A full photoshop workflow

[Overread]

C Brush

Is very very much worth your time to watch. Even if you only have something like photoshope elements there is a lot of adivce you can pick up and methods that can be directly used.

It's also a whole workflow rather than just isolated tutorials so it gives some context to the methods being discussed and shows you the end product of the methods

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[Dominantly]

[pbelarge]

Overread
Thanks for showing us this tutorial. I have had no prior experience in PP and now I feel like I am one step closer to understanding this stuff. I am one who likes to see how others do it.

[pharmakon]

Thanks for the link. Should be very useful.

[Hardrock]

Thanks!

[eric-holmes]

This seems extremely useful. But my question is, are those default presets good for any picture or are they just good for that specific picture he was editing? Also, I use Photoshop elements so there is no reason for me to edit in 16 bits/channel right?

[Overread]

Elements won't do anything for 16 bit images so you have to drop down to 8bit. You will also need to google up a curves editor download and a layermask download (there are freeware versions of both online if you hunt around). With those the only real thing that elements lacks from the process is the blending tool (elements does have some blending features, but lacks that main dialogue that he brings up).

The dodge and burn we also have ot do slightly differently - copy the base layer then select a brush - set it to max size and paint over the image with grey (go to the colour pallet and set the custom colour to h 350, s 0, b 50 with r, g and b to 127 to get grey). After that set the layer to overlay and then black and white with the brush will give you burn and dodge.

[eric-holmes]

I wish there was something like this strictly for elements. This makes my elements look so un-useful, which I know its not.

[Overread]

I know the feeling, but I'd far rather sink the money for photoshop into lenses, cameras, tripods and other stuff. Lightroom is hte most I will pay for at present (and even then its a long way off being bought) Get good shots first and then worry about editing them

[eric-holmes]

That's true. Adobe offers student discounts. I can get CS4 or $199 and lightroom for $99. But I'm a long way from buying too.

[eric-holmes]

He also says to shoot in Adobe RGB. What is the difference and will it help me any if I only use Elememts?

[Overread]

The RGB and sRGB debate is fiddly - essentialy RGB is better for editing images however to get the full effect out of it you really need to know what you are doing to really benefit. Also sRGB is almost the general default standard - the internet is in sRGB (some browsers support RGB but most don't and your images will look odd) whilst most online printing companies request images in sRGB. Higher class ones will most likey accept RGB images and if you print at home you might also get some benefit out of it.

Essentialy its one of those cases where if you have to ask stick with sRGB. As he says in the tutorial you can always change this at the RAW editing stage sould you learn more at a later date. And if you remember you can always edit in RGB and then change the colour save mode at the last stage before outputting.

[ann]

your software works only in 8 bit mode, and so you can't work in16bit mode. FOr many that is a deal breaker for using elements.

Unless you print or have a high end monitor you will not see the differences between color spaces, but there is one. as Overread has already explained you may wish to stay in sRGB. I am not familar with elements, but with PS. you can set the color gamut and it will automatically apply it to the converted file that is asuming your starting with RAW images.

For example, i use only Procolor space as printers to reveal the beauty of that space are coming down the pike and i am too lazy to go back to the file and make corrections. At this time, i can't see it on my monitor but just planning ahead.

[eric-holmes]

Elements won't do anything for 16 bit images so you have to drop down to 8bit. You will also need to google up a curves editor download and a layermask download (there are freeware versions of both online if you hunt around). With those the only real thing that elements lacks from the process is the blending tool (elements does have some blending features, but lacks that main dialogue that he brings up).

The dodge and burn we also have ot do slightly differently - copy the base layer then select a brush - set it to max size and paint over the image with grey (go to the colour pallet and set the custom colour to h 350, s 0, b 50 with r, g and b to 127 to get grey). After that set the layer to overlay and then black and white with the brush will give you burn and dodge.

I also don't have a sharpen filter! Gah

[Overread]

Sharpen filter? Which one is that - as far as I know we have all the sharpening filters that he mentions (I belive that one of his has been renamed something else and might have a few less buttons in elements but its still there - at least in 6