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Photoshop Tips

Business

So you've taken some great photographs...

So you've taken some great photographs but it feels like they need something a bit more? Perhaps some more contrast or lighting? Well thanks to Photoshop there are methods to remedy any number of problems you might want to fix. Here are some simple tips to help improve your photo's in Photoshop.

 A good place to start is with the levels and curves, found under Image-Adjustments at the top navigation bar. The levels function is a good place to adjust the contrast of your image. If you hold down the alt key and drag both the left black shape and right white shape inward, a pleasing contrast will be obtained. Then in the curves you can further increase the contrast, just play around with adding points and moving the curve around.

Now there are four tools that I find myself using very frequently: the sponge tool (to add or remove saturation), the burn tool (to darken area's), the dodge tool (to lighten area's), and the spot healing brush (to remove imperfections). A good place to start is to add some saturation to the subject of your image with the sponge tool. Also, a nice touch is to use the burn tool to darken the border of the whole image.

If there is a person in the image, the eye's are very important. Brighten up those highlights and darken the shadows to add some depth. Add some saturation as well, but make sure to zoom out and make sure you don't overdue it. 

Those are just some minimals tips to get you started. On the left of this post, you can see a nice before and after image of the three pears. Hopefully it is obvious which one is the after image. Finally, here are some links to sites with other good Photoshop tips. Photoshop is a very complex program with lots of potential, have fun and mess around with it to learn new stuff!

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photoshop tips 1

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photoshop tips 2

About the Author

Nicholas Klein

Founder and visual artist, specializing in all aspects of a businesses presence from imagery and video to graphics and web. A graduate of IPFW with a Bachelor in Fine Arts, Concentration Photography as well as an Associates Degree in Business. His personal photography works are focused on landscape, travel, and aerial photography.