Photoshop Elements
Top 10 reasons to upgrade
By Dave Cross


1. File Browser
The File Browser in Elements 3 is a dramatic improvement over the “original” File Browser. The File Browser (on the Mac) now has its own menus (File, Edit, Automate, Sort, and View) that contain many options for working with images right inside the File Browser -without opening any images. For example, select several images and then from the Automate menu, choose PDF Slide show, Contact Sheet II, or Web Photo Gallery to automatically use those images to create a slide show, a contact sheet or a Web gallery. Other important additions to the File Browser include the ability to “flag” images and then show only the flagged images or the ability to search for flagged images only. Oh, didn’t I mention that there’s a search function in the File Browser? Yes, you can apply keywords to an image and then use the Search function from the File menu to find all images with these keywords. And that’s not all! You can access and work with metadata: File properties, IPTC, and Camera Data (Exif) can be viewed or searched. All in all, this is my overall favorite change to Elements 3.

2. Camera RAW
Elements 3 now supports Camera RAW format from high-end digital cameras. Formerly only available in Photoshop CS, now this “digital negative” can be edited in Elements 3. Just double-click on a RAW file in the File Browser and the Camera Raw dialog opens, with a ton of potions for adjusting the white balance, exposure, shadows, saturation, sharpening, and more. Save your Camera Raw settings and easily apply them to other RAW images. Very cool.

3. Shadows/Highlights
One of our former top 10 Photoshop CS features is now in Elements 3: Shadows/Highlights. This command (found under Enhance>Adjust Lighting) is set by default to lighten the shadows by 50% and to leave the highlights alone, but you can easily change these settings. This tool is a great solution for times when you wished you’d used a fill flash or simply to see what it would look like if the shadows were a little lighter.

4. Healing Brush and Spot Healing Brush
Have you noticed a trend yet? Many of our favorite Photoshop CS features have quietly slipped into Elements 3. In this case it’s the Healing Brush, an ideal tool for covering up problems in an image without messing with the underlying textures. Elements gets a leg up on Photoshop CS, however, with the Spot Healing Brush -kind of a “one-step” healing tool.

5. Auto Smart Fix
Normally I’m not a big fan of automated image adjustments, but this one seems to work quite well. And if it doesn’t appear to have helped, (or has done too much), undo and try Adjust Smart Fix, a more interactive version of Smart Fix that lets you use a percentage slider to adjust the image (both options are found in the Enhance menu). It’s particularly useful if you start by duplicating the Background layer, and then apply Smart Fix to the copy. Then you can lower the Opacity of the duplicated layer in the Layers palette to lessen the effect of Smart Fix.

6. Cookie Cutter
If you’ve always wanted to have a photo cut into the shape of a butterfly, a heart, or a paw print, now it’s possible—and incredibly simple. (Okay, so you may have never wanted to do this, but I’m sure you’ll find ways to use this tool, once you see what it does.) Just choose the shape, click-and-drag, resize if necessary, then hit Enter and you’re done. Actually, I would definitely recommend duplicating the Background layer first and then hiding it. Then apply the Cookie Cutter shape to the top (duplicated) layer. That way, you’ll still get the effect of the Cookie Cutter, but you will have a built-in backup plan in case you change your mind.

7. Organizer
A Windows-only feature, the Organizer lets you organize images and automatically create Web galleries and slide shows, including presentations that can be shown on your DVD player. Similar in many ways to the File Browser in terms of photo organizing, but with many added features, it includes integrated access to calendar and email functions.

8. Duplicate Layer
Okay, so it may seem like a pretty lame thing to put on a top 10 list, but to me, it’s a reason to celebrate. The keyboard shortcut for the Layer via Copy command (which mysteriously disappeared in Elements 2) has come back. Again, it may not seem like much, but considering the number of times that I start off by duplicating the Background layer, the ability to simply press Control-J (Mac: Command-J) is a godsend.

9. Photo Filter Adjustment Layer
Another borrowed Photoshop CS function, Photo Filter adjustment layers, simulate traditional screw-on camera filters such as warming and cooling filters. Choose from a pop-up list or pick your own color and adjust the density. And since it’s an adjustment layer, you can easily double-click on it to change the settings or reduce the opacity of the adjustment layer itself to lower the effect.

10. Printing
I’m sorry, but since I was down to my last nominee, I bundled together a few things and called them “printing.” Overall, printing is simply better than it was in Elements 2. A modified printer interface makes precise printing much easier and there is much greater control in the printing layouts, as well as functions such as Picture Package.

There you go, my top 10 list of new-and-improved features. Wait, I forgot to mention the changes to Batch processing, the Photo Bin for working with multiple open images, the Reduce Noise filter, Match Zoom, the Histogram palette, and 16-bit support. Can we make it the top 20 features?
Thanks to Dave Huss for his Elements 3 feature list that helped me narrow down my choices.