Denver Photoshop Training Aspen Colorado
Photoshop
- Understand the function of Photoshop in website design
- Website Design
- Graphic optimization (Fireworks does this too)
- The workspace
- The tools we use:
- Marquees
- Move
- Text
- Brush
- Pen
- The commands we use
- Open
- Save, Save As, Save For Web
- Image > Crop
- Image > Stoke
- Image > Fill
- The Layer Palette
- New Layer
- Click & drag a layer
- Clicking on the eye
- Alias/anti-alias:
- Tonal Range:
- Shadows
- Midtones
- Highlights
- Channels
- Action
- History Brush Tool
- Art History Brush Tool
- Clipping
- Mask
- Path Selection Tool
- Direct Selection Tool
- Pen Tool
- Freeform Pen Tool
- Add/Delete Anchor Point Tools
- Convert Anchor Point Tool
- Slice Tool
- Slice Select Tool
- Dodge Tool
- Burn Tool
- Sponge Tool
- Color Sampler Tool
- Measure Tool
- Quick Mask Edit Mode
- Standard Mode
- Screen Mode
- ImageReady
- Fill
- Layer palette
- Fill layer
- Edit Menu
- Linking Layers
- Layer Locks
- PSD
- TIF
- JPG
- GIF
- EPS
- HSB
- Lab Mode
- Grayscale Mode
- Bitmap Mode
- Duotones Mode
- Indexed Color Mode
- Multichannel Mode
- Batch
- Contact Sheet
- Picture Package
- Web Photo Gallery
- Photomerge
- Import
- Export
- Metadata
- Pattern Stamp Tool
- Define Brush Preset
- Define Pattern
- Desaturate
- Posterize
- Scale
- Rotate (layer or canvas)
- Skew
- Perspective
- Distort
- Flip
- Reveal all
- Clipping Mask
- Merge
- Flatten
- Curves Command
- Leading
- Kerning
- Tracking
- Baseline Shift
- Horizontal / Vertical Scale:
Advanced Photoshop
Computer Mouse 101
1. Ground your wrist on the desk and then try to mouse from your wrist.
2. Mouse faster by flicking your wrist.
3. Don’t watch your mouse. Watch the screen.
4. Some clicks you hold, and some clicks you don’t. It’s important to learn when to let up on the mouse button.
5. Some clicks you hold down a key before you click.
5. Learn the differences between the following common mouse movements:
HOW TO DO IT
CLICK click one time on the left
DOUBLECLICK click two times on the left
CLICKDRAG click one time on the left, hold it while you move the mouse.
SELECTING using a clickdrag or doubleclick to choose an object on the screen
ALTCLICK hold the ALT Key first and then left click while holding the key
CONTROLCLICK hold the Ctrl Key first and then left click while holding the key
SHIFTCLICK click somewhere, move the mouse to another location,
hold the SHIFT key and then left click once.
RIGHTCLICK click the right mouse button to open a special menu,
move your mouse over the item you want to select,
click with the left mouse button once.
On onebutton mouse Macintosh computers,
you can right click by using the OPTIONCLICK.
= Page 6 =
What is the Adobe Creative Suite?
The Adobe® Creative® Suite 3 family offers you choice — in the com
bination of creative tools you master, the design disciplines you explore,
and the richness and scope of content you create. This revolutionary
new release includes six editions, each combining tightly integrated,
industryleading components that enable you to handle virtually any
creative task.
Together these six editions of Creative Suite 3 address virtually every
creative discipline and empower you to work more efficiently with your
creative team; collaborate more closely with developers to produce engag
ing experiences; and serve your clients, your business, and your creative
vision more easily and effectively than ever before.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Premium delivers a dream toolkit for
print, web, interactive, and mobile design.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Design Standard focuses on professional print
design.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Premium combines the bestofthebest web
design and development tools.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Web Standard serves the professional web devel
oper.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Production Premium is a complete postproduc
tion solution for video professionals.
Adobe Creative Suite 3 Master Collection enables you to design across
media — print, web, interactive, mobile, video, and film — in the most
comprehensive creative environment ever produced.
Source: http://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/
Photoshop is
included in all
Creative Suite
Editions except
Web Standard.
= Page 7 =
What Do All Of These Programs Do?
PREMIERE PRO
Capture, edit, and deliver
video to for tape, disc, the
Web, and mobile devices.
SOUNDBOOTH
Create and edit
highquality audio.
AFTER EFFECTS
Capture, edit, and deliver
video to for tape, disc, the
Web, and mobile devices.
FLASH
Capture, edit, and deliver
video to for tape, disc, the
Web, and mobile devices.
PHOTOSHOP
Imaging tool for designers,
photographers, and artists. It
includes Adobe Bridge f
or image browsing
and management.
PHOTOSHOP EXTENDED
Includes everything in
Photoshop CS3 plus
specialized technical and
scientific tools for 3D, motion
graphics, image measurement
and analysis.
ILLUSTRATOR
Powerful vectorbased drawing
tool for designing graphics for
any media.
INDESIGN
Page layout and document
design tool for publishing
ACROBAT
Create and work with
Portable Document
Format (PDF) documents.
CONTRIBUTE
Authoring environment for
creating interactive content for
a variety of platforms including
the Web and mobile devices.
DREAMWEAVER
Design, develop, and
maintain Web sites.
FIREWORKS
Combination vector and
bitmap tool for creating and
optimizing Web graphics,
designing user interfaces, and
prototyping Web designs.
= Page 8 =
Comparing the Creative Suite Editions
= Page 9 =
The History of Photoshop And Where It Fits In
Photoshop
is 17
Years Old.
The next time you fire up your copy
of Photoshop, spare a thought for the
scores of developers and the reams of
code that have gone into making it…
While you won’t find it printed on any
calendar, 2005 marks a quiet anniversa
ry for the program that you, and many
other graphic designers, probably use
the most. It was 15 years ago in Febru
ary that Adobe shipped version 1.0 of
Photoshop – still its most popular (and
lucrative) application, and possibly the
only bit of software to have spawned its
own verb form.
But the true origins of Photoshop go
back even further. The program whose
splash screen now displays 41 names
was originally the product of just two
brothers, Thomas and John Knoll, as
fascinated by technology as they were by
art. It was a trait they’d inherited from
their father, a photography buff with
his own personal darkroom in the base
ment and a penchant for early home
computers.
Thus Thomas dabbled with photogra
phy, learning about color correction
and contrast in the darkroom, while
John happily tinkered with his dad’s
Apple II computer. When their dad –
clearly an early adopter – bought one of
the first Macs on the market in 1984,
both were bowled over by its capabili
ties. Yet ironically it was its frustrating
inadequacies that would eventually lead
to the multimillion dollar application
sitting on nearly everyone’s hard drive
today.
In the beginning
By 1987, John Knoll was working at In
dustrial Light and Magic – Lucasfilm’s
nascent special effects division, found
ed for Star Wars – while Thomas was
studying for his Ph.D. on image pro
cessing at the University of Michigan. Having just bought a brandnew
Apple Mac Plus to help out with his thesis, he was dismayed to find it
couldn’t display grey scale images on the monochrome monitor. So, in
true hacker style, he set about writing his own code to do the job.
Unsurprisingly, John was also working on image processing at ILM, and
during a holiday visit he became very
impressed with Thomas’s progress.
In the book CG 101: A Computer
Graphics Industry Reference, John
says: “As Tom showed me his work,
it struck me how similar it was to the
imageprocessing tools on the Pixar
[a custom computer used at ILM].”
Thus the pair began to collaborate on
a larger, more cohesive application,
which they dubbed – excitingly –
Display.
It wasn’t long before John had bought a new color Macintosh II and
persuaded Thomas to rewrite Display to work in color. Indeed, the
more John saw of Display, the more features he began to ask for:
gamma correction, loading and saving other file formats, and so on.
Although this work distracted Thomas from his thesis, he was quite
happy to oblige. He also developed an innovative method of selecting
and affecting only certain parts of the image, as well as a set of image
processing routines – which would later become plugins. A feature for
adjusting tones (Levels) also emerged, along with controls for balance,
hue and saturation. These were the defining features of Photoshop, but
at the time, it was almost unthinkable to see them anywhere outside of
specialist processing software in a lab – or at ILM.
By 1988, Display had become ImagePro and was sufficiently advanced
that John thought they might have a chance at selling it as a com
mercial application. Thomas was reluctant: he still hadn’t finished his
thesis, and creating a fullblown app would take a lot of work. But once
John had checked out the competition, of which there was very little,
they realized ImagePro was way ahead of anything currently available.
From ImagePro to Photoshop
Thus the search began for investors. It didn’t help that Thomas kept
changing the name of the software, only to find a name was already in
use elsewhere. No one is quite sure where the name ‘Photoshop’ origi
nally came from, but legend has it that it was suggested by a potential
publisher during a demo, and just stuck. Incidentally, splash screens
from very early versions show the name as ‘PhotoShop’ – which seems
far more in line with today’s craze for ExTraneous Capitalization.
= Page 10 =
The History of Photoshop And Where It Fits In
Remarkably in retrospect, most software companies turned their
corporate noses up at Photoshop, or were already developing similar
applications of their own. Only Adobe was prepared to take it on, but a
suitable deal wasn’t forthcoming. Eventually, though, a scanner manu
facturer called Barneyscan decided to bundle it with its scanners, and a
small number of copies went out under the name Barneyscan XP.
Fortunately for the future of digital im
aging, this wasn’t a longterm deal, and
John soon returned to Adobe to drum
up more interest. There he met Rus
sell Brown, then Art Director, who was
highly impressed with the program and
persuaded the company to take it on.
Whether through naivety on Adobe’s
part or canniness on the brothers’, Pho
toshop was not sold wholesale but only
licensed and distributed, with royalties
still going to the Knolls.
It wasn’t as if this deal meant the Knoll
brothers could sit back and relax; if
anything, they now had to work even
harder on getting Photoshop ready for
an official, 1.0 version release. Thomas
continued developing all the main ap
plication code, while John contributed
plugins separately, to the dismay of
some of the Adobe staff who viewed these as little more than gimmicks.
Curiously, this attitude still remains among some purists, who claim
that most Photoshop plugins are somehow ‘cheating’ and not be
touched under any circumstances, while others swear by their flexibility
and power when used properly.
As in the program’s formative days, there were always new features to
be added, and somehow Thomas had to make time to code them. With
the encouragement of John, Russell Brown – soon to become Photo
shop’s biggest evangelist – and other creatives at Adobe, the application
slowly took shape. It was finally launched in February 1990.
Digital imaging for everyone
This first release was certainly a success, despite the usual slew of bugs.
Like the Apple of today, Adobe’s key marketing decision was to pres
ent Photoshop as a massmarket, fairly simple tool for anyone to use
– rather than most graphics software of the time, which was aimed at
specialists.
With Photoshop, you could be achiev
ing the same things on your home
desktop Mac that were previously only
possible with thousands of dollars of
advanced equipment… at least, that was
the implicit promise. There was also the
matter of pricing. Letraset’s ColorStu
dio, which had launched shortly before,
cost $1,995; Photoshop was less than
$1,000.
With development of version 2.0 now
underway, Adobe began to expand the
coding staff. Mark Hamburg was taken
on to add Bézier paths, while other new
features included the Pen tool, Duo
tones, import and rasterization of Illus
trator files, plus, crucially, support for
CMYK color. This was another canny
move on Adobe’s part, as it opened up
the Photoshop market to print profes
sionals for the first time. The program’s
first Product Manager, Steven Gutt
man, started giving code names to beta
versions, a practice which survives to
this day. ‘Fast Eddy’ – version 2 – was
launched the following year.
Until now Photoshop was still a Mac
only application, but its success war
ranted a version for the burgeoning
Windows graphics market. Porting
it was not a trivial task: a whole new
team, headed by Bryan Lamkin, was
brought in for the PC. Oddly, although
there were other significant new fea
tures such as 16bit file support, this
iteration was shipped as version 2.5.
Like that difficult third album which
can make or break a band, version 3
had to really deliver if it was to corner
the market. Fortunately, the team had
a whopper of an ace up their sleeve:
layers.
By general consensus, the addition of
Many
companies
turned their
corporate
noses up at
Photoshop
= Page 11 =
The History of Photoshop And Where It Fits In
layers has been the single most important aspect of Photoshop development, and probably the feature which final
ly persuaded many artists to try it. Yet the concept of layers wasn’t unique to Photoshop. HSC – later to become
MetaCreations – was concurrently developing Live Picture, an imageediting app including just such a facility.
While an excellent program in its own right, Live Picture was vastly overpriced on its launch, leaving Photoshop
3.0 for both Mac and Windows to clean up.
Nothing in later versions quite matched the layers feature for its impact, but there have nonetheless been signifi
cant changes. Version 5 introduced color management and the History palette,
with its extra ‘nonlinear history’ behavior, which certainly opened up whole new
creative possibilities. A major update, version 5.5, bundled Adobe’s package
ImageReady in an entirely new iteration, giving Photoshop excellent Webspecific
features. Layer styles and improved text handling popped up in version 6, and the
Healing brush in version 7.
Today and tomorrow
Surprisingly given the age and market leading position of the application, Adobe
continues to come up with new features for Photoshop. With Photoshop now
part of the rebranded and remarketed Creative Suite 2, Adobe appears to be cur
rently emphasizing interoperability through the likes of Bridge.
But the program can’t and won’t stand still. For one thing, it faces much greater
competition from a host of rivals, many of which claim to offer Photoshop’s
power without the price. Lowercost apps aimed at the amateur or home enthu
siast, such as Paint Shop Pro on Windows, have had many years to learn from
Photoshop. Adobe’s solution was to join them, launching the budget priced and
featurereduced but still immensely powerful Photoshop Elements – which itself
has now reached version 4.
And the future? Unsurprisingly, Adobe isn’t telling. Photoshop is the jewel in its crown and its development is
closely guarded. But there have been hints. Bryan Lamkin, now Senior Vice President of Digital Imaging and Digi
tal Video, speculated earlier this year on a true 64bit version of the application, and perhaps support for Apple’s
CoreImage technology, which would bring enormous speed improvements. Rumours that Illustrator will merge
with Photoshop have also abounded for years.
Whatever happens, it’s likely that Thomas Knoll will be involved in some way. Although not directly concerned
with Photoshop these days, he still keeps his hand in, recently developing the Adobe Camera Raw plugin and
posting occasionally to the Adobe forums.
His brother still works at ILM too: appropriately enough, he was Visual Effects Supervisor on all three of the new
Star Wars films. Without the original Star Wars, there would have been no Photoshop; and with no Photoshop,
your job, this magazine and the entire graphics design industry would be very different from how they are today.
Source: http://www.computerarts.co.uk/in_depth/features/the_history_of_photoshop
Without the
original Star
Wars, there
would have
been no
Photoshop
= Page 12 =
Photographic Composition
Photographic composition is
the pleasing arrangement of
subject matter elements within
the picture area. Creative
photography depends foremost
on the photographer’s abil
ity to see as the camera sees
because a photograph does not
reproduce a scene quite the
way we see it. The camera sees
and records only a small iso
lated part of the larger scene,
reduces it to only two dimen
sions, frames it, and freezes it.
It does not discriminate as we
do. When we look at a scene
we selectively see only the im
portant elements and more or
less ignore the rest. A camera,
on the other hand, sees all the
details within the field of view.
This is the reason some of
our pictures are often disap
pointing. Backgrounds may be
cluttered with objects we do
not remember, our subjects
are smaller in the frame or less
striking than we recall, or the
entire scene may lack signifi
cance and life.
Good pictures are seldom
created by chance. To make
the most of any subject, you
must understand the basic
principles of composition. The
way you arrange the elements
of a scene within a picture,
catch the viewer’s attention,
please the eye, or make a clear
statement are all qualities of
good composition. By develop
ing photographic composition
skills, you can produce photo
graphs that suggest movement,
life, depth, shape, and form,
recreating the impact of the
original scene.
How are photographic composition
skills developed? You look, you study,
you practice. Every time you take a
picture, look all around within the view
finder. Consider the way each element
will be recorded and how it relates to the
overall composition. You must become
thoroughly familiar with the camera
and learn how the operation of each
control alters the image. Experiment
with the camera and look at the results
carefully to see if they meet your expecta
tions. With experience and knowledge
of your equipment, you begin to “think
through your camera” so you are free
to concentrate on composition. Devote
serious study to the principles of good
composition. Study books and magazine
articles on composition. You should
analyze various media: motion pictures,
TV, magazines, books and newspapers,
and evaluate what you see. What is good
about this picture or that TV image?
What is bad about it? What principles of
good composition could you apply in a
different way to make the picture better.
Good or correct composition is impos
sible to define precisely. There are no
hardandfast rules to follow that ensure
good composition in every photograph.
There are only the principles and ele
ments that provide a means of achiev
ing pleasing composition when applied
properly. Some of these principles and
elements are as follows:
Center of interest
Subject placement
Simplicity
Viewpoint and camera angle
Balance
Shapes and lines
Pattern
Volume
Lighting
Texture
Tone
Contrast
Framing
Foreground
Background
Perspective
As you study these principles of com
position, you should soon come to a
realization that some are very similar
and overlap one another a great deal.
Because all or most of these princi
ples must be considered and applied
each time you take a picture, it may
all seem quite confusing at first. With
experience you can develop a sense of
composition, and your consideration
and application of the principles will
become almost second nature. This
is not to suggest that you can allow
yourself to become complacent or
careless in the application of the prin
ciples of composition. Doing so will
be immediately obvious because the
results you produce will be snapshots,
not professional photographs.
The principles of composition that
follow apply equally to both still and
motion media photography.
CENTER OF INTEREST
Each picture should have only one
principal idea, topic, or center of
interest to which the viewer’s eyes
are attracted. Subordinate elements
within the picture must support and
focus attention on the principal fea
ture so it alone is emphasized.
A picture without a dominant center
of interest or one with more than
one dominant center of interest is
puzzling to a viewer. Subsequently,
the viewer becomes confused and
wonders what the picture is all about.
= Page 13 =
Photographic Composition
When a picture has one, and only one, dominant “point of interest,”
the viewer quickly understands the picture.
NOTE:
“Point of interest,” as used here, has the same meaning as center of
interest; however, using the term point of interest prevents giving the
impression that the center of interest should be located in the center
of the picture.
The specific topic, idea, or object to be portrayed must be set in your
mind as you prepare to take a picture. When there is nothing in the
picture to attract attention to a particular area or object, the eyes wan
der throughout the scene. The center of interest may be a single object
or numerous ones arranged so attention is directed to one definite
area
When the center of interest is a single object that fills most of the
picture area or one that stands out boldly, such as a white sail against
a background of dark water, attention is attracted immediately to it.
As may be expected, not all subjects are as simple to arrange or as bold
and impressive.
A photographer usually has at his or her disposal many factors or ele
ments that can be used and arranged within the picture area to draw
or direct attention to the primary idea of the picture. Some of these
elements are lines, shapes, human figures, tone, and texture.
Human figures attract attention more strongly than almost any other
subject matter and unless they are the main object of the photograph
should probably be kept out of the picture; for instance, a photograph
showing a person standing at some distance in front of a building may
leave the observer wondering whether the person or the building is the
primary subject. When people are included in a scene for comparative
size of objects or just for atmosphere, keep them from looking directly
at the camera. When people look at the camera and therefore at the
viewer of the picture, the viewer tends to return their gaze by looking
directly back into their eyes. When they are not the intended point
of interest, we miss the statement and purpose of the picture. When
people are subordinate elements within the picture and they are look
ing in a direction other than at the camera, the viewer’s attention is
directed from the people to what they are looking at, which should be
the center of interest; for example, when people are grouped around
a piece of machinery that is the center of interest of the picture, have
them look at the machine, rather than the camera.
When a
picture has one,
and only one,
dominant
“point of interest,”
the viewer quickly
understands the
picture.
= Page 14 =
Photographic Composition: Subject Placement
Sometimes good composition is obtained by placing the center of interest
in the geometrical center of the picture; it is generally not a good idea to
place it there. Too frequently it divides the picture into equal halves and
makes the picture uninteresting and difficult to balance. By dividing the
picture area into thirds, both vertically and horizontally, and locating the
center of interest at one of the intersections of the imaginary lines, you
can usually create a feeling of balance to the composition (fig. 55).
In photographic composition there
are two general guides for determin
ing the best location for the center of
interest. The first is the principle of
thirds. The other is dynamic sym
metry. In the principle of thirds, the
intersection of lines that divide the
picture area into thirds are marked
by O’s. These intersections are good
locations for the center of interest
in most photographs. Notice we said
THE center of interest. Remember,
have only one center of interest to a
picturekeep it simple. The principle
of dynamic symmetry is a similar
idea. A good location for the center
of interest is found by drawing or
imagining a diagonal line from one
corner to an opposite corner. Then,
draw a second line perpendicular to
the first from a third corner (fig. 56).
The intersections of the lines are the
location for the center of interest
Source: http://photoinf.com/Gen
eral/NAVY/Photographic_composi
tion_Balance.htm
= Page 15 =
The Rule of Thirds
Perhaps the most well know prin
ciple of photographic composition is
the ‘Rule of Thirds’.
It’s one of the first things that bud
ding digital photographers learn
about in classes on photography and
rightly so as it is the basis for well
balanced and interesting shots.
I will say right up front however that
rules are meant to be broken and
ignoring this one doesn’t mean your
images are necessarily unbalanced or
uninteresting. However a wise person
once told me that if you intend to
break a rule you should always learn
it first to make sure your breaking of
it is all the more effective!
The basic principle behind the rule
of thirds is to imagine breaking an
image down into thirds (both hori
zontally and vertically) so that you
have 9 parts. As follows.
As you’re taking an image you would
have done this in your mind through
your viewfinder or in the LCD dis
play that you use to frame your shot.
With this grid in mind you the ‘rule’
now identifies four important parts
of the image that you should con
sider placing points of interest in as
you frame your image.
Not only this but it also gives you four
‘lines’ that are also useful positions for
elements in your photo.
The theory is that if you place points
of interest in the intersections or along
the lines that your photo becomes
more balanced and will enable a viewer
of the image to interact with it more
naturally. Studies have shown that
when viewing images that people’s eyes
usually go to one of the intersection
points most naturally rather than the
centre of the shot using the rule of
thirds works with this natural way of
viewing an image rather than working
against it.
In addition to the above picture of
the bee where the bee’s eye becomes
the point of focus here are some of
examples:
In this image I’ve purposely placed the
head of my subject on
one of the intersect
ing points especially
his eyes which are a
natural point of focus
for a portrait. His tie
and flower also take
up a secondary point
of interest.
Rules are
meant to be
broken and
ignoring this
one doesn’t
mean your im
ages are
necessarily
unbalanced or
uninteresting.
= Page 16 =
The Rule of Thirds
In this shot I’ve placed the subject along a whole
line which means she is considerably off centre and
therefore creating an additional point of interest.
Placing her right in the centre of the frame could
have resulted in an ‘awkward’ shot.
In a similar way a good technique for landscape
shots is to position horizons along one of the hori
zontal lines also as I’ve done with the following shot (I’ll let you imagine
the lines).
Using the Rule of Thirds comes
naturally to some photographers
but for many of us takes a little
time and practice for it to become
second nature.
In learning how to use the rule
(and then to break it) the most
important questions to be asking
of yourself are:
What are the points of interest in this shot?
Where am I intentionally placing them?
Once again remember that breaking the rule can result in some striking
shots so once you’ve learnt it experiment with purposely breaking it to
see what you discover.
Lastly keep the rule of thirds in mind as you edit your photos later on.
Post production editing tools today have good tools for cropping and re
framing images so that they fit within the rules. Experiment with some of
your old shots to see what impact it might have on your photos.
Source: http://digitalphotographyschool.com/blog/ruleofthirds/
= Page 17 =
Photographic Composition: Simplicity
Simplicity is the key to most good pictures. The simpler and more direct
a picture is, the clearer and stronger is the resulting statement. There are
several things to be considered when we discuss simplicity. First, select
a subject that lends itself to a simple arrangement; for example, instead
of photographing an entire area that would confuse the viewer, frame
in on some important element within the area. Second, select different
viewpoints or camera angles. Move around the scene or object being
photographed. View the scene through the camera viewfinder. Look at the
foreground and background. Try high and low angles as well as normal
eyelevel viewpoints. Evaluate each view and angle. Only after considering
all possibilities should you take the picture. See beyond and in front of
your subject. Be sure there is nothing in the background to distract the
viewer’s attention from the main point of the picture. Likewise, check to
see there is nothing objectional in the foreground to block the entrance of
the human eye into the picture.
A last point of simplicitytell only one story. Ensure there is only enough
material in the picture to convey one single idea. Although each picture
is composed of numerous small parts and contributing elements, none
should attract more of the viewer’s attention than the primary object of
the picture. The primary object is the reason the picture is being made in
the first place; therefore, all other elements should merely support and
emphasize the main object. Do not allow the scene to be cluttered with
confusing elements and lines that detract from the primary point of the
picture. Select a viewpoint that eliminates distractions so the principal
subject is readily recognized. When numerous lines or shapes are compet
ing for interest with the subject, it is difficult to recognize the primary
object or determine why the picture was made.
The simpler and
more direct a
picture is, the
clearer and
stronger is the
resulting
statement.
= Page 18 =
Photographic Composition: Viewpoint
The proper viewpoint or
camera angle is an important
factor in good composition.
Repositioning your subject
within the viewfinder frame
and changing the camera
viewpoint or camera angle are
two simple ways of controlling
composition.
Photographing from a differ
ent viewpoint or camera angle
can often add drama and
excitement or even bring out
an unusual aspect of a subject.
Most of the subjects you pho
tograph are threedimensional
and should be photographed
from an angle (to the right or
left of and/or from higher or
lower than the subject) that
allows the viewer to see more
than one side of the subject.
The photographer should
study the subject from differ
ent sides and angles. Walk
around the subject and look
at it from all viewpoints. See it
from elevated and low posi
tions as well as from eye level
to find the best composition.
This greatly assists in compos
ing the subject for the best
balance and helps to select a
background that compliments,
not distracts from the subject.
The terms viewpoint and camera angle are often used in conjunction with
one another and sometimes used interchangeably. They can also have
different meanings depending on how they are applied. Viewpoint” is the
camera position in relationship to the subject. “Camera angle” is the angle
in which the camera lens is tilted; for example, a picture of sailors march
ing, made from ground level with the camera held horizontal with refer
ence to the ground, may be referred to as a “low viewpoint” (or camera
position); however, when this picture is made, again from ground level,
but with the camera pointed up, it may be referred to as a “low camera
angle.” Likewise, a picture made from an elevated or high position, with
= Page 19 =
the camera again held horizontal with reference to the ground, or even
pointed straight down, can be referred to as a “high viewpoint”; however,
if the camera is not held horizontal to the ground or pointed straight
down, but pointed at some angle between horizontal and vertical, the
camera position could be referred to as a “high camera angle.”
EyeLevel Shots
With the camera held horizontal, eyelevel shots are usually made at a
height of about 5 1/2 feet, the height from which the average adult sees,
and with the camera horizontal. With the camera held at eye level but
pointed up or down, the camera position changes and you have either a
low or high camera angle, respectively.
Low Viewpoint and Low Camera Angle
Low viewpoints and low camera angles can add emphasis and interest to
many ordinary photographs. A low viewpoint can be used to distort scale
or add strength to a picture or to emphasize certain elements within the
picture. A low camera angle is achieved when the camera angle is located
below the point of primary interest and pointed upward. Low angles tend
to lend strength and dominance to a subject and dramatize the subject.
Low angle shots are used when dramatic impact is desired. This type of
shot is very useful for separating the subject from the background, for
eliminating unwanted foreground and background, and for creating the
illusion of greater size and speed (fig. 57).
High Viewpoint and High Camera Angle
High viewpoints and high camera angles help orient the viewer, because
they show relationships among all elements within the picture area and
produce a psychological effect by minimizing the apparent strength or size
of the subject (fig. 58).
Low viewpoints
and low camera
angles can add
emphasis and
interest to many
ordinary
photographs.
Photographic Composition: Viewpoint
= Page 20 =
Photographic Composition: Balance
Balance in photographic composition is a matter of
making pictures look harmonious. Each element in
a picture has a certain amount of value in respect to
all the other elements. Every tone, mass, shape, tree,
rock figure, building, line, or shadow contributes
a certain amount of weight that must be arranged
correctly in the composition to give the impression
of balance. The subject placement within the picture
area is the factor that must be carefully considered.
Composition is kept in balance by two different
methods: symmetrical, or formal, balance and asym
metrical, or informal, balance.
Symmetrical, or Formal, Balance
Symmetrical, or formal, balance in a photograph is
achieved when elements on both sides of the picture
are of equal weight (fig. 59A). The idea of formal
balance can be related to a seesaw, When there are
two equally weighted objects on the seesaw and they
are equidistant from the pivot point, or fulcrum, the
board will be in balance.
Pictures with formal balance may look static and un
exciting; however, they do present an air of dignity.
Formal balance does not always mean a picture has
to the seesaw in perspective. The forces or weights
are be symmetrical. Symmetrical pictures, in which
both presumed to be approximately equal; but, the
imaginary sides are exactly the same, are produced
only when you pivot point is set deep into the pic
ture space.
= Page 21 =
A variation of symmetrical balane is asymmetrical, or informal, balance and it is usually much
more interesting than symmetrical balance. In asymmetrical balance the imaginary central pivot
point is still presumed to be present; however, instead of mirror images on each side of the picture
area, the subject elements are notably different in size, shape, weight, tone, and placement. Bal
ance is established by equalizing the element forces in spite of their differences.
Asymmetrical balance is introduced when the presumed weight of two or more
lighter objects is equalized by a single heavier object placed on the other side
of the imaginary pivot point (fig. 510). Asymmetrical balance is more difficult
to achieve than symmetrical balance, because of the problem of establishing
relative weight values for dissimilar elements within the picture area as well as
presenting some form of stability
Aspects of Balance
There are
many other
factors to
consider
in order
to make
pictures
appear
balanced.
Some of
these are as
follows:
An object
far from the center of the picture seems to have more weight than one near the
center.
Objects in the upperpart of a picture seem heavier than objects of the same size
in the lower part of a picture.
Isolation seems to increase the weight of an object.
Intensely interesting objects seem to have more compositional weight.
Regular shapes seem to have more weight than irregular shapes.
Elements on the right side of an asymmetrical picture appear to have more
weight than elements of the same size on the left side of the picture.
The directions in which figures, lines, and shapes appear to be moving within
the picture area are important to balance; for example, a person may be walking
in a direction, or his eyes may be looking in a direction, or the shape of some
element creates a feeling of movement. When the feeling of direction is present
within a scene, it tends to upset the balance if judged on the size of the subject alone.
Understanding the factors required to create pictorial balance is essential for you to produce good
pictures. To gain this understanding, you can continually test your feelings for balance as you look
through your camera viewfinder. Once you gain an understanding of the principles of pictorial
balance, achieving balance in your photographs becomes an easy process.
Source: http://photoinf.com/General/NAVY/Photographic_composition_Balance.htm
Photographic Composition: Informal Balance
Asymmetrical,
or informal,
balance is
usually much
more
interesting
than
symmetrical
balance.
= Page 22 =
Photographic Composition: Contrast
Contrast in photographic composition is an effective means of directing the
viewer’s attention to the center of interest. Positioning of subject elements to
create contrast gives them added emphasis and directs the viewer’s attention.
When we speak of contrast as it relates to composition, we are referring to
both tonal contrast, as in blackandwhite photography, and color contrast as
it relates to color photography. In blackandwhite photography, contrast is the
difference in subject tones from whitetograytoblack or from the lightest tone
to the darkest tone. In color photography different colors create contrast.
Tonal Contrast
In blackandwhite photography, contrast is considered either high, normal, or
low. A highcontrast scene or photograph consists primarily of white and black
with few or no middle gray tones. A black sailor in a white uniform against
a light background is an example of a highcontrast (contrasty) scene. Most
scenes you photograph have normal contrast. There will probably be elements
within the scene that are very light or white, some that are very dark or black,
and many tones or colors that reproduce as various tones of gray.
A lowcontrast (flat) scene has colors or tones in which highlights and shadows
have very little difference in densities. In other words, all colors or tones within
the scene are very similar in appearance. A white sailor in a white uniform
against a light background is an example of a scene with low contrast.
In blackandwhite photography, high contrast conveys a sense of hardness and
is characteristic of strength and power. Low contrast conveys a sense of softness
and is characteristic of gentleness and mildness.
Color Contrast
Color contrast is an effective compositional element in color photography, just
as tone is in blackandwhite photography. Colors with opposite characteristics
contrast strongly when placed together. Each color accentuates the qualities of
the other and makes the color images stand out dramatically. Color contrast is
enhanced when you create the contrast of detail against mass. An example is
a single, bright, red flower in a clear, glass vase photographed against a bright,
green background.
Cold colors (bluish) and warm colors (reddish) almost always contrast. Cold
colors recede, while warm colors advance. Light colors contrast against dark
ones, and a bold color offsets a weak color.
A highcontrast
scene or
photograph
consists
primarily of
white and black
with few or no
middle gray
tones
= Page 23 =
LOW AND HIGHKEY SCENES
.–When a scene contains mostly dark tones or colors, it is low key
(fig. 517). When the scene contains mostly light tones, it is high
key (fig. 518). Lowkey and highkey pictures convey mood and
atmosphere. Low key often suggests seriousness and mystery and
is often used in horror pictures, such as a darkgranite castle in a
thunderstorm. High key creates a feeling of delicacy and lightness.
A photograph of a fairskinned, blondhaired mother dressed in a
white gown against a light background nursing her baby is a good
subject for a highkey picture.
FRAMING
Framing is another technique photographers use to direct the view
er’s attention to the primary subject of a picture. Positioned around
the subject, a tree, an archway, or even people, for example, can create
a frame within the picture area. Subjects enclosed by a frame become
separated from the rest of the picture and are emphasized. Looking
across a broad expanse of land or water at some object can make a
rather dull uninteresting view. Moving back a few feet and framing
the object between trees improves the composition.
An element used as a frame should not draw attention to itself.
Ideally, the frame should relate to the theme of the picture; for
example, a line of aircraft parked on the flight line framed by the
wing and prop of another aircraft.
Not only is framing an effective means of directing the viewer’s at
tention, it can also be used to obscure undesirable foregrounds and
backgrounds. The illusion of depth can be created in a picture by the
effective use of framing (fig. 519).
Low and High Key Scenes
Highkey color pictures contain large
areas of light desaturated colors (pastels)
with very few middle colors or shadows.
Intentionally overexposing color film
(exposing for the shadows) helps to cre
ate a highkey effect.
A lowkey effect is created when the
scene is dominated by shadows and
weak lighting. Lowkey pictures tend
to have large areas of shadow, few
highlights, and degraded colors. Natu
rally dark subjects are best for lowkey
pictures. Lowkey color pictures can be
induced by exposing color film for the
highlights.
= Page 24 =
FOREGROUND
A large percentage of otherwise good pictures is ruined, because they include unnecessary or distracting fore
ground. This common fault can result from the photographer standing too far away from their subject when they
take a picture, or the fact that normal focal length or standard lenses cover a relatively wide angle of view.
Undesirable foreground can be eliminated by moving in closer to the subject, by making pictures with a longer
than standard focallength lens, or by changing viewpoint or camera angle. Many already existing pictures can be
improved by enlarging only a section of the negative and by cropping out meaningless or distracting foreground.
In most cases, the foreground should be sharply focused and of
sufficient depth to furnish substantial support for the subject. No
object in the foreground should ever be so prominent that it dis
tracts from the subject. You should clear the foreground of items
that have no connection with the picture. The ultimate example
of carelessness on the part of the photographer is to leave his
or her camera case where it shows in the picture. Generally, the
foreground contains the leading line that is the line that leads the
eye into the photograph and toward the point of interest. Whether
this line is an object or series of objects or shadows, it should be
sharply focused. A fuzzy, outoffocus foreground usually irritates
the senses and detracts from emphasis on the subject matter.
BACKGROUND
The background is almost as important an element in good composition as the camera angle. Too often it is
overlooked when composing a scene since the photographer normally gives so much attention to the subject. Be
particularly observant of the background to see that it contains nothing distracting. A tree or pole that was unno
ticed in the distance behind a person when composing the scene may appear in the photograph to be growing out
of his or her collar or supporting his or her head.
The background should be subordinate to the main subject in both tone and interest. It should also make the sub
ject stand out and present it to best advantage. Unsharpness and blur are effective ways for separating the subject
from the background. Unsharpness can be accomplished by using a relatively large f/stop to render the back
ground out of focus. In the case of subjects in motion, the subject can be pictured sharply and the background
blurred by panning the subject (fig. 520). Occasionally, you may want to reverse these effects and record the
subject unsharp or blurred and the background sharp. This is done to create the impression of the subject being
closer to the viewer or to express motion by holding the camera still as you use a shutter speed that is too slow to
“stop” the motion.
Source: http://photoinf.com/General/NAVY/Contrast_and_Framing.htm
Foreground and Background
= Page 25 =
What Can Photoshop Really Do?
= Page 26 =
History of Photography Timeline
by Philip Greenspun; revised January 2007
ancient times: Camera obscuras used to form images on walls in darkened
rooms; image formation via a pinhole
16th century: Brightness and clarity of camera obscuras improved by en
larging the hole inserting a telescope lens
17th century: Camera obscuras in frequent use by artists and made por
table in the form of sedan chairs
1727: Professor J. Schulze mixes chalk, nitric acid, and silver in a flask;
notices darkening on side of flask exposed to sunlight. Accidental creation
of the first photosensitive compound.
1800: Thomas Wedgwood makes “sun pictures” by placing opaque objects
on leather treated with silver nitrate; resulting images deteriorated rapidly,
however, if displayed under light stronger than from candles.
1816: Nicéphore Niépce combines the camera obscura with photosensitive
paper
1826: Niépce creates a permanent image
1834: Henry Fox Talbot creates permanent (negative) images using paper
soaked in silver chloride and fixed with a salt solution. Talbot created posi
tive images by contact printing onto another sheet of paper.
1837: Louis Daguerre creates images on silverplated copper, coated with
silver iodide and “developed” with warmed mercury; Daguerre is awarded
a state pension by the French government in exchange for publication of
methods and the rights by other French citizens to use the Daguerreotype
process.
1841: Talbot patents his process under the name “calotype”.
1851: Frederick Scott Archer, a sculptor in London, improves photo
graphic resolution by spreading a mixture of collodion (nitrated cotton
dissolved in ether and alcoohol) and chemicals on sheets of glass. Wet
plate collodion photography was much cheaper than daguerreotypes, the
negative/positive process permitted unlimited reproductions, and the
process was published but not patented.
1853: Nada (Felix Toumachon) opens his portrait studio in Paris
1854: Adolphe Disderi develops cartedevisite photography in Paris, lead
ing to worldwide boom in portrait studios for the next decade
1855: Beginning of stereoscopic era
185557: Direct positive images on glass (ambrotypes) and metal (tintypes
or ferrotypes) popular in the US.
1861: Scottish physicist James ClerkMaxwell demonstrates a color pho
tography system involving three black and white photographs, each taken
through a red, green, or blue filter. The photos were turned into lantern
slides and projected in registration with the same color filters. This is the
“color separation” method.
186165: Mathew Brady and staff (mostly staff) covers the American Civil
War, exposing 7000 negatives
1868: Ducas de Hauron publishes a book proposing a variety of methods
for color photography.
17th century:
Camera
obscuras in
frequent use by
artists and made
portable in the
form of sedan
chairs
= Page 27 =
1870: Center of period in which the US Congress sent photographers out
to the West. The most famous images were taken by William Jackson and
Tim O’Sullivan.
1871: Richard Leach Maddox, an English doctor, proposes the use of an
emulsion of gelatin and silver bromide on a glass plate, the “dry plate”
process.
1877: Eadweard Muybridge, born in England as Edward Muggridge, settles
“do a horse’s four hooves ever leave the ground at once” bet among rich
San Franciscans by timesequenced photography of Leland Stanford’s
horse.
1878: Dry plates being manufactured commercially.
1880: George Eastman, age 24, sets up Eastman Dry Plate Company in
Rochester, New York. First halftone photograph appears in a daily news
paper, the New York Graphic.
1888: First Kodak camera, containing a 20foot roll of paper, enough for
100 2.5inch diameter circular pictures.
1889: Improved Kodak camera with roll of film instead of paper
1890: Jacob Riis publishes How the Other Half Lives, images of tenament
life in New york City
1900: Kodak Brownie box rollfilm camera introduced.
1902: Alfred Stieglitz organizes “Photo Secessionist” show in New York
City 1906: Availability of panchromatic black and white film and there
fore high quality color separation color photography. J.P. Morgan finances
Edward Curtis to document the traditional culture of the North Ameri
can Indian.
1907: First commercial color film, the Autochrome plates, manufactured
by Lumiere brothers in France
1909: Lewis Hine hired by US National Child Labor Committee to photo
graph children working mills.
1914: Oscar Barnack, employed by German microscope manufacturer
Leitz, develops camera using the modern 24x36mm frame and sprocketed
35mm movie film.
1917: Nippon Kogaku K.K., which will eventually become Nikon, estab
lished in Tokyo.
1921: Man Ray begins making photograms (“rayographs”) by placing
objects on photographic paper and exposing the shadow cast by a distant
light bulb; Eugegrave;ne Atget, aged 64, assigned to photograph the broth
els of Paris
1924: Leitz markets a derivative of Barnack’s camera commercially as the
“Leica”, the first high quality 35mm camera.
1925: André Kertész moves from his native Hungary to Paris, where he
begins an 11year project photographing street life
1928: Albert RengerPatzsch publishes The World is Beautiful, closeups
emphasizing the form of natural and manmade objects; Rollei introduces
the Rolleiflex twinlens reflex producing a 6x6 cm image on rollfilm.; Karl
Blossfeldt publishes Art Forms in Nature
1931: Development of strobe photography by Harold (“Doc”) Edgerton at
MIT
History of Photography Timeline
1907: First
commercial color
film, the
Autochrome
plates,
manufactured by
Lumiere brothers
in France
= Page 28 =
1932: Inception of Technicolor for movies, where three black and white
negatives were made in the same camera under different filters; Ansel
Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Willard Van Dyke, Edward Weston, et al,
form Group f/64 dedicated to “straight photographic thought and pro
duction”.; Henri CartierBresson buys a Leica and begins a 60year career
photographing people; On March 14, George Eastman, aged 77, writes
suicide note”My work is done. Why wait?”and shoots himself.
1933: Brassaï publishes Paris de nuit
1934: Fuji Photo Film founded. By 1938, Fuji is making cameras and
lenses in addition to film.
1935: Farm Security Administration hires Roy Stryker to run a historical
section. Stryker would hire Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, Arthur Roth
stein, et al. to photograph rural hardships over the next six years. Roman
Vishniac begins his project of the soontobekilledbytheirneighbors Jews
of Central and Eastern Europe.
1936: Development of Kodachrome, the first color multilayered color
film; development of Exakta, pioneering 35mm singlelens reflex (SLR)
camera
World War II:
Development of multilayer color negative films
Margaret BourkeWhite, Robert Capa, Carl Mydans, and W. Eugene
Smith cover the war for LIFE magazine
1947: Henri CartierBresson, Robert Capa, and David Seymour start the
photographerowned Magnum picture agency
1948: Hasselblad in Sweden offers its first mediumformat SLR for com
mercial sale; Pentax in Japan introduces the automatic diaphragm; Pola
roid sells instant black and white film
1949: East German Zeiss develops the Contax S, first SLR with an unre
versed image in a pentaprism viewfinder
1955: Edward Steichen curates Family of Man exhibit at New York’s Mu
seum of Modern Art
1959: Nikon F introduced.
1960: Garry Winogrand begins photographing women on the streets of
New York City.
1963: First color instant film developed by Polaroid; Instamatic released
by Kodak; first purposebuilt underwater introduced, the Nikonos
1970: William Wegman begins photographing his Weimaraner, Man Ray.
1972: 110format cameras introduced by Kodak with a 13x17mm frame
1973: C41 color negative process introduced, replacing C22
1975: Nicholas Nixon takes his first annual photograph of his wife and
her sisters: “The Brown Sisters”; Steve Sasson at Kodak builds the first
working CCDbased digital still camera
1976: First solo show of color photographs at the Museum of Modern Art,
William Eggleston’s Guide
1977: Cindy Sherman begins work on Untitled Film Stills, completed in
1980; Jan Groover begins exploring kitchen utensils
1978: Hiroshi Sugimoto begins work on seascapes.
1980: Elsa Dorfman begins making portraits with the 20x24” Polaroid.
History of Photography Timeline
1936:
Development of
Kodachrome, the
first color
multilayered color
film; development
of Exakta,
pioneering 35mm
singlelens reflex
(SLR) camera
= Page 29 =
1982: Sony demonstrates Mavica “still video” camera
1983: Kodak introduces disk camera, using an 8x11mm frame (the same as in the
Minox spy camera)
1985: Minolta markets the world’s first autofocus SLR system (called “Maxxum”
in the US); In the American West by Richard Avedon
1988: Sally Mann begins publishing nude photos of her children
1987: The popular Canon EOS system introduced, with new allelectronic lens
mount
1990: Adobe Photoshop 1.0 released.
1991: Kodak DCS100, first digital SLR, a modified Nikon F3
1992: Kodak introduces PhotoCD
1993: Founding of photo.net (this Web site), an early Internet online community;
Sebastiao Salgado publishes Workers; Mary Ellen Mark publishes book docu
menting life in an Indian circus.
1995: Material World, by Peter Menzel published.
1997: Rob Silvers publishes Photomosaics
1999: Nikon D1 SLR, 2.74 megapixel for $6000, first groundup DSLR design by
a leading manufacturer.
2000: Camera phone introduced in Japan by Sharp/JPhone
2001: Polaroid goes bankrupt
2003: FourThirds standard for compact digital SLRs introduced with the Olym
pus E1; Canon Digital Rebel introduced for less than $1000
2004: Kodak ceases production of film cameras
2005: Canon EOS 5D, first consumerpriced fullframe digital SLR, with a
24x36mm CMOS sensor for $3000; Portraits by Rineke Dijkstra
2007: Adobe Photoshop CS3 (version 10) released.
Source: http://photo.net/history/timeline
Single Lens Reflex (SLR) cameras, color film, and Photoshop are all relatively new
on the scene in the overall history of photography, In face, we have only had color
film and SLR cameras for 71 years. For 17 of those years, fully 23 % of that time,
we have had Photoshop.
On June 30, 2006, Eastman Kodak announced the closure of the Lausanne
Kodachrome lab, the world’s only remaining lab open for Kodachrome processing
owned by Eastman Kodak itself. Since September 30, 2006, only Dwayne’s Photo
in Kansas remains as the sole processing lab in the world, after Horiuchi Color in
Tokyo shut down their KLab and EK ceased to pack K14 chemistry in the “bag
inbox” required by that minilabstyle processor. Although Kodachrome 40 Super
8 processing by Dwayne’s is not authorized by Kodak (something amiss with the
machine, Kodak says) the processing of the slide films by Dwayne’s has Kodak’s
full blessing. Since October 2006, all Kodachrome processing for Europe and
North America has been consolidated to Dwayne’s.
History of Photography Timeline
1990: Adobe
Photoshop 1.0
released.
2007: Adobe
Photoshop CS3
(version 10)
released.
= Page 30 =
Purchasing Photoshop on an Academic Discount
Academic Superstore
(http://www.academicsuperstore.com)
CCV Software (http://ccvsoftware.com/)
Campus Tech (http://www.campustech.com/)
Gradware (http://www.gradware.com/)
Journey Ed (http://journeyed.com)
= Page 31 =
Types of Graphics and Types of Files
EPS file extension Adobe Illustrator
text and graphics (Encapsulated Post
Script). Adobe® Illustrator® allows
you to create sophisticated artwork
for virtually any medium. Industry
standard drawing tools, flexible color
controls, and professional type controls
help you capture your ideas and experi
ment freely, while timesaving features
such as easiertoaccess options let you
work quickly and intuitively. Improved
performance and tight integration with
other Adobe applications also help
you produce extraordinary graphics for
print, web and interactive, and mobile
and motion designs.
PSB file extension Photoshop’s Large
Document Format
Photoshop’s new PSB file format for
large and oversized images. The JPEG
2000 file format.
In versions of Photoshop prior to
Photoshop CS, the maximum im
age size was 30,000 pixels by 30,000
pixels. That limit still holds for the
Photoshop (PSD) file format. However,
you can now work with images much
larger than that. The new maximum
pixel dimensions are 300,000x300,000
pixels. Files over 30,000 pixels in either
dimension can be saved as TIFF (up
to 4GB, the maximum size the TIFF
standard supports) or Photoshop Raw
(not to be confused with Camera Raw).
There is also the option of using the
new PSB file format effectively a large
image version of the Photoshop PSD
format. You activate the PSB file format
capability in the File Handling pane
of the Photoshop Preferences dialog
box by checking the box Enable Large
Document Format (.psb).
If you have a very large image that you
need to use with a program other than
Photoshop, use TIFF. TIFF supports
the maximum image dimensions al
lowed by Photoshop and file sizes as
large as 4GB.
Photoshop will remind you that the
PSB file format is compatible only
with Photoshop CS. Other programs
and earlier versions of Photoshop will
not recognize the format.
Any file can be saved in the PSB
format, but it won’t be readable in any
program other than Photoshop CS.
Notes:
Remember that Photoshop’s Large
Document Format (PSB) is not avail
able until you enable the feature in
the File Handling pane of Photoshop’s
Preferences dialog box.
PSD file extension Adobe Photoshop
graphics
Adobe® Photoshop® is the profes
sional imageediting standard and
leader of the Photoshop digital imag
ing line, delivers more of what you
crave. Groundbreaking creative tools
help you achieve extraordinary results.
Unprecedented adaptability lets you
customfit Photoshop to the way you
work. And with more efficient editing,
processing, and file handling, there’s
no slowing you down.
GIF file extension Graphics inter
change file format
JPEG file extension JPEG image,
picture file format. Mac File Type.
JPG file extension JPEG image file
JPEG image file format is mostly used
for bitmap images (photos, pictures
etc.). Loss JPEG compression signifi
cantly reduces image file size
and high compression level
also quality of image. JPEG
is the best image format for
photos and pictures with high
number of colors for use on
the internet or email.
PDF file extension Portable
document format: Adobe
Acrobat File
Portable Document Format
(PDF) is a file format propri
etary to Adobe Systems for
representing twodimensional
documents in a device in
dependent and resolution
independent fixedlayout
document format. Each PDF
file encapsulates a complete
description of a 2D docu
ment (and, with the advent of
Acrobat 3D, embedded 3D
documents) that includes the
text, fonts, images, and 2D
vector graphics that compose
the document. PDF files do
not encode information that
is specific to the application
software, hardware, or oper
ating system used to create
or view the document. This
feature ensures that a valid
PDF will render exactly the
same regardless of its origin
or destination (but depending
on font availability).
= Page 32 =
Understanding Pixels and Megapixels
A pixel is a combination of two words: picture element, the basic building block
of images, the lowest common denominator of an image displayed on a computer
screen or printed on a PC printer. A pixel is a dot of light or a dot of ink.
Counting Pixels
If you look at an image under a microscope you would see that images displayed
on monitors or printed on paper share one common attribute: they are made
up of pixels. On monitors they are pixels of light and ink makes up the pixels on
a printed page. More pixel data generally means that the image will be a higher
quality image which is where all the talk about mega pixels on digital cameras
comes in.
What is a Pixel?
All 3 pictures above are the same. The only thing different about them, is the
number of pixels used to describe each picture.
A digital image is made up of many pixels. Each pixel has a color. When the pixels
are arranged next to each other, the resulting image looks like something.
In the 5 x 5 pixel example above, you can actually see and count the pixels. But in
the 100 x 100 pixel image, you cannot see or count them. They are too small and
tightly arranged, but the resulting image looks nice.
Suffice it to say: MORE Pixels = Better Image Quality.
= Page 33 =
Understanding Pixels and Megapixels
So, What is a Pixel?
A pixel is really nothing more than a piece of information. A pixel describes
where it is located in the grid and what color it is.
Pixels, in a digital image, do not have a “Height” or “Width” that can be mea
sured with a ruler. This is because they are pieces of information, rather than a
physical thing that can be measured.
Once the picture is assembled on your Monitor or assembled for Printing, ONLY
then can you measure it with a ruler.
Some software programs elect to describe your picture in Inches or Centimeters,
rather than in Pixels. We feel that this is a diservice to the user because pixels can
not be measured.
When a digital image is described in inches, it is being calculated, based on the
Monitors Resolution. Or on the Printers Resolution. (Both of which are different
and nonrelated, thus causing a lot of confusion)
Most monitors are set at 96 dpi (dots per inch) If a digital image is 960 pixels
wide, then that digital image would be reported as being 10 inches wide. (960
divide by 96 = 10)
The same image, displayed on a monitor that is set at 72 dpi, would report that
image as being 13.3 inches wide.
Most printers print at 300 dpi (even when they say 1440 dpi, which is another
discussion) In this example, a printer would consider this image to be: 3.2 inches
wide! (960 divided by 300 = 3.2)
Are you totally confused yet?
This confusion is the exact reason why Inches should not be used to describe
a digital image. Describing a digital image in inches makes no more sense then
describing a pound of sugar in inches.
The number of pixels never changes and is reliable. This is why PhotoELF only
works with Pixels, except when printing!
Just like all new hobbies, you have to get use to new jargon, terms and behaviors.
It is our opinion that those engaged in digital photography should learn to think
in Pixels, rather than in inches. Inches only make sense when you are ready to
print the picture.
The Rule of thumb when printing is: More Pixels = Better Print Quality.
You can print a 6 x 6 inch picture, using a 6 x 6 pixel image, but it will look very
bad.
= Page 34 =
Understanding Pixels and Megapixels
To print a 6 x 6 inch picture you really should have 1000 x 1000 pixels or
more.
Let’s say you bought a camera that produced pictures that were 6 x 6 pix
els. This camera would then be a 36 pixel camera! (6 x 6 = 36)
Let’s say your camera produces pictures that are: 1280 x 960 pixels
1280 x 960 = 1,228,800 pixels = 1.2288 MegaPixels
But the manufacturers round up and call it a 1.3 MegaPixel Camera.
The basic building block of the digital image is the humble pixel (picture
element). Pixels for digital imaging are square and positioned in rows
horizontally and vertically to form a grid or mosaic. Each pixel in the grid
is the same size and is uniform in color and brightness, i.e. the color does
not vary from one side of the pixel to the other. If we fully zoom in on
the pixels of a digital image, using imageediting software, we will see how
smooth flowing shapes can be convincingly constructed out of rectangular
building blocks (with not a curved pixel in sight). There are two processes
used to create the illusion of curved lines in our photographs. The first is
a process called antialiasing where some of the edge pixels adopt a transi
tional (inbetween) color to help create a smoother join between two dif
ferent adjacent colors or tones. This process helps camouflage the staircase
or ‘shark’s teeth’ that may become noticeable. The most convincing way
to render a smooth flowing line, however, is to simply display the pixels so
small that we cannot make them out to be square using the naked eye.
= Page 35 =
Colorado Mountain College Computer Labs
The Roaring Fork Campus combines the resources and course offerings of three
locations within the Roaring Fork Valley, at Glenwood Springs, Carbondale, and
halfway inbetween these locations at Spring Valley.
The Carbondale and Glenwood Springs centers are nonresidential facilities em
phasizing education of local residents.
The Lappala Center, in Carbondale is a 10,000 squarefoot facility offering a com
puter lab, a learning lab, aerobic dance space, studio art space, and meeting areas.
The Glenwood Center is a 35,000 squarefoot facility near downtown Glenwood
Springs. The Center includes a learning lab, dance and aerobic classroom, daycare
(minicollege), senior center, and multiple computer labs that include advanced
networking.
Spring Valley, located seven miles from Glenwood Springs, is a comprehensive
residential campus with a residence hall, dining services, gymnasium, climbing
wall, challenge course, student center, academic building, a working veterinary
farm and laboratories for computers, science, photography and graphic design.
Local residents are welcome to use the large library and learning resources center.
= Page 36 =
The Nine Suggestions
Q. What does Photoshop do well?
A. BitmapRaster image manipulation, and building layered compositions.In other words, Photoshop is great for doing things with pictures.
Q. What does Photoshop do not so well?
A. Vector graphic design, video, documents, organizing photos.
Layers are like transparent sheets of acetate.
The workspace is the control center for the tools, menus, palettes, and current images.
To use a tool, click on the tool in the toolbox, let up on the mouse, move the mouse over your image, click and drag your mouse to use the tool.
Menus and palettes change Photoshop settings.
Save one copy of your work with layers, usually in the PSD format.
Save a second flattened copy of your work, usually in jpg format, that is smaller, for the web, or for sharing with other people.
Approach your desire to learn Photoshop as you would approach weaving, gourmet cooking, wine, vintage car restoration, golf, or the love of your life. Learning Photoshop is a life long endeavor that will be filled with ups and downs which may lead you to one of the most rewarding passions of your life. Or the Photoshop box may sit in the closet next to your golf clubs.
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= Page 37 =
The Photoshop Workspace
The interlace of Photoshop is highly organized and presents the user with an effective interface offering maximum
control over the process of image editing. If all of the information and control relating to a single image were on
display there would be no room left on a standard monitor for the image itself. Most of the features of the editing
software therefore are hidden from view but can be quickly accessed once the user starts to understand how the
software is organized. The Photoshop interlace consists of the:
Menu, Toolbox, Options bar, Image window, Palettes
Adobe Photoshop is available for both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. The interface for each system is
very similar, with the
only differences being the
result of the underlying
operating system of each
computer. Once inside
the program items like
the menu structure and
palette design are exactly
the same irrespective of
the computer platform
you are working with.
In practical terms the
main difference between
the two systems is that
Windows and Macintosh
use different key stroke
combinations for short
cuts and most Macintosh
systems use a single but
ton mouse.
The Options bar
The ‘Options’ bar gives you access to the controls or specifications that affect the behavior of the tool selected.
The options available vary as different tools are selected.
The image window
The file name, magnification, color mode and document size are all indicated by the image window.
If the image is larger than the open window the scroll bars can control the section of the image that is visible.
The palettes
The palettes provide essential information and control over the image editing process. They can be arranged in
stacks and moved around the screen. Icons at the base of each palette provide access to frequently used commands
whilst additional options are available from the palette fly out menu. Doubleclicking the palette tabs or title bars
will collapse the palettes to save additional screen real estate. Pressing the ‘Tab’ key will temporarily hide the pal
ettes. If you want to open a palette that has been closed it can be launched from the ‘Window’ menu.
Note> Pressing the ‘Tab’ key will hide the palettes and toolbox from view. Pressing the Tab key again returns the
palettes and toolbox. Holding down the Shift key whilst pressing the Tab key will hide all the palettes but keep the
toolbox on the screen.
= Page 38 =
Toolbox Overview
Selection and Crop Tools:
Marquee (M)
Move Tool (V)
Lasso (L)
Quick Selection Tool (W) New in CS3
Magic Wand Tool (W)
Crop Tool (C)
Slice Tool (K)
Retouching and Paint Tools:
Healing Brush (J)
Patch Tool & Red Eye Tool (J)
Brush & Pencil Tool (B)
Color Replacement Tool (B)
Clone Stamp Tool (S)
History Brush Tool (Y)
Eraser Tool (E)
Gradient Tool (G)
Blur & Sharpen Tool (R)
Smudge (R)
Dodge & Burn Tool (O)
Sponge Tool (O)
Drawing and Type Tools:
Path Selection Tool (A)
Pen Tool (P)
Type Tool (T)
Type Mask Tool (T)
Shape Tool (U)
Annotation, Measure
and Navigation Tools:
Notes & Audio Annotation Tool(N)
Eyedropper & Color Sampler Tool
(I)
Measure Tool (I)
Count Tool (I) New in CS3
Hand Tool (H)
Zoom Tool (Z)
Color, QuickMask and
Screen Mode
Switch single column and 2 Col
umns Toolbox
Back ground & Fore Ground Color
Switch (X)
Toggle Quick Mask (Q)
Toggle Screen Mode (F)
How do you toggle between the single column toolbox and the double column toolbox?
Which tools do not have a triangle in the corner?
What does the triangle mean?
= Page 39 =
Opening Files in Photoshop
Doubleclicking an image on the desktop should automatically open the file into
imageediting software. If the file does not open into the imageediting software
you can launch it by going to the ‘File > Open’ menu in the software program.
If you prefer your Adobe software to handle all of your image files you should
select it as the default imageediting software in your system preferences. In OSX
click once to select a file that would normally be opened in software other than
Adobe, e.g. QuickTime. Then select ‘Get Info’ from the ‘File’ menu of the ‘Operat
ing System’ menu. Choose the Adobe software program in the ‘Open with’ sub
menu. Then select the ‘Change All’ button for all future documents of a similar
format and file type to be opened by Adobe automatically.
= Page 40 =
Creating a New Blank Document
1. Choose File > New (CtrlN/CmdN). The New dialog box opens.
2. Enter a name in the Name field.
3. Do either of the following:
To choose a preset size, choose from the Preset menu. * The presets are listed
in three categories: the Default Photoshop Size; paper sizes for commercial and
desktop printers; and screen sizes for Web, film, and video output. Next, choose a
specific size for that preset category from the Size menu.
To create a custom size, choose a unit of mea sure from the menu next to the
Width field; the same unit will be chosen automatically for the Height. Or hold
down Shift while choosing a unit to change the value for that dimension only.
Next, enter Width and Height values (or use the scrubby sliders).
4. Enter the Resolution required for your target output device—whether it’s an
imagesetter or the Web. You can use the scrubby slider here, too.
5. Choose a document Color Mode, then from the adjacent menu, choose 8 bit
or 16 bit as the color depth. You can also convert the image to a different color
mode later .
6. Note the Image Size listed in the lower right side of the dialog box. If you need
to reduce that storage size, you can choose smaller dimensions, a lower resolution,
or a lower bit depth.
7. For the Background of the image, choose Background Contents: White or
Background Color; or choose Transparent if you want the bottommost tier of the
document to be a layer.
8. Optional: When you click the Advanced arrow head, the Color Profile menu
becomes available. You can assign a color profile here, or you can do it later via
Edit > Assign Profile. The list of profiles will vary depending on which Color
Mode you’ve chosen. For Web or print output, leave the Pixel Aspect Ratio on
the default setting of Square Pixels; or for video output, choose one of the other
options. For more information about these options, see Photoshop Help.
9. Click OK. A new, blank document window will appear on screen.
To force the New dialog box settings to match those of another open document,
with the New dialog box open, from the bottom of the Preset menu, choose the
name of the document that has the desired dimensions.
If the current contents of the Clipboard originated from Photoshop or Illustrator,
the New dialog box will automatically display those dimensions. Choosing Clip
board from the Preset popup in the New dialog box accomplishes the same thing.
If you want to prevent the Clipboard dimensions from displaying, hold down
Alt/Option as you choose File > New; the lastused file dimensions will display
instead.
= Page 41 =
Managing Files in Adobe Bridge
Bridge — the new super browser
The Bridge feature, Adobe’s new super browser, replaces the standard file browser
option found in previous versions of Photoshop. Selecting File> Browse displays
Bridge and the fastest way to open a file from your picture library is to search for,
and select, the file from within bridge and then press Ctrl/Cmd + 0 or if Photo
shop is not the default program used for opening the file, select File
> Open With> Photoshop. Multiselected files in the browser can also be opened
in this way.
Bridge is a separate application to Photoshop (standalone), has its own memory
management system and can be opened and used to organize and manage your
photo files without needing to have Photoshop running at the same time.
Using Bridge
To locate files — Files can be located by selecting the folder in which they are
contained using either the Favorites or Folders panel or the Look In menu. Al
ternatively,
