Real Easy Technique for Better Sunsets

On a recent cruise, I took dozens of sunsets. Most of them were not what I was looking for. I either ended up with a blown out sun, or the picture was too dark for my liking.

Today, I received an email from Steve Arnold of Post Processing Mastery that should a very easy technique to tone down an over exposed sun. Although he explains how to do it using Photoshop, it is well in the capabilities of Photoshop Elements.

Below shows the results I obtained on one of my sunset images.

The Before is on the right, and the After is on the left. Some sunset images will respond better than others to this technique. And remember, you can tweak the result by adjusting the brush layer’s Opacity.

Here is the link to the video that explains the technique.

http://dons.creativetips.ppmastery.com/sunblur

Until next time.

 

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Removing Unwanted Objects in Your Photos Using Photoshop Elements 15

It has been far too long since I posted my last Photoshop Elements 15 tutorial. During the past month I have spent a lot of time traveling to softball diamonds and soccer fields to watch my two granddaughters compete in their respective sports. So before the next tournament comes up, I want to post at least one.

In this tutorial, I cover the Clone Stamp tool, the Healing Brush, and the Spot Healing Brush. The Clone Stamp has been around forever, and the healing brushes were added some time after that. More recent versions of Elements added Content Aware technology to the healing brushes. In many cases this technology can significantly improve the results. However, I have to admit there are times when I revert back to the traditional Clone Stamp Tool to complete the task.

As usual the written tutorial is provided in PDF format that is easy to download and print. The figure below shows the before image and the initial application of the Clone Stamp for the example used in the tutorial. Click on it to read or download the tutorial.

If you found this tutorial helpful, please star-rate it and share it on social media. Thanks for stopping by, and I’ll be back soon with another post.

Until next time…

Copying a Selection From One Image to Another Using Photoshop Elements 15

This is a topic that is always one that generates a lot of discussion and in various photo editing forums and Facebook groups. It continues to be a popular topic, not only because it is something that we all want to do some time, but because recent improvements in photo editing programs and new programs are beginning to employ AI-enhanced tools to make the selection. And it is the quality of the selection that will make or break the final result.

In this tutorial I will go through the steps to select the image in the first photo and then copy it to the second photo. I start with using the Quick Selection tool of PSE 15, and then fine-tune the selection with the Selection Brush tool. I do mention the Refine Edge tool, but I have chosen to leave a more detailed discussion of it for another time and dedicated tutorial.

Below are the two initial photos. I want to copy the little girl into the picture of the sky to make it appear she is standing on clouds. True, it is not very creative, but the steps are there waiting to be used for someone with more creativity and skill than I have. This process includes several steps, so the tutorial is longer than most of mine.

Here is the final result.

With a little more work, I could have faded her feet out a little to add to the realism of the effect, but hopefully you get the idea. But to reiterate, the better you make your selection, the better your result will be.

CLICK HERE to access the PDF tutorial file.

If you found this tutorial helpful, please star-rate it here and share it with your friends on social media. Also, do not hesitate to add your questions, alternate techniques, and tips, as well as your examples to the comments here.

Until next time…

Rescaling vs. Re-Sampling Photos and Why it Matters

The subject of resizing your photographs to make a high quality print or to share it online continues to be question that comes up in forums. Part of the confusion stems from the terminology itself. In this post/post, I will discuss the subject from the standpoint of scanning a negative or slide. First, Are a couple of comments about the terminology.

Resolution – Dots Per Inch

Resolution is generally referred to as either dots per inch (dpi) or pixels per inch (ppi). What can lead to confusion is that dpi is used to describe the resolution of a scanner. For example, a scanner that is capable of scanning 35 mm negatives may have a optical resolution of 3200 dpi or greater. The word optical here means there are no mathematics being used to artificially increase the resolution. For the best quality, you should scan at or below the optical resolution of the scanner.

Resolution – Pixels Per Inch

Referring to a scanned image, once you open the image in say, Photoshop Elements or Photoshop, the terminology changes. Now the same resolution is measured in and referred to pixels per inch (ppi). The resolution is the same as you scanned, the term just changes. For example, if a negative is scanned at 3200 dpi and then opened in PSE 15 using the Image > Resize > Image Size command, the dialog below is opened. The resolution of 3200 ppi is shown.

Print Resolution – Dots per Inch

When describing the resolution of an inkjet printer, dots per inch or dpi is again used. However, at this point in the process, the term takes on a whole new and more literal meaning. Now it is used to describe how many drops of ink are placed on the paper per inch. It is one of the prime, but not only parameter that is used to describe how well the printer can reproduce the image. And, this number has nothing to do with the resolution of the image file (in pixels per inch) that was sent to the printer.

This tutorial is an exercise that will not only give you a better understanding of rescaling an image versus re-sampling it, but will also demonstrate the loss of quality that is a bi-product of up-sampling an image, or adding to the number of pixels that were not in the image when it was scanned.

To view or download the tutorial, click on the image below. I suggest you actually follow along with the tutorial using one of your own images.

In this post and tutorial I have focused on resolution as it impacts the printing of your digital photographs. In a future post, I will cover the topic of how to properly size your photos for sharing them online.

If you found this tutorial to be helpful and would like to see other tutorials in the future, please give it a suitable star-rating and  share it with your friends.

Until next time..

 

Selectively Changing the Color in Photoshop Elements 15

There are many ways to change the color of a specific object in a photo in Photoshop Elements 15 and earlier versions. In this quick tutorial, I’ll use the Hue/Saturation command on an Adjustment Layer, and then its Layer Mask to apply the color to only the desired area. Even if you are not interested in changing the color of something in your image, going through the exercise is a good review of using an Adjustment Layer’s mask. And besides, since the steps are non-destructive, you do not change the image itself.

Here is what we started with.

After we changed the color of Lucy’s jersey.

Click on the link below to view and download the tutorial.

How to Change Color Selectively in Photoshop Elements 15

If you found this tutorial helpful and would like to see more, please click on the Like button and share it with friends.

Until next time…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saving an Edited Image in Photoshop Elements 15

This is a short tutorial on saving an image you edited in Photoshop Elements 15. It covers how to save it as a Version Set, so that the original is not altered. When you view it in PSE 15’s Organizer, the edited version is stacked with the original. By expanding the stack, you can see both images, and open either one once again in the Photo Editor to do additional editing.

Click on the figure below to view or download the tutorial.

If you found this quick review of saving edited in Photoshop Elements 15 helpful, please click on the Like button, or Share it on Facebook. Better yet, leave a comment. If thee is a particular PSE 15 tutorial you would like to see, let me know by leaving a comment.

Until next time…

Photoshop Elements 15 Shadows/Highlights Command

The Shadows/Highlights command, available in Photoshop Elements, is an easy way to eliminate shadows from faces caused by the subject wearing a brimmed hat and or being backlit. It is also an excellent tool for editing a high contrast scene, for example a sunset that casts the foreground into shadows. If you duplicate the background layer, you can maintain a non-destructive editing workflow, as shown in the tutorial.

CLICK HERE to view or download the PDF file for the tutorial. If you found this tutorial to be helpful please click on the Like button, share it, or better yet, leave a comment. Thanks so much.

Before

 

After