Understanding Adobe Photoshop CS4- P6 pot

You can copy all visible items to your clipboard as a single layer by then choosing Edit > Copy Merged or by pressing Shift+Command/Ctrl+C.Creating a Panorama By using layers, you can ta

• If you need a fl attened copy to paste into another document (or within your current document), use the Copy Merged com-mand Select an active, visible layer, and then choose Select > All You can copy all visible items to your clipboard as a single layer by then choosing Edit > Copy Merged or by pressing Shift+Command/Ctrl+C.

Creating a Panorama

By using layers, you can take several photos from one location and merge them together to create a large panoramic photo Many people take an assortment of photos of a subject while holding the camera, but it’s best to use a tripod It’s important to ensure that you have some overlap between each frame; that is to say, the adja-cent photos share some common subject matter—about 15 percent overlap is usually enough

Let’s try piecing together some photos using the Automation mand called Photomerge:

com-1 Choose File > Automate > Photomerge Photomerge is a specialized “mini- application” within Photoshop that assists in combining multiple images into a single photo

2 Click the Browse button and navigate to the Chapter 8 folder

Remember, fl attening is permanent

Be 100 percent positive before you

discard your layers permanently

Saving a fl attened copy is usually

a better idea You can also group

multiple layers into a Smart Object

by selecting the layers, and then

choosing Layer > Smart Object >

Convert to Smart Object You can

always edit the Smart Object and

extract the layered fi le.

TIP

Professional Panoramic

Photography

Pros know that it’s best to use a

tripod and slightly move the camera

to create overlap There are even

specialized tripod heads that you

can purchase from companies like

Kaidan (www.kaidan.com) and

Really Right Stuff (www.reallyright

stuff.com) that make leveling and

rotation much more precise

Creating a Panorama 139

4 There are several Layout options

avail-able that attempt to fi x problems caused by

panoramic photography (such as distortion)

A good place to start is Auto, which attempts

to align the images but will bend them as

needed

5 Select the check boxes next to Blend Images

Together and Vignette Removal These two

options will attempt to blend the edges of the

photos together and can hide subtle

differ-ences in exposure

6 Click OK to build the panoramic image

Photoshop attempts to assemble the

panora-ma based on your choices in the dialog box

Since layers are preserved, however, you can still tweak the

position of individual layers

7 Nudge any layers with the Move tool if your

alignment is off

8 The Layer Masks help to blend the photos

together They can be modifi ed as needed

using the techniques you learned in the

previous chapter

9 Choose Layer > Flatten Image

10 Crop the image to a clean rectangular shape

using the Crop tool (C)

Be sure to check out the fi le Ch08_Pano_

Complete.tif to see how the image was further

enhanced with adjustment layers

Auto-Aligning Layers

The technology that powers the Photomerge command can also be harnessed to stitch together nonpanoramic shots The Auto-Align Layers command is a useful way to stitch to-gether multiple shots or scans of a large object or

a group photo The command is very easy to use and produces impressive results

1 Choose File > Scripts > Load Files into Stack to combine two or more fi les into one document

2 In the Load Layers dialog box, click the Browse button to navigate to the fi les you need

3 Open the folder Ch08_Cyborg, select both images inside, and click Open

4 In the Load Layers dialog box select the check box next to Attempt to Automatically Align Source Images

5 Click OK Photoshop opens both images and aligns them, and does a good job (especially since the top layer was taken at such an angle) This alignment can be refi ned even further

6 Make sure both layers are selected in the Layers panel

7 Choose Edit > Auto Align Layers

VIDEO TRAINING

Creating Panoramas

27

Auto-Aligning Layers 141

8 Select the Auto option to enable both

Vignette Removal and Geometric Distortion

options for Lens Correction

9 Click OK Photoshop removes some of the

distortion in the glass case, giving it a more

rectangular shape

The layers can be seamlessly blended

togeth-er using the Auto-Blend Laytogeth-ers command

This applies Layer Masks as needed to each

layer to mask out exposure issues and create

a seamless composite

10 Choose Edit > Auto-Blend Layers, specify

the Panorama method, and click OK (be sure

the Seamless Tones and Colors check box is

also selected)

11 Crop the image as needed, adjust Levels,

and Flatten

Photoshop CS introduced Layer Comps, which allows Photoshop to

memo-rize combinations of layer visibility, opacity, and position This can be useful

for storing multiple designs inside one document When experimenting

with layouts, you’ll often use several options in one document You might

set the headline in three different typefaces and try the main photo in two

different positions Using Layer Comps allows you to set up different options

within one document (instead of having to save and keep track of several).

1 Open the fi le Ch08_Layer_Comps.psd.

2 Make sure the Layer Comps window is visible If not, choose

Windows > Layer Comps.

3 Click the forward triangle to Apply Next Selected Layer Comp

Click through and examine the different layer comps.

4 For Layer Comp 1, move the words around onscreen to a new position.

5 Click the Update layer comp icon at the bottom of the Layer Comps panel (it looks like two arrows in a circle),

6 Switch to Layer Comp 2 On the layer called This is, click the visibility icon next to the Layer Style Outer Glow

A black glow should be added.

7 Click the Create new layer comp icon (it looks like a pad of paper) on the bottom edge of the Layer Comps window Name it Comp 2 Alternate.

8 Save a copy of each layer comp to send to a client Choose File > Scripts > Layer Comps to PDF Photoshop creates a new PDF with all four layer comps in one document This is a convenient way to email a project to a client for review.

Layer Comps are a bit confusing at fi rst, but as you master what layers can do, you’ll turn to Layer Comps for fl ibility Be sure to check out the Adobe Help Center for more on Layer Comps.

ex-LAYER COMPS

VIDEO TRAINING

Layer Comps

28

Using Blending

Blending modes are both a mystery and a source

of great design power Each blending mode

controls how the pixels in one layer are affected

by those in another layer or by a tool from the

Tools panel Most users give up on them because

the technical defi nitions of blending modes get

very tricky The secret is to not worry too much

about the technical issues and to learn how to

experiment While you’ll explore the technology

and the creativity behind blending modes, there

are only a few basics that you must know to make

blending modes part of your design toolbox

About Blending Modes

There are 25 different blending options

avail-able from the Layers panel and a few additional

blending options that work with specifi c tools

How do they work? The simple answer is, it

de-pends Your response is likely, depends on what?

Simply put, the effect achieved by blending two

layers varies with the contents of those two

lay-ers A blending mode compares the content of

two layers and enacts changes based on the

con-tent of both layers You’ll fi nd blending modes

in many of the tools, and they can be combined

with every fi lter

The blending mode specifi ed in the Options bar controls how pixels are affected by a painting or editing tool Additionally, you can set the blend-ing mode of a layer to control how it interacts with those below it A clear understanding of the following terms will better help you understand blending modes:

• Base color: The original color in the image

• Blend color: The color being applied with

the painting or editing tool (or the color in the top layer)

• Result color: The color resulting from

the blend

List of Blending Modes

Here are the different blending modes available through the Layers panel I have attempted to give you a clear and simple defi nition as well as a sample of how these images blend

NOTE

Blending Mode Practice

For more practice with blending,

open the fi les Ch09_Blend Modes1.

psd and Ch09_Blend Modes2.psd in

the Chapter 9 folder, and experiment

with different modes and opacity

settings.

About Blending Modes 145

Dissolve

Creates a random replacement of the pixels with the base or blend color.

Color Burn

Evaluates each channel; darkens base by increas- ing contrast.

Lighten

Evaluates each channel; it then uses base or blend color (whichever

is lighter).

Linear Dodge (Add) Evaluates color information and brightens base by increas- ing brightness.

Soft Light

Effect is similar to shining a diffused spotlight on the image.

Linear Light

Burns or dodges

by decreasing or increasing the brightness.

Difference

Evaluates each channel and sub- tracts or inverts depending on brightness.

Saturation

Creates color with luminance and hue of base and saturation of blend.

Darken

Pixels lighter than blend are replaced; darker ones are not

Linear Burn

Evaluates each channel; darkens base by decreas- ing brightness.

Screen

Results in a lighter color It is useful for “knock- ing” black out of

a layer.

Lighter Color

Uses highest value from both layers to create resulting color.

Hard Light

Effect is similar to shining a harsh spotlight on the image

Color

Preserves gray levels It’s very useful for color- ing and tinting.

Multiply

Is similar to ing strokes on the image with magic markers.

draw-Darker Color

Uses the lowest value from both layers to create resulting color.

Color Dodge

Evaluates color information and brightens base

by decreasing contrast.

Overlay

Overlays existing pixels while pre- serving highlights and shadows of base.

Vivid Light

Burns or dodges

by increasing or decreasing the contrast.

Hard Mix

Enhances the contrast of the underlying layers.

Hue

Uses luminance and saturation of the base and the hue of the blend.

Luminosity

Is the inverse effect from the Color mode.

Open the fi le Ch09_Blended_Overlay.psd from the Chapter 9 folder on the CD to experiment with blending modes.

Blending Modes in Practice

So far you’ve looked at blending modes in a strictly technical sense While it’s useful to have a clear understanding of the tech-nology, don’t lose sight of the design possibilities Blending modes are a great way to mix layers together For a designer, this can be

a useful way to create backgrounds for speaker support (like erPoint presentations) or DVD menus Let’s dissect one of those backgrounds:

Pow-1 Open the fi le Ch09_Speaker_Support.psd from the Chapter

9 folder on the CD This eight-layer document uses blending modes to create a complex background

2 Turn off the visibility icons for all but the bottommost two layers

3 Select the Train layer It is currently set to the Overlay blending mode Changing its blend-ing mode will create a different look

4 A useful shortcut to cycle blending modes is Shift++(plus) This will step you forward in the blending mode list Pressing Shift+- (mi-nus) will step backward through the blending mode list If you have a tool selected that has its own mode settings (such as the Brush

or Gradient tool), the shortcut modifi es the blending mode of just the tool To quickly change the mode on a layer, select the Move tool (V) or Marquee tools (M) fi rst Ex-periment with different blending modes and opacity settings to try out different looks

5 Repeat your blending mode experimentation for the Light, Highlights, and Soft Focus layers Try out different modes and opacity settings

6 Select the Blue layer It is set to the Color blending mode, which applies its color to all layers below it This is a very useful way to tint multiple layers for a consistent look

Blending Modes in Action 147

Continue to experiment with different combinations of blending

modes and opacity settings This sample image provides just a

quick glimpse into the power and fl exibility of blending modes

Rule #1—Don’t try to memorize how each blending mode works:

The good news is that they are grouped by similar traits As you make

your way through the list, you will notice a gradual progression

through styles The fi rst group darkens your underlying image, whereas

the second lightens it The third set adds contrast, and the last two

generate dramatic results by comparing or mapping values Depending

on your sources, some blending modes will generate little or no results

Sound confusing? Keep reading

Rule #2—Experiment: The best way to use blending modes is to just

try them out Clicking through a long drop-down menu is boring A

much better alternative is to select the Move tool and then use the

Shift++ keyboard shortcut.

Rule # 3—Exploit them: Do you need a quick visual pop? Try blending

a blurred image on top of itself Do you need to tint an image? Place a

solid or gradient on top of the image and change to Hue or Color mode

Blending modes are available for every fi lter (choose Fade Filter from

the Edit menu) and all the Brush tools.

DESIGN “RULES” FOR BLENDING MODES

Blending Modes in Action

Now that you have a little practice with blending modes, it’s time

to explore their creative and production side in greater depth

Blending modes are part of a professional’s workfl ow The next

three sections showcase a few different ways to better integrate

blending modes for professional results

VIDEO TRAINING

Blending Modes

29

Instant Spice

One way to improve a washed out or fl at image is through ing modes By blending a blurred copy of an image on top of itself, you can quickly create a visual pop Let’s give it a try:

blend-1 Open the fi le Ch09_Spice.psd from the ter 9 folder

Chap-2 Select the Background layer in the Layers panel

3 Duplicate the Background layer by pressing Command/Ctrl+J

4 Signifi cantly blur the new layer by choosing Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur A value of 25 pixels should do the trick

5 Select the Move tool by pressing V

6 Cycle blending modes by pressing Shift++ Look for modes (such as Overlay or Soft Light) that increase saturation and add visual

“pop” to the image

7 If needed, adjust the opacity of the layer as sired You can quickly change opacity by typ-ing in the fi rst number of an opacity setting, such as 4 for 40% opacity You can type 25 to quickly switch to 25% opacity, for example, if

de-a more specifi c de-adjustment is required

Here’s a quick look at how different blending modes can be used to add instant spice to an image

Blending Modes in Action 149

Fixing a Shadowed Image

If an image is completely thrown into the shadows, you can turn

to blending modes to shed a little light In fact, this is a technique that is often used by law enforcement agencies to enhance security photos or footage

1 Open the fi le Ch09_Meter.tif from the ter 9 folder

Chap-2 Duplicate the Background layer by pressing Command/Ctrl+J

3 Set the top layer to Screen mode You can choose it from the pop-up menu in the Lay-ers panel or press the keyboard shortcut Shift+Option/Alt+S The image should ap-pear signifi cantly lighter

4 You can further lighten the image by placing another duplicate copy on top Press Com-mand/Ctrl+J as many times as needed Each will lighten the image further

Blending Modes in Action 151

Applying a Rubber Stamp

You can also use blending modes to make one image appear as if it

were applied to another If you add the Free Transform command,

you can make that stamp match the perspective of the photo Let’s

give it a try:

1 Open the fi les Ch09_Boxes.tif and Ch09_

Logo.psd from the Chapter 9 folder

2 Select the Logo.psd fi le so it is active

3 Choose Select > All and then Edit Copy to

add it to your clipboard

4 Switch back to the Boxes fi le and choose

Edit > Paste

5 Press Command/Ctrl+T to invoke the Free

Transform command To harness

addi-tional transformations, right-click/Ctrl-click

Choose Distort: This will allow you to corner

pin the logo and match its angle to that of the

box

6 You now need to scale the logo smaller

Right-click/Ctrl-click and choose Scale

Shrink the logo so it fi ts better on the side of

the box

7 Set the Logo layer to the Multiply blending

mode and lower its opacity to 85% This will

make the Logo layer appear to be stamped on

the crate

Table 9.1 provides the keyboard shortcuts to

make it easier for you to use blending modes

Table 9.1 Blending Shortcuts

Result Windows Windows Mac OS

Normal Shift+Option+N Shift+Alt+N Dissolve Shift+Option+I Shift+Alt+I Darken Shift+Option+K Shift+Alt+K Multiply Shift+Option+M Shift+Alt+M Color Burn Shift+Option+B Shift+Alt+B Linear Burn Shift+Option+A Shift+Alt+A Lighten Shift+Option+G Shift+Alt+G Screen Shift+Option+S Shift+Alt+S Color Dodge Shift+Option+D Shift+Alt+D Linear Dodge Shift+Option+W Shift+Alt+W Overlay Shift+Option+O Shift+Alt+O Soft Light Shift+Option+F Shift+Alt+F Hard Light Shift+Option+H Shift+Alt+H Vivid Light Shift+Option+V Shift + Alt+V Linear Light Shift+Option+J Shift + Alt+J Pin Light Shift+Option+Z Shift + Alt+Z Hard Mix Shift+Option+L Shift + Alt+L Difference Shift+Option+E Shift + Alt+E Exclusion Shift+Option+X Shift + Alt+X Hue Shift+Option+U Shift+Alt+U Saturation Shift+Option+T Shift+Alt+T Color Shift+Option+C Shift+Alt+C Luminosity Shift+Option+Y Shift+Alt+Y

NOTE

Not All Modes Have Shortcuts

The two newest modes (Darker

Color and Lighter Color) do NOT

have a shortcut key.

VIDEO

TRAINING

Filters & Blending Modes

30