Before you think about ordering expensive bridal shower invitation cards, you may want to consider a much more cheaper solution. Did you know that most free printable bridal shower invitation templates look just as great as the ones that cost money? There are plenty of free ones on the internet that you can find. You can simply search for them in the search engine by typing in “free printable bridal shower invitation templates”. Take a look at the free ones, and you will be surprised at the quality that you will see!

You definitely do not want your friends and family to miss the bridal shower. You want them all to celebrate and have a lot of fun before the wedding event. Make sure you plan way ahead by making the cards early because you need to give people time to plan and make sure they don’t have any other plans on that particular day. If possible, make it two months in advance. Some friends and family might be out of the states, or even out of the country.

You need some very basic knowledge on graphic design, such as customizing the template and make the wordings unique. You can easily do these on software such as Adobe Photoshop. Make sure you write down important information, such as time and location, so you don’t confuse anyone.

You can buy high quality paper for cards at a local office supply store. While the free template might costs you nothing at all, the paper, ink, printer, envelope, and stamps, will cost you some money. In the end, you will still save a lot of money by doing it yourself.

Powerful Photoshop CS5 Tools

Photoshop CS5 Content-Aware Fill This new feature of Content-Aware Fill helps us in removing unwanted areas from any given image; it is able to do it by filling the space that is left behind by utilizing pixels which surround it. It even goes as far as matching the lighting tone and noise. It is a welcome feature for beginners or novices and does not require in depth knowledge of Photoshop or graphic design. All you got to do is hit Shift with Delete and you are done.

Adobe Photoshop CS5 PatchMatch A patch match is a randomized correspondence algorithm for structural image editing. It provides tools for image recomposition and image completion and image retargeting each operation is controlled through user specified constraints. It also provides tools for interactive image reshuffling. It demonstrates a fast algorithm for finding patch to patch correspondences between two arbitrary image regions. It can be employed in a wide array in new and existing patch based image manipulation enabling novel workflows for structural image editing. It can be useful for many other applications in media synthesis and analysis.

Compositing and Selecting Hair in Photoshop CS5 Adobe Photoshop CS5 has a GREAT NEW Feature called Edge Detection that will finally allow you to quickly make selections of images with both hard and soft edges. It got an edge over previously used tools like quick selection tool which tends to go shabby around soft edges.

Adobe Photoshop CS5 All New Painting Tools These include bristle tips which have a set of new tips to which you now have access to. You have dynamic tip which changes based on how it is impressed and touched upon the canvas. Every single brush has a wide range of expressive characters in it which was not there in Photoshop previously. There are different controls and tips which are offered here.

Mixer brush: this feature helps you to blend and mix colors together just like in wet colors. It gives an amazing simulation of natural media style tools

Sample all layers: It’s in the property bar of the mixer brush. Helps in giving an image a more painting type of look.

Learn Dreamweaver CS3

Whether it’s for graphic design, video editing or web development, if you’re a creative professional looking for high quality software, chances are that products by Adobe Systems Incorporated figure prominently on your list. Some programs developed and marketed by this company include Adobe Photoshop (for bitmap and raster graphics), Adobe Illustrator (for vector graphics and illustration), Adobe Fireworks (for bitmap and web graphics), Adobe Flash (for web animatons) and, of course, Adobe Dreamweaver (for web development). All of these programs are available in versions for both Apple Macintosh computers (including both x86 Intel Macs, and PowerPC Macs) and PCs running the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Today if you wanted to purchase the latest versions of these Adobe software packages, you’ll generally notice that they are branded “CS3″, where “CS3″ stands for “Creative Suite 3″. The name “Creative Suite” also refers to the fact that bundles and collections of Adobe programs are available that are available as a package. These packages include “Design Standard”, “Design Premium”, “Web Standard”, “Web Premium”, “Production Premium” and “Master Collection”. Each of these packages contains a different combination of software applications, and four of them (“Design Premium”, “Web Standard”, “Web Premium”, and “Master Collection”) include a copy of Adobe Dreamweaver CS3.

I would personally opine that all of these packages represent excellent value for money – where else could you get a collection of professional design and development software at such a reasonable price? That said, you should be aware that the programs within each of the packages are sophisticated feature-rich software tools, intended of being capable of, and in fact entirely suitable for, professional work. This means, like all professional tools, if you want to get the most from the products (including Adobe Dreamweaver CS3), you need to be prepared to go through a proper learning and education process. It’s possible to go to training classes, but if you don’t have the time or the money, an alternative is to use one of the excellent software training packages or Dreamweaver training web sites that are available.

Natural Penis Enlargement Exercise To Increase Blood Flow To Your Penis

One of the ways to increase your penis size is by doing an enlargement exercises. This just one of many, as there are other methods you can use to enlarge your penis naturally. This article will explain the natural ways to get that length and how to get a permanent size.

It is the blood which flows to your penis that causes you to get an erection. You will need to increase the blood flow to your penis because a good healthy blood flow will cause it to grow longer in length. You will have to put forth some effort when doing these exercises. You can’t expect to gain anything if you are not willing to stay with the program. There are steps you need to take with the exercise. There is a warm up period and a cool down period this just as important as the exercise itself.

Your penis muscle is just like the rest of the muscles in your body.

If you want bigger muscles you have to work out and in order for those muscles to become bigger you must have a system for working out.The same goes for your penis, if you do nothing you get nothing. Now, exercises along with male enlargement supplements will help you get the size you want. You need to train your penis to allow more blood to flow through it. The way you do that is by doing exercises to increase the blood flow to your penis. Exercising will give you a larger and harder erection if you do some planning, sound training and stick to it.

There is a penis exercise known as jelq that when applied correctly allows more blood to flow through it. This exercise calls for a rhythmic slow outward pulling to your penis. There are some other methods of exercises that will help to make it larger. Just remember find a routine and stick with it.

You maybe one of the few men who like doing these exercises, or you may not. There are other ways you can get a larger penis with out doing exercises and they do not call for much of your time or your effort.

If your are a busy man who do not have the time nor do you want to work to hard to get a larger penis. Then you should keep on reading below to find out about the other ways you can enlarge your penis without doing exercises. A good natural enlargement exercise along with a male enlargement product will surely help you increase blood flow to it and will give you a harder and stronger erections. This can be permanent if put forth the time and effort.

Studio Photography and Digital Backgrounds

The article given here was written for Adobe Photoshop 5,6,7,CS, and Adobe Photoshop Elements 2 and 3.

Most photographers who are serious about improving their portrait taking skills have realized that a beautiful background can greatly enhance their photographs.

Muslins are a very popular choice among professionals. However, they can get very costly at several hundred dollars each. For the professional who is well established, this may not seem too much, but for the hobbyist, this may be a stretch.

A less costly alternative is a digital background. With a digital background, one can get the look and feel of a professional looking portrait without the additional cost of muslin.

Many Photography websites also sell digital backgrounds on cd. In some cases…as low as $15.00 dollars for an assorted collection. As with anything else…you usually get what you pay for. Some of these pre-made digital backgrounds are not worth the cd they’re printed on, but some of them are very beautifully made. Even so, you may be wondering how YOU can make your very own digital background. That being said, the following information will help guide you along the way.

Okay, let’s create a digital backdrop using Adobe Elements 2.0. We will create an 8×10 300dpi (dpi = dots per inch or ppi = pixels per inch) digital backdrop. For printing purposes, 300dpi is strongly recommended for a high quality print. This will also create a large file approximately 20.6megs.

Having a fast processor (Pentium 4 or Athlon XP) and at least 256megs of ram will definitely help. Also having your screen resolution on your monitor set to its highest setting 24 or 32bit will give the best results.

Okay let’s begin! If you haven’t already opened Photoshop Elements, do so now.

1. Click on File

Embroidery - What"s in a Name (or a Logo)?

Want to personalize your hat, clothing, duffle bag, etc.? Here’s how the process works:

Digitizing your logo

In order to embroider your logo onto a jacket, duffle bag, hat, or other product, the logo must first be digitized. This means that the logo has to be changed from an image file (such as a Photoshop file – psd, jpg, gif, etc.) into a file format that the embroidery machine understands. Digitizing a logo essentially involves telling the embroidery machine where to put the stitches. Software programs specifically developed for digitizing are used to create the stitch pattern that the embroidery machine will ultimately follow to create the embroidered logo. Digitizing costs in the United States normally run about $5.00 per thousand stitches. Sometimes you can find discounts from normal rates by looking overseas. For personalization of bags or clothing such as adding embroidered names or numbers, digitizing is usually a much simpler process (depending upon the font and size required), so digitizing fees are typically waived in those cases.

To estimate how much it will cost to have your logo digitized, you can normally send it directly to your digitizer or have your embroidery shop forward it to their digitizer. They can provide you with an estimate of the stitch count for your logo, which will determine the cost for digitizing and for embroidering each instance of your logo. Logos for can be simplfied for embroidery to reduce the cost while still retaining the logo’s pertinent features.

Once your logo has been digitized, it can be kept on file for future use. Also, if you already have your logo in an embroidery-ready digitized format, you can re-use it each time for you need to have your logo embroidered. Existing digitized files can often be easily altered to make them larger or smaller, and there is some flexibility in changing the colors of the logo by simply assigning different color threads to the stitches specified in the digitized logo.

Embroidering

After your logo has been digitized, a sample sew-out is typically done to ensure that the logo looks the way you want it to look. To speed up the process embroiderers often take a picture of the sew-out and email it to you. If necessary, they can also mail the physical sew-out. If a customer isn’t happy with the first sample, changes to the logo can be made so that it’s suitable. Usually companies can alter the ditigized logo at no additional charge. After final approval has been given by the customer, the embroiderer can proceed with embroidering the full order.

Lead Time

Normal lead time for completing and shipping an order that involves embroidery is between two and three weeks. Some companies allow for rush orders, and they normally charge a rush fee to have your order completed in less than their normal delivery time. If you check with a few different embroiderers or clothing retailers, you’ll usually find someone who can meet your deadline as long as it’s reasonable.

Exploring Photoshop CS2

Many people might have purchased the Photoshop CS2 program and installed it already in their computers. Undeniably, this program is perfect for all your creative endeavors.

The Photoshop CS2

There are many things to explore in the upgraded version of Photoshop CS2. Here are some of the features that people enjoy in their Photoshop CS2 that you can also learn.

1. Adobe Bridge

Adobe Bridge is a convenient Photoshop CS2 feature that allows you to have a detailed preview of the photos and graphics even before you open the file. This will help you organize your work more easily, utilizing minimal time as much as possible.

2. Red-Eye Removal

The old version of Photoshop also requires a lot of manipulations before red-eye can be removed. Learning Photoshop CS2 will let you get rid of the red-eye in an instant.

3. Font Options

Another likeable feature with Photoshop CS2 is its font preview. Before, all you see in the drop-down menu are the font names. Now, you can easily pick the fonts you need from the preview, saving you more time.

4. Spot Healing Brush

The Spot Healing Brush lets you repair imperfections in your graphics with just a simple click of the mouse. There is no need to find any source point like it used to be with the old program.

Photoshop CS2 Tutorials

If you think that you still have not taken the most out of your installed program, then better explore your options. This is where taking Photoshop CS2 tutorials can be the best choice for you to make.

The Photoshop CS2 tutorials are introductory courses on the Photoshop program. This will let you learn everything you have to know, from the basics of the program down to the detailed units you can manipulate.

With this tutorial at hand, you can learn the ins and outs of the Photoshop CS2. The tutorial can also give you a general overview of how you can maximize the product for your own needs.

Here are some of the Photoshop CS2 tutorials that you can explore to learn more about the program and use it to the fullest.

1. Web Page Tutorial

You can easily browse the web for sites that offer Photoshop CS2 tutorials in their pages. They give the services for a fee. Thus, you can easily explore this anytime you encounter something you do not know in the program, as long as you are online.

2. Demo Versions

Some people opt to get a demo version first of the tutorials. These demos are given for free although they only have few chapters of lessons. They are perfect for evaluating the offers first before purchasing fully the package.

3. CD Package

The CD package is also a good option. It allows you to have everything you need to know in your hands. You do not need to be online to learn. This tutorial package can be purchased for less than $100.

4. PDF Formats

Tutorials can also be offered in the PDF format. This is a perfect choice for people who prefer to read printouts to learn.

5. Online Video Tutorials

The online video tutorials can provide more detailed instructions to you. You will be guided in every step of the way with what you can view from the videos.

Conclusion

Take the Photoshop CS2 tutorials and you will surely go a long way with your creativity and productivity using the skills you learned with the program.

Adobe After Effects CS5 - Let"s Pre-Compose

After Effects has a lot of tools that make your job easier. Taking advantage of the ‘pre-comp option’ is a great time saver, a great management tool.

The ‘pre-comp’ tool is quite easy to access and apply and a very easy concept to grasp. Using ‘Pre-Compose’, the last option under your Layer pull down menu lets you group multiple layers together as one and treat them as one. Perhaps you have an animation of a cartoon monkey swinging from the trees. The monkey with his body, arms, and legs is actually made of multiple layers, and these layers have their own animation and relationships. He grabs the vines, swings from one tree to the next; his body sways as he flies through the air.

Once you have that set of relationships established it would be much easier to manipulate the group as a whole and this is one attribute of pre-composing. You reduce all these layers… to a single layer, a composition. Now you can adjust the position or scale or any transfer attribute of this composition, with a single change, and affect them all. Now, just like we use compositions inside other compositions, as soon as you pre-compose this set of layers, they appear in your timeline sources as a single composition, just what you wanted.

However, if you look at your project resources, just below the composition you are working on, you will see this new one, the ‘pre-composed’ composition you just created. What this means is that you can now use this composition with any of your projects, by simply dragging the new composition to your new one.

Having this new composition, what was formerly a set of layers available to all others in your project is great. You saved time; you saved ‘busy work’. In your original composition you were able to manipulate many as one and be able to place this set with a single position change.

An even greater application is building groups. Now you have a single object that has the detail you devoted to creating, in our case, a monkey swinging from the trees. Tomorrow you are asked to do a Tarzan movie and you need literally hundreds of monkeys swinging from trees. No problem. Now that your monkey is a composition, you can scale him, rotate him, flip him around so you can easily get many variations of your monkey swinging and while that seems funny, animations with hundreds of flowers, with grass growing all over the plain, and flocks of birds flying by, use this same technique and concept, to get many, from one. And that’s no monkeying around.

Buy Adobe CS5 Or Stay With CS4 - New Adobe CS5 Review

Should I buy CS5 from Adobe or stay with CS4? I am sure a lot of people have asked this question after Adobe Systems release the new product. Well, I hope you will find the right answer in the end of this brief software review.

So, what are new features of the product? Adobe Creative Suite 5 has integration ability with online content, possibilities of digital marketing campaigns optimisation and access to Omniture signature technologies, which allow to receive, store and analyze information published on web sites or taken from other sources. Adobe Flash Catalyst, essentially new component of the package, gives the chance to create design of an interactive content without writing a code and optimizes teamwork of the designer and the projector.

Adobe Creative Suite 5 Master Collection includes more than 250 new functions in variety of applications. Truer Edge technology, presented in Photoshop CS5, facilitates recognition of image edges and accelerates process of a mask creation. Content-Aware Fill tool allows to delete elements of the image and instantly replace missing pixels in Photoshop. New options of the Stroke tool in Adobe Illustrator CS5 give the chance to create a stroke of different width, which can be corrected precisely in any point.

Adobe Photoshop CS5, Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 and After Effects CS5 now work in a 64-bit mode on Mac and Windows computers. Adobe Mercury Playback Engine with the support of a hardware acceleration on NVIDIA graphic adapters allows to open projects faster in Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.

Roto Brush tool released in After Effects, gives the chance to allocate moving elements in the foreground with the minimum expenditures of labour. Dreamweaver CS5 now has a support of popular content control systems like Drupal, Joomla and WordPress that allows designers to receive exact representation of dynamically changeable web content in the end-product.

Using Flash Professional CS5 designers and developers can create, test and publish web content on the different mobile platforms and devices. After release of Flash Player 10.1 and AIR 2 environments, developers can deliver content directly to a browser. New Packager for iPhone, integrated in Flash Professional CS5, allows to create AIR applications for iPhone or iPad and also applications with a support of the not yet presented devices on the basis of Android, BlackBerry and Palm webOS.

Adobe Creative Suite 5 products are integrated with Adobe CS Live system of services. which have five online services, allowing to optimise the key moments of working process. Adobe CS Review service allows to have a look on a design in online mode directly from Creative Suite 5 applications.

Adobe BrowserLab service is intended for web sites content testing with various web browsers and operating systems. SiteCatalyst NetAverages service gives the information about web resources using and allows to reduce quantity of guesses and assumptions at early stages of designing.

Adobe Story service represents the tool for a teamwork over scripts, improving processes of manufacture and postmanufacture in the CS5 Production Premium. Besides, access to Acrobat.com services is provided.

Importing and Exporting in Photoshop

Learning about importing and exporting images from Photoshop can boost your credibility in creating images from this graphics software. Once you learn this, you will be able to do just about anything using Photoshop.

If you are going to use an image in a Photoshop file that was already created, you can import it and use it as a layer. People that look to have several images to put together implement this step. With the original image in the background, the other image will be a separate document.

The new image can be transferred to a layer where it can be adjusted or edited. Move the new image over the original document. The new image will stay the same, but there will be an additional layer with the first image.

If you have an image to import as a layer, you can use the Place command to do that. Look in the File menu for this command. The image would be placed in a Photoshop document. If you have to make adjustments you can save the image to the first file. So, if you make changes to the Photoshop file image, the same thing will be done to the image file.

If you have movie frames that you want to import, you can use the video frames to layer command to do that. You will have several choices that you can use to import certain parts of the movie. You can also import frames in a certain succession. This means that not every single frame has to be imported.

Use the shift key and place the slider on the movie clip to get certain portions of the movie. The “Limit to frames” component allows you to choose frames that you want. You can choose every second, third or fourth frame if you wish. It depends on how you want it set up. If you don’t choose anything, every frame will be imported.

Getting the Upper Hand with Photoshop Layer Sets

Anyone who plans on spending any length of time wandering the halls of Photoshop should consider learning how Photoshop layer sets work.

Layers are crucial to the entire mechanism of Photoshop design and enhancement.

The Photoshop “Layers” palette maintains a precise history of all your keystrokes… so you don’t have to remember anything.

Layers can be likened to your command post, so it behooves you to spend some time in there. Let’s take a brief look around right now.

Hmm, looks complicated, doesn’t it? Well, unlike a lot of other functions inside Photoshop, Layers really is pretty simple.

Basically, it isolates different sections or transformations so you can work on them without affecting the rest of the image.

Which really comes in handy when you find yourself up against the wall and need to start that particular enhancement over: just throw that layer away.

Your Photoshop Layers box will automatically create a new layer for you for some changes, but you can also create a new yourself.

On your top menu bar, click “Layer,” then “New.” You’ll see a brand new, empty layer appear inside your Layers box. Notice that it has been highlited and the “background,” or original, layer is not.

The highlighted layer is the active layer, meaning that’s the one you’re presently working on. To activate a different layer, simply click on it, and Photoshop highlights (activates) it for you.

Becoming aware of this one function is essential for successfully working in layers.

(Note: Photoshop CS2 lets you activate multiple layers.)

Once you have a few layers inside your Layers dialog box, try clicking the eyeballs next to each one.

You’ll see that in this way you can visually isolate layers so you can tell exactly what it is you’re working on.

At times, you will find yourself creating many, many layers for a single image. When that happens, it gets difficult to find the layer you want to affect.

The solution to this problem lies in creating groups, or “layer sets.” Grouping layers allows you to place them into a folder. (In Photoshop CS, first link the layers, then choose “New Set from Linked” on the side menu of the Layers box.)

In Photoshop 7, you create a group by choosing each one, then clicking “Group with Previous” inside your Layer option in the top menu. Or you can click the tiny folder icon at the bottom of the

Layers palette and drag the layers into that layer when it appears, then click the collapse arrow to the left of the set folder to hide the layers inside the folder.

If you want to get rid of the set folder later, highlight it, then click Layer, Delete, Set, then choose either “Set and Contents” or “Set Only.”

Some versions of Photoshop require you to choose your layers and then “Shift-Click” on the bottom folder icon to create a set folder. In Photoshop CS2, you can align layers by choosing View > Show > Smart Guides.

Like all the other fabulous Photoshop functions, Layers offers almost limitless ways to affect your photos and the way you maneuver around inside Photoshop itself.

Learn to Photoshop Through Photoshop Video Tutorials

Most people who want to learn how to Photoshop can get frustrated at times. Sure, Adobe Photoshop is very useful in a lot ways, but many find that learning it can be quite expensive, if one is to take special courses on it. Many people would also complain that it takes a lot of time in order to learn how to Photoshop and that there is just no easy way to master its techniques.

Even though Adobe Photoshop is said to be “user friendly” many people still shy away from taking the time to learn how to Photoshop because of its diverse features. Sometimes the different tools may seem too complicated and people would prefer to simply use whatever basic knowledge they have. Some people do not really have the motivation to explore the more advanced features of Photoshop yet if they do not learn how to Photoshop the right way, they are actually missing out on the vast potential that this software offers.

There’s no denying that if you want to learn how to Photoshop, you would have to devote your time and effort in doing so. You can either do this by going through online tutorials or learn through the masters who are better experienced in using the software, and who would only be too willing to share their knowledge with beginners like you. If you prefer to study on your own using free online tutorials, the downside is you may still spend a lot of time going through search engines and opening each webpage that shows up on your search. This could sometimes mean opening as many as 10-15 websites or even more, for a particular topic before you find the right one you are looking for.

On the other hand, if you use some of the Photoshop videos that are now available in the market to learn how to Photoshop, you are not just saving time, but you also have the wealth of knowledge of the experts right within your reach. It is almost like having the Photoshop gurus next to you and guiding you step by step on how to use each Photoshop tool. You can also learn how to Photoshop at your own pace by rewinding or fast forwarding to the part of the video that you want to focus on.

If you want to learn to Photoshop the fast and interesting way, try the Photoshop Video Lesson Tutorials which can give you the advantage of an easily downloadable set of lessons that you can learn at your own pace. By spending a few hours everyday on watching these videos, you will learn how to Photoshop right in the comfort of your own home and be a Photoshop master at no time at all.

Learn Photoshop Now - Photoshop Black and White

Photoshop Black and White Photography has always been powerful and it has stood the test of time, even against its contemporary color counterpart. When working with black and white, you must incorporate a different set of rules and techniques. With the lack of color the balances of shape and contrast are made to work harder in order to convey the story or set the mood. However, once this is achieved it is striking.

Many digital cameras come equipped with a black and white mode. If yours does not, you can still achieve the black and white look through editing techniques. Photoshop has made this process possible with a vast selection of methods to convert a color photograph into what Photoshop refers to a grayscale, or to us, black and white. Most photographers would agree that it is actually easier while behind the lens to shoot in color and to convert to black and white at another step. The level in control of effects throughout the Photoshop program are much greater than what could be achieved through the actual shot.

The simplest way of changing color to black and white is to switch the mode to grayscale (Image > Mode > Grayscale). While this can work, there are other methods to use. Lets take a look at three other alternatives that will convert color to grayscale (black and white):

Method #1 – Desaturation

The first method is desaturation. This is the removal the visible color information while keeping the RGB status of the file. This would allow you to add a tint at a later point without having to change color mode again. Follow Steps: Image > Adjustments > Desaturate (or press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + U).

One negative outcome of desaturation is potentially a flat, uninspiring ‘shell’ of the original picture. This can be improved on however by looking at the picture in parts. You can increase textures in one area by darkening the shadows and midtones, or increase contrast in another to remove haziness. To do this, take a feathered section to work with and press Ctrl/Cmd + J to copy and paste the selection to a new layer. Add a ‘Levels Adjustment Layer’ to it, combining the two layers as a clipping mask. Drag the Black and Gray point markers toward the right to bring out texture or to the left to decrease. If you see a dividing line ater making the Levels adjustment, remove by adding a layer mask to the newly made level (set to Reveal All) and paint on the mask in black until the edge disappears using a soft brush at a low opacity setting.

While a Levels adjustment layer would add contrast, a different method would be: Follow Steps: Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves This will add a Curves adjustment layer to the background layer. Apply the curve shown to increase midtone contrast, but at slight decrease to the highlights and shadows, however this lessens the haziness effect.

Method #2 – Single Channels

This method builds from the idea of the use of color filters from the actual photography process, by allowing the same changes in the editing phase.

Imagine a photo of the blue ocean. Going to the Layers palette, click the Channels tab and click on the Red channel. The image seen be the darkening of the blue-tinted areas the same result that a red filter over the lens would have created. For a comparison, click on the Green channel for a result similar to the Red channel but less drastic. Finally, the Blue channel, it will be lighter, since most of the image is blue. Without changing anything, you have three different ready-made black-and-white effects.

After choosing the filter effect you desire, use this keyboard shortcut sequence to make it into a new document: Ctrl/Cmd + A (selects all) Ctrl/Cmd + C (copies the selection to the clipboard) Ctrl/Cmd + N (creates a new document of the same proportions as whatever we have on the clipboard. The document will also be a grayscale as we only have one channel selected) Enter/Return (to confirm the settings. No changes are necessary) Ctrl/Cmd + V (to paste the contents of the clipboard to a new layer) You can then use Levels and Curves to fine-tune the result.

Method #3 – Calculation

Use this method if the automatic setting of the channels are not what you are looking for in order to increase the range of tones or strengthen the color effects.

Choose the channel you desire and keep it active and go to Image > Calculations. If the Red channel was active, the Red channel will appear in the Calculations dialog box. Source 1 and 2 are set to the same document, layer, and Red channel, which means they will all be combined for the calculation to take place. Set the blending drop-down to Multiply, working in the same way as the normal layer blend methods. Multiply will darken the image, but based on the red channel. As a result blue elements or elements with a blue cast will become darker than other elements. Set the Result drop-down box to New Document to create a new multichannel file based on the calculated result.

Combine Red and Green Channels to achieve a slightly less pronounced result, using the Multiply blend mode. The difference is subtle, but it shows the fine control you have in this technique.

Along with the idea of mixing and calculating channel values, another option called Channel Mixer. This allows the mixing of values of each of the channels, allowing a wide range of combinations. To do this make sure the RGB composite channel is active, and go to Image > Adjustments > Channel Mixer. Enable the Monochrome checkbox. If you change the percentage values for each of the Red, Green, and Blue channels, it will dramatically effect the image.

The Gimp Tutorial and Free Gimp Download

If you are looking for a Gimp tutorial, or ‘the Gimp’ as many refer to it as, then probably the best sites are those offering Gimp video tutorials. The Gimp is one of the most comprehensive website graphics applications online, and a free Gimp download is available from many free and open source websites.

So what exactly can the Gimp do for you, and why should you learn by means of a Gimp video tutorial? The name stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program, GNU being what is referred to as a recursive acronym for GNU’s no Unix, and is a free operating system like Unix, but containing no Unix code. What GNU means, however, is largely irrelevant to the normal person’s use of Gimp, and since a free Gimp download is easy to get, the normal person uses it a lot.

It is a highly sophisticated application, and very much like the very expensive Adobe Photoshop in functionality. It can be used, for example, with digital photographs to sort many photographic problems such as perspective problems caused by lens tilt and also to carry out digital retouching to enhance the detail of digital images. These are among the simple tasks that the Gimp tutorial will teach you.

However, it can also be used in website design to develop wonderful looking web pages and templates s well as practically intuitively for simple jobs such as image resizing. Many web designers use on the Gimp for their professional work, and it can do the vast majority of jobs that Photoshop can do: perhaps them all, though I have not yet had to do everything that Photoshop can do, so don’t know if Gimp can. However, I’ve yet to find something that it cannot do.

Although a free Gimp download is easy to find, however, a good Gimp tutorial is not. Many tutorials are written and very difficult to follow, and even those sites that offer screenshots of how to use The Gimp are often very difficult to follow. There is always that little something missing. A Gimp video tutorial, however, misses nothing because you see the Gimp being used in front of your eyes, from the initial download all the way to using it in a design operation.

One of the most important aspects of learning how to use Gimp is understanding exactly what it is and how it achieves its basic functions. Once you understand that, then you can begin to understand how it can be used as an alternative to Photoshop. You will learn about layers, channels, maks, masked filters and all the normal; stuff, and also how to create your own brushes, including dynamic brushes, and how to replace or remove image backgrounds.

Using the Gimp tutorial you will learn how create fabulous website graphics, and compelling WEB2 graphics that people will be offering you fortunes to design just for them. The Gimp video tutorials are the best way to learn how to use the Gimp, and the free Gimp download also helps to render this one of the most attractive graphics packages currently online.

Photo Retouching For Beauty Pageant Photo

You often see famous Hollywood actors/actresses, and top models appearing on Magazine covers with flawless skin and complexion. You may wonder how they managed to look so stunning and spot-free? Well, the key lies in “retouching”. It can be either manual retouching as in the mode of makeup artists retouching the faces of the actors/models before photo shoot, or via digital photo retouching done on the photos using advanced Photoshop retouching techniques.

With manual makeup, emphasis can be added to various parts of the face to achieve the desired skin characteristic. However, for some people, their faces can easily oil up in the process and they may end up soaking in the make-up. With Digital Photo Retouching, such annoyance can be avoided.

Thanks to the advancement of digital camera technology. It has made digital photography easily within reach of the ordinary people. This is the first step towards Digital Photo Retouching. Next, you would need an image editing software. The free and popular software would be Gimp, which can be easily downloaded online. If you are looking for more sophisticated effects and features, Photoshop is the choice software in the market.

The things which you can do and the amount of effects that can be achieved with Photoshop is indeed endless. As far as pageant photo retouch is concerned, here are just some of the features you can look forward to:

* Smoothing or Softening of the skin * Removal of Blemish * Thickening of Eyebrows * Addition of Makeup and/or Tan * Removal Stray Hairs * Addition of Eyelashes * Tooth Whitening * Addition of Sparkle/Glitter * Blurring/Changing/Removal of Background * Touch of Shine On Lips * etc.

If you want to lean to retouch photo on your own, you may find many free-of-charge Photoshop tutorials online. But, retouching photos is a very time intensive task. If you prefer to leave it to the professionals, you may take a look at the work of this site: Photo Retouching For Beauty Pageant Online

Adobe Photoshop 6 Video Tutorials

Photoshop Video Tutorials will teach you everything you need to feel confident about using any Photoshop version as there really is not much that differentiates them. Not only that, you will have immediate access to view all of the Photoshop video tutorials that will help you to dominate any Photoshop version in just a couple of hours.

To give you the general idea of just what you are going to learn from these Photoshop video tutorials, take a look at these following points which highlight the major learning material that is supplied with these Photoshop video tutorials.

You will learn how to transform old photos into new looking photos with just a few simple steps – it’s so simple! (In fact you will get a shortcut allowing you to transform photographs you believed to be beyond repair.

You will discover how to remove red eye from photographs so your friends and relatives no longer look like they are drunk. You will soon be able to correct all of your photo stock into great looking images.

See how easy it is to change the appearance of any photograph or image, and then apply cool special effects like “flip”, add shadows, crop and so on.

Discover all of the important Photoshop tools like the “text tool”, “paint bucket”, “lasso”, “magic wand”, “gradient fill”, “layers”, “effects” and loads more… and begin using Photoshop with ease. It really isn’t that difficult to use the “Palette Well” which is used to setup your Photoshop environment. When you learn how the “Palette Well” works you will save literally hours, as you will get instant access to the Photoshop tools you need for every single image.

Understanding the toolbox is so important to really be able to perform Photoshop tasks and once you have seen just how easy it really is, you will be on your way to successfully mastering your Photoshop software.

Speed is a must when working with Photoshop and you will learn the short cut to finding your images located on your hard drive. These step by step videos have been specially made to guide you through the main Photoshop tools, so that you will never be lost as the tutorials only ever refer to tool functions that have already been covered.

Photoshop Mobile iPhone App - Editing Like a Pro From Your iPhone

We have all been waiting for an application that would allow us to edit photos from anywhere. Thanks to the Adobe family, we now have an easy and convenient way to alter our photos. Through Photoshop Mobile iPhone app, we can take our photo editing experience to the next level – and right in our pockets!

Nifty Features

Photoshop.com Mobile allows speedy editing of photos with just a few clicks. It is like having your entire photo album collection in your iPhone. Simply create an account and start editing photos to up to 2GB of memory.

The nifty software program offers the following features:

• Cool Editing Techniques

The app lets you do the basics of photo editing. It also allows you to modify the color, change the effects, and filter the pictures.

• Share Photos Online

If you don’t have a Photoshop.com account, then start creating one now! It lets you upload, save and share all the edited photos from your iPhone. You can also access the entire collection of photos right from your mobile device.

• User-friendly Interface

Photo editing can now be done by dragging, rotating and tapping specific buttons in your iPhone. You can try various artistic methods of photo editing through Filter application. Challenge yourself to extreme photo editing with no fear. The redo and undo button lets you alter photos to perfection!

Operating PS Mobile

The Photoshop Mobile iPhone app is very easy to use. Upon opening the app in your device, you will immediately see the “select photo” tab on the center part of the screen. This will allow you to start editing photos. There are also 4 other buttons on the lower bottom of the application. The Edit, Online, Upload, and Settings buttons will take you to various Photoshop faculties.

• Photo Selection The “select photo” tab, will take you to the Saved Photos in your iPhone. Click on the photo you want to edit and the software will automatically lay out the edit settings for you. Several icons will pop up on both the left and right parts of the screen. These icons have drop down menus that allow you to add effects and borders. Other icons will let you sketch, add soft focus, or sharpen the glow of photos. Be sure to try all the icons and see the magic it can do to your pictures!

The Verdict

Photoshop Mobile iPhone app may not have all the Adobe photo-editing features you’re looking for. But it’s certainly one of the best tools to use in your mobile device. It’s simple, navigable and very fun to use. What’s more, the app is offered entirely for FREE!

For more iPhone apps reviews, visit f1apps.com and find the latest in mobile applications!

Photoshop Tips For Digital Scrap Booking Enthusiasts

Scrap booking, a preview for the enthusiasts on how to create one we enlist some tips that would help you. Creativity is something that uses imagination and there are various things in your house that you can use to create an attractive scrap book. Search the market to find collectibles. There are so many decorative items you can buy without spending much. Inexpensive gems and fancy ribbons, the markets is filled with them. There is a lot that you can do with tiny things like sparkle stickers etc. Such efforts will bring great results. If all these smalls bits of border outlining and fancy sparkle is not your taste then you can find things in your house, try creating a border outline with wood chips of your pencil sharpener then use pencil colors carefully to beautify that outline. Most of it is usually imagination and creativity, it’s your playground.

Now we shall learn the steps while designing an alphabet along with multiple patterns for a Digital scrap-booking project? Through this article you shall learn to create a text combining with design using Photoshop that helps you to make your own neat digital scrap booking. By the way of learning this process one could easily design alphabets and numerical, print and ultimately use to write names, titles or special heading on your scrapbook.

Now lets learn to operate Photoshop software, move the mouse cursor to click on file and select New to initiate a new document. Pick the size you would like to create, like 250 x 400 pixel or what ever size you require for your image.

Start with initiating a new document and save it, then create a new Layer, type with letter C and use the font – (Swis721 BlkOul BT) with 200pt and align it in the middle of the document. Now go back and select the layer from last step and use keyboard to press Crtl simultaneously click on in use layer and select the letter C. Now select option gradient tool and choose a color option for example Dark Blue = #276D25 and Blue = #5C9159. Pull by using gradient tool diagonally from bottom right to top left corner and unpick the selection. Take the help of using the above said procedure you have learned to make a Letter C with varying Blue color.

In the next step go to top menu bar, click on filters and then blur. You find that this way the letter C will turn the color a bit blurred. In the next step we are shown how to make a shape which will be the design for the scarp book, this shape is created using the Pen Tool in the Photoshop toolbox palette. Now choose your color and fill it in with Gradient tool. I hope that these steps have helped you well in trying to create the alphabet C with the color blue along with a design of your choice.

Business Gift Certificates - How to Create Your Own

You started your own business. You read that smart business owners offer gift certificates. You know from experience that you appreciate gift certificates. Now you’re wondering how to create your own gift certificates.

No matter what your business is, you can create your own gift certificates, with real value, and encourage your clients to buy and use them as gifts.

Suggestions on How to Create Your Own Gift Certificates

You can create your own gift certificates with various computer software programs. If you are comfortable with multiple programs, you have more options.

1. Microsoft Publisher: This program allows even a novice to create small business gift certificates. The software provides a gift certificate template to get you started. Simply start Microsoft Publisher. A “New Publications” window opens on the left. Click the top choice, “New Publications for Print” and then click “Gift certificates” in the new window. You will have a choice of 35 different small business gift certificates, ready for you to customize. Select a design you like, and click areas to type in your information. If you don’t like the gift certificate color scheme or font, go to the task pane on the left and choose a new one.

2. Microsoft Word: This software, too, offers gift certificate templates. In Word, under “File” click on “new” and type “gift certificate” into the task pane on the right. These 30 templates offer all-purpose as well as specific occasion gift certificates. Select a line of text, and customize your small business gift certificates.

3. Adobe PhotoShop: This graphics program allows you to place a photo of your business or product on your small business gift certificates. In PhotoShop, under “File” click on “new” and enter the dimensions of your gift certificate. A common size is about 3.5″ height by 7″ width. Leave a margin of at least 0.25″ on all sides. Color blocks are good, and can be added to your gift certificate easily in this program. Make it clear in writing that this is a gift certificate. Add your business name and address. Type the word “Number” with a line or box in which the number can be entered. Indicate that “This certificate entitles (space for a name) to (space for your offer)” or type the exact offer. You will also want a line that tells the recipient that the gift certificate is not redeemable for cash, and that its redemption value does not exceed a given amount. Provide authorization and expiration spaces, and print.

4. PageMaker: For clearer type, you may want to design the graphics of your small business gift certificates in a program such as Adobe PhotoShop, and then import those into PageMaker. Add the copy in PageMaker and print. You can line up 3 on a page by copy/pasting your gift certificates.

5. Giftango: This is not software, but a website where you can download and modify free small business gift certificates.

Gift Certificates for Online Businesses

You can create gift certificates for online businesses, too. Check first to see if the shopping cart service you use makes provision for gift certificates. They will be able to tell you how to create your own gift certificates for online shoppers.

Uses for Small Business Gift Certificates

Small business gift certificates are appreciated by both the gift givers and the gift recipients. They are easy to give and fun to spend.

Use small business gift certificates to introduce your business to new customers. You can potentially bring in a loyal customer or client who will be with you for years. Say thank you to loyal customers with gift certificates Add gift certificates to your regular line of merchandise.

Use small business gift certificates for private bookshops, boutiques, beauty salons, nail salons, restaurants, spas, candy stores, flower shops, etc. Use gift certificates online for any kind of business you have.

Generic Gift Certificates

If you decide not to create your own gift certificates, you can purchase generic gift certificates. They will be less effective as an advertisement, but can still bring customers to your store.

Photoshop Elements, Applying a Quick Fix to Your Photos

I will be using Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 for this article, as I believe it still has many of the useful features that newer versions boast these days. You should still be able to follow this guide if you have an older or newer version of the software, as the principles are still the same. In this article I will be explaining how to quickly fix a photo in easy steps.

I am presuming you already know how to take your pictures from your camera and place them onto your computer. If you need help with this, your camera instructions will help you. This guide tells you what to do next.

Open Photoshop Elements and select Quickly Fix Photos from the options that appear while the program is loading. Now you should be presented with a blank screen in which to work in. At the top left of the screen, click where it says File, then click Open. This will bring up a box asking you to find your picture you wish to edit. If you know where the photo is, navigate to it, then click OK. Your photo should now be displayed in front of you. So now we need to adjust it, and if you look at the right side of the screen, there are a list of options for you to alter your photo.

The first box deals with red eye, when the photo of someone is spoilt by one person having devilish red eyes. This option fixes this. If you hit Auto in the Red Eye options box, as with all the options, the computer will try to do it for you, but not always with the best results. Try it first, but if you don’t get the desired results, hit Reset above your photo, as this will restore the picture to what it was originally. There is also a slide bar which you can adjust manually by clicking and holding the mouse button over the small grey ball on the bar in the options box, then moving left or right. If you are happy with the result, let go of the mouse button, then click the Green Tick on the top of the Red Eye options box. This will save your changes.

Next, if you wish, alter the Lighting Levels or Contrast by either clicking the Auto button, or sliding the slide bars manually. Remember, you can always cancel your changes by clicking the Red Circle next to the Green Tick at the top of the options box. If you are happy with your changes, click the Green Tick, this will save your changes. Alternatively, you can always click the Undo option in the Edit menu at the top left of the screen if you don’t like the changes you have made.

Adjust the colour levels and sharpness levels in the same way, and once you are happy with all your changes, and the photo is complete, you need to re-save your picture. Do this by going to the File menu at the top of the screen, then select Save As. Click the File Format button and select jpeg for best results, then type in the name of the photo and click OK, or Save. If you haven’t set up your picture organiser, a box will now appear asking you to do so. Don’t worry about this at this time. You can hit Yes and follow the instructions, or just hit No for now, you can do it later, and it doesn’t affect what you are doing now.

Congratulations, you should now have an improved photo. I always find it’s great to just play around with the settings, changing everything to see what happens. You always have the option of starting from scratch, and as long as you don’t save over your original picture, you will always be able to start again.

Three Good Reasons Why You Should Learn Photoshop Today

Have you ever been inspired by spectacular photographs and often admired the artistic eyes of the photographers who took those pictures? The interesting thing is, even if your photographs do not come out amazing the first time they were taken, you can still improve them and turn them into unique works of art. That can easily be done through the magic of Photoshop!

Adobe Photoshop is the software of choice for people who are in the visual arts business such as graphic artists and photographers. It is such a powerful, yet user friendly software that evens those who are not in the visual arts business use it for personal and professional purposes.

Here are three good reasons why you should learn Photoshop today:

1. Even someone who is not in the graphic arts business will find Photoshop useful for enhancing personal photos. Through Photoshop, you can easily remove wrinkles or unwanted blemishes on the face (even acne!). You can superimpose your picture onto a scenic background like a European village or if you want, you can make it look like you’re in the middle of Manhattan Square! You can touch up old photos and make them come back to life. You can turn new photos into vintage ones. The possibilities are only limited by your own imagination.

2. If you are in the visual arts business, you will find Photoshop an indispensable tool that you can use to sharpen and enhance your designs. Your creative energies will flow easily as you see an image going through changes right in front of your eyes. You will be a notch ahead of your competitors if you learn Photoshop and have a good mastery of its techniques.

3. The best thing about investing your time and money to learn Photoshop is you can start charging other people for your creative services using this great software. You can create unique company logos, banners and brochures for those who want to promote their businesses. You can even be a website designer, which is getting to be a lucrative job nowadays, as almost all businesses see the potential for increased sales through online marketing.

Anyone who understands the potential of improving their skills in the visual arts will be interested to learn Photoshop. If you spend the time and energy to learn Photoshop, you will discover more of its potential to help you get ahead in your business or your career.

For an easy and smart way to learn Photoshop, try the Photoshop Video Lesson Tutorials. This set of 20 video lessons in Photoshop will guide you step by step in using the different tools to get the effects you want to achieve with your photos.

Learn Photoshop Online - Using Photoshop"s Keyboard Shortcuts

If you want to learn Photoshop online or by any other means for that matter, one of the most crucial and time saving tools is to customize your Photoshop keyboard shortcuts. If you have Photoshop CS or later, Adobe allows you to add customized keyboard shortcuts so you can quickly access your most commonly used items, such as filters.

Here are the steps to customize your Photoshop keyboard shortcuts. First, you want to open the edit menu and go to “keyboard shortcuts.” This will bring up a dialog box called “Keyboard Shortcuts and Menus.” As you can see, there are a multitude of items that you can assign shortcuts to.

Next, choose the set and shortcuts you want to use or make changes to. These are the first two drop down menus in the dialog box. Find the item you want to create a shortcut for (such as a filter or tool), click on it, then type in the shortcut. Finally, click accept and then the save button next to the “Set” drop down menu. That’s it!

I would not recommend just going and setting up a Photoshop keyboard shortcut for every little thing, especially if you’re just starting out. Learn the basics of Photoshop first, then as you use Photoshop more and more, you’ll see a pattern of certain tools, filters, and options that you use more than others. Those are the ones you should create shortcuts for, as that will save you the most time in the end.

Photomatix Presets

I just discovered that there is the option of creating your own Photomatix presets. I realized not long after starting to use Photomatix Pro that it came with several installed presets, but didn’t figure out initially that you could configure your own or install presets created by others. Yet another feature that earns this software its due praises.

Let’s say you do the research online and find Photomatix presets created and made available for download. To install these presets on a Mac, download and then simply place them in: Users/Library/Application support/Photomatix/Presets. For a Windows install, paste them into the following root and unzip. C:Program FilesPhotomatixPro4Presets.

As one example of what can be found online, here is a really amazing free download of presets found on DeviantArt, (a massive online artist community). DeviantArt member and artist Stuart Perry has created numerous Photomatix presets and offers them to any enthusiast to use and enjoy. I have checked them all out, and have a good number of favorites that have enabled me to produce some stunning HDR images so far. Of course, there is the option to apply a preset that comes close to what I am envisioning, then I can manipulate the sliders as I see fit until I dial in my preferred end result. Often there are final tweaks I will want to make in Photoshop afterward that I won’t be able to achieve in Photomatix. Photomatix is awesome for the default starting point, and these presets can provide a wonderful array of choices with which to start.

Much like creating a brush in Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, you can always create your own presets in Photomatix Pro. First, adjust your tone mapping settings exactly how you want them, as your own personal initial “go-to” setting. Then, simply click on the presets dropdown menu and choose “Save Settings”. Finally, you are able to give your preset a name, and decide where you want to save it if not in the default preset folder.

This is all written under the assumption that you are familiar with and use Photomatix Pro. If not, this program is amazing, and worth the time to sample it for free. I believe you will agree, if HDR imaging is the reason you’re reading this, that the program is also worth the price. First things first, though; check out the HDRsoft website to download the free trial version. If you decide to do so, I should let you know that any images processed with the demo will embed a watermark in all saved images. The watermark can be removed from the same images once you decide to purchase a license key.

If you are already a Photomatix user, then you’re informed by now of the program’s value. I encourage you to check out and enjoy the Photomatix presets, and/or create your own.

How To Import Photos From A Card Reader or Digital Camera In Photoshop Elements 8

One of the options in Photoshop is to import images from your digital camera or via card reader, which will read your SD card and transfer the image to your computer, and import into Photoshop elements 8.

1. Connect the camera, SD card (only with new computers) or card reader to the computer according to manufacturer’s instructions. A card reader should connect via a USB, whilst an SD card slots into the appropriate slot in new computers.

2. Next, your computer should recognize the device, either by opening up windows auto play box or the photo downloader. You want the photo downloader, so if the box automatically appears continue, if not open up the program and choose to import the photos you want from your camera/SD card. This option is available under the Source box.

3. Then you have to import the photos onto your computer. Under location, an automatic folder for your photos should be available. However, if you want to import your photos to elsewhere choose to browse your computer for the most appropriate location. Below location, there is a choice for subfolders, which you can rename according to date or title or leave blank.

4. The next two steps are very important to saving your files correctly. On the Renames menu, click on DO NOT RENAME, this will make sure all your photos remain with the same name when imported. Secondly, after you have copied the photos, choose the DO NOT DELETE ORIGINALS option under the Delete options menu.

5. You should then be able to import your photos by clicking the ‘Get Photos’ button. If the automatic download box appears any time during the importing process, always disable it.

6. Next two things should happen, a dialog box should appear to tell that your images have been copied to the location set by you (click ok) and a second dialogue box will tell you they are being imported into Photoshop elements.

7. Before any photos appear in the Photoshop elements browser pane, you may be asked for keywords or to confirm them if the photos contain keyword metadata. If this happens, just simply select the keywords you wish to import, these are added to keyword palette, and thus they have no bearing or effects on your image. This won’t necessarily happen every time, so you may find your photos are often automatically imported into Photoshop elements.

Free Graphics of Dog Paw Prints

Whether their dogs are big Black Labrador Retrievers or tiny brown Chihuahuas, dog lovers enjoy using dog-centered graphics. And all dog lovers seem to like free graphics of dog paw prints. You like them, but where can you find free graphics of dog paw prints?

Computer Software Programs

Many software programs offer free graphics of dog paw prints. Two examples:

1. Microsoft Word and Microsoft Publisher both produce several free graphics of dog paw prints simply by selecting “Insert, picture, clipart” from the menu and typing “paw print” into the search box. If you want free graphics of dogs, you can use the same procedure and search on “dog”.

2. Adobe PhotoShop offers free graphics of dog paw prints in any size and color you want. On the tool bar, select the “custom shape tool” and browse for the paw print you want. If you cannot find the dog paw print, click the arrow at the top right of the shape selection box, and append “animals”.

3. Do a search of your whole computer for any graphics type files that contain the word “paw” and you may find hidden free graphics of dog paw prints where you least expect them.

Internet Websites

The Internet will often yield free graphics of dog paw prints.

1. Fuzzy Faces website has a wide array from which to choose. Don’t like red, white, and blue. Import their free graphics of dog paw prints into your own graphics program and change the colors. Change the size, too, to meet your needs.

2. Abquisto Graphics has free graphics of dog paw prints in the form of buttons or bars for your web site.

3. Bullwrinkle.com offers a font of free graphics of dog paw prints. Each paw print has a letter on it, so you can type words with paw prints. Simply visit their site, copy the file paw.ttf to your Windows/fonts directory. Then open your text editor and select “Ennobled Pet”.

4. Hiox India offers free graphics of dog paw prints in 48 different colors! They make provision for you to test colors on a different background, too, with a simple mouse click.

5. If you visit My Flint River Dog, you will find free graphics of dog paw prints for use on your personal or commercial web site.

Do-It-Yourself

The best way to get distinctive free graphics of dog paw prints is to do it yourself – assuming you own a dog. Use non-toxic children’s finger paints and white cardstock. Dip your dog’s paw into the paint, and place it on clean cardstock, pushing slightly to get a clear print. You can repeat as often as necessary until you get a good clean print.

Take your dog print and scan it into your computer. You can now produce various sized free graphics of dog paw prints.

Make It a Project

Collecting free graphics of dog paw prints can be fun. Get together with other dog owners and help each other make dog prints with finger paints. Appoint one person to collect all the prints (labeled as to whose dog made them and the breed name), and scan them. Then share the results. You will have many sizes.

29 Best Video Tutorials for Learning InDesign

Written content dominates the vast majority of e-learning materials on the web. But YouTube videos and premium courses are catching up as video content becomes easier to produce. Because of this fluctuation it’s now easier than ever to teach yourself a piece of software or new skillset by watching other professionals from the comfort of your home office.

InDesign is a great program to learn because it can be used to build any type of print work. From posters to booklets and style guides, InDesign is the go-to choice for most professionals. These video tutorials cover the fundamentals of InDesign and go into detail about certain ideas by teaching through example projects. If you’ve ever wanted to add print design onto your resume, these video courses are for you.

The Amazing Benefits of Using Photoshop

New to website designing or simply want to try a hand in photo editing? Photoshop is all that you need. The biggest benefit of this software, it allows you to play around with the images and give it a form you want. In fact, if you wish to edit images, design websites or create logos, there is nothing convenient than Photoshop. It is really an amazing tool that can help you take out hours of frustration into web designing and photo editing. In simple words, it is fun and really a must-have tool. Now, have a look as why it is a great tool in a designer’s arsenal.

The biggest benefit of using Photoshop, the format of presentation can easily be altered for the same image. The main idea is to make it look absolutely different on various mediums. For instance, in case of graphic designs, it can be used to bring out changes in the actual photograph. Isn’t it simply amazing? The most interesting thing, it can easily create layers of images and allow changes to be done on the photos. Due to these reasons, this tool is a must-have for many website designers to create logos or edit the pictures for higher quality.

Coming to the other benefits of this interesting tool, it is quite easy to use. All you need to do is simply visit the site and download the latest version of this tool and you are good to go. You can create many beautiful images with this tool and without having to know it all. Second, you can give any image the look you want. For instance, you can blur it, enhance it. Above all, you can unleash your creativity in whichever form you want. You can either turn an ordinary girl into the model or a normal person to a zombie, with this tool. Interestingly, the outcome image looks absolutely real.

Editing is also a lot faster with this super amazing tool. In this era where time is money, you don’t need to waste a lot of time on other software. This is all you need. Since it is so fast, most people use it to create logos, websites as well as to edit images. This is one tool which edits images with great efficiency and really fast. Lastly, Photoshop is all about fun and creativity. You can carry out the most difficult editing with ease. The reward at the end is surely a great image. So, who says you need magic? You have Photoshop, right?

How to Use the Photoshop Magic Wand Tool

The Photoshop magic wand tool is a stunningly simple yet effective feature that allows you to select areas of an image, which can then be copied, edited, cut or cropped.

Unlike the other selection tools which can require painstaking tracing around the required area of the photo or image with the mouse pointer, the magic wand tool allows specific sections of an image to be selected based on the colour properties of each pixel.

To use the magic wand tool just select it in the Photoshop toolbar using the mouse (or by pressing the W key (for “wand”) on the keyboard). The mouse pointer then changes to a magic wand (surprisingly enough) and you just click within the area of the image you want to select. After selecting you can then use the usual options on the tool bar to create a new selection, or to add or subtract from the existing selection.

There are also 4 options to control how the magic wand tool behaves.

Tolerance: Enter a number between 0 and 255 to select just how close to the colour you actually want that you are prepared to allow Photoshop to select. If you select 0 then you will only see pixels that are exactly the same colour as the one you selected. If you select 255 you are going to get the whole image selected. So, other than to satisfy yourself that the last point is in fact true, you won’t ever use a tolerance of 255. In reality the tolerance will be much closer to 0 than to 255. You will need to try a few settings until you get it right and it will probably need a different setting for each image you use it with.

Anti-aliasing: This smooths the jagged edges of a selection by softening the colour transition between edge pixels and background pixels. Anti-aliasing is useful when cutting, copying, and pasting selections to create composite images.

Contiguous: This option selects only pixels with suitable colour information that are directly connected to the original selection. Otherwise, all pixels in the entire image using the same colours are selected.

Sample All Layers: This selects colours using information from all the visible layers. Otherwise, the Magic Wand tool selects pixels based on colour information in the active layer only.

It won’t be the right selection tool for every image or project but for your high contrast, strong colour images it can save a lot of time and effort. Don’t forget that you can mix and match all the selection tools so you can use one tool to select the bulk of what you want then zoom in to see your edges then select another tool to refine the selection by adding or subtracting to the selected area.

One last point to consider when using the magic wand tool (or any of the other selection tools for that matter) is that it is sometimes much easier to select what you don’t want, particularly if there are strong colours around the area you do want. You can then use the magic wand tool to select these areas then “inverse” the selection using the drop down menu from the Select option in the menu bar at the top of your photoshop workspace. If you are well versed in your keyboard shortcuts you can simply make your selection then press Shift-Ctrl-I to invert it.

Remember to have fun and experiment with all the different features for each photoshop tool. As your skill and experience grows you’ll discover your own favourites. So don’t be afraid to try new things – the undo button and the history pallet are your friends!

Adobe Photoshop Help With 3 Selection Techniques

There is no shortage of Adobe Photoshop help on the net, but if you want to become efficient in making selections, keep reading. Selections are one of the most important tasks you’ll perform in Photoshop, and a good selection means the difference between ‘believable’ and ‘laughable’.

At any cost, in all but the simplest selections, do your best to avoid the Magic Wand. It is a very amateur tool, to say the least, and yields poor results, to say the best.

The Magic Wand does have its uses though.

If you have a black rectangle on a solid white background, as in figure 1, that’s exactly what this tool is made for – select away!

The second technique is done with the Color Range option and often, this can yield wonderful results for selectively altering colors in your composition.

For example, if you want to change the hue of a motorcycle you’ll often have the tank, some body, and perhaps some accents on the bike.

Follow these simple steps:

• Open an image that you need to change the color of a specific element


• Click the ‘Select’ menu


• Click ‘Color Range’


• Use the eyedropper to click on an area in the image that rightly defines the color and watch the selection window. (you can use the + and – eyedroppers to refine your selection)


• Click ‘OK’ and once the selection is made, immediately add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer and you can change the color.

Then, of course, we have simple selection tools like the Marquee tools. Since most of these are pretty well known (rectangle, ellipse, polygonal) I’ll stick to the heretofore less known Magnetic Lasso tool.

This tool does a remarkably good job of selecting edges. Just take a look at this fast and easy selection using the Magnetic Lasso tool.

Since I love giving Adobe Photoshop help, I’ll gladly tell you about this secret weapon.

To use the tool, all you do is click on an edge, then run it along that edge and it will create points for your selection. It’s not perfect, but it’ll give you a great start.

With all your selections, the important thing is that you end up with a good selection, and a lot of times that takes multiple steps.