Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

 

Photoshop 3.0 vs. Photoshop CC on Floppy Discs

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Photoshop Version 3

Here’s a fun little nugget for those of you who recall the old 3.5-inch floppy discs. Photoshop 3.0, which launched in September 1994 and became the first version to feature “Layers”, was the last version of Photoshop to be sold on the floppy disc.

If Photoshop CC were sold on floppy discs today, it would need to be installed with 733 discs!

[via Photoshop on FB]

5 Ways to Use Layer Groups in Photoshop

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwITfIidzC0&w=640&h=360]

Do you use layer groups in Photoshop just for organizing your layers?

In this quick 10-minute video, Julieanne Kost demonstrates 5 ways to make use of layer groups in Photoshop that go well beyond organization. All of these techniques can be used in Photoshop CS6 or Photoshop CC.

Here’s a quick summary of the 5 ways to use layer groups.

  1. Blending modes apply to group of layers to make the effect appear as if the layers have been merged.
  2. Styles for layers (e.g., drop shadows, etc.) in groups are applied as if the layers have been merged.
  3. The ability to restrict how the layers interact within the group versus the layers in the rest of the document. For example, a black and white adjustment layer can be restricted to layers within group.
  4. The ability to clip a texture or another color to a group by using a clipping mask.
  5. Mask multiple layers within a group with a single mask.

Watch the video to see how to make these work in the Photoshop interface.

Photoshop CC’s Smart Sharpen Fixes the Problems in the Old Smart Sharpen

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Smart Sharpen

If you have ever tried to use Smart Sharpen in Photoshop, you have undoubtedly encountered the noise problems it creates. The adaptive sharpening technology in Photoshop CC minimizes noise and halo effects for much better sharpening from a tool that was previously unusable for many circumstances.

Check out the short video below for a demo of Smart Sharpen in Photoshop CC. [Read more…]

Use Blending Modes in Photoshop Elements to Make Colors Pop

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScRkt3kKNdU&w=640&h=360]

Watch this short, 60-second video to learn how to use a simple blend mode edit in Photoshop Elements to make colors pop on a washed out photo.

For a sub-$100 program, Photoshop Elements 11 has more editing power than many amateurs will ever use. If you are put off by the thought of “renting” the full version of Photoshop through Adobe’s recent Creative Cloud move, consider if Elements is enough for you at this minimal expense for a perpetual license.

Spot Removal Tool Shortcuts Inside Camera Raw 8

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Camera Raw 8

Julieanne Kost has posted a handy list of shortcut keys for the updated Spot Removal Tool inside Camera Raw 8, which is part of Photoshop CC.*

  • Tap the “V” key to toggle the visibility of the spot overlays.
  • Shift -drag constrains the brush spot to a horizontal or vertical stroke.
  • Shift -click connects the selected spot with the new spot via a straight brush stroke.
  • Command -drag (Mac) | Control -drag (Win)  will create a circle spot and allow you to drag to define the source.
  • Tap the Forward Slash key (/) to select new source for existing circle or brush spot.
  • Press Delete to delete a selected spot.
  • Option -click (Mac) | Alt -click (Win) on a spot to delete it (the cursor will change to a pair of scissors).
  • Option -drag (Mac) | Alt  -drag (Win) in the image area over multiple spots to batch-delete (the icon changes to a marquee while dragging.
  • Tap the “Y” key to toggle on/off Visualize spots. Note – this is also available as a checkbox and slider in Toolbar.

She walks through the Spot Removal Tool, as well as several other new features in Photoshop CC, in the video below. [Read more…]

Adobe to Offer Photoshop CC for $9.99/mo?

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Adobe Creative Cloud

Adobe has clearly been reconsidering its marketing to photographers since the major pushback from Photoshop users after revealed that it would no longer offer perpetual licenses of new Creative Suite products. The latest word in the form of surveys to some Photoshop users that probed feelings on Creative Cloud pricing.

The interesting thing is that the two key concerns are some that have been raised here before. [Read more…]