By Elizabeth | August 5th, 2011
I have a confession to make: I’m obsessed with everything Instagram.
If you don’t know what Instagram is, it’s a free photography app that works with just about any smartphone. It lets you take a photo, then crops it down to a square and lets you add a cool filter on top; and then, the app publishes the photo into the Instagram community. Basically, you take the photo and Instagram does all the heavy lifting. It’s fantastic.
My father and I recently took a week-long road trip from Boston to Portland. Both of us are serious photographers, and each of us brought along enough equipment to start our own traveling camera store. However, once the road-trip exhaustion set in (a.k.a. after the first 5 hours of driving), we were both too tired to rummage through the back, find our monster cameras and set up a shot. Instagram, in all its camera-phone glory, was the perfect solution for us. While he was shooting on his iPhone, I was shooting on my iPod Touch and iPad. We could quickly pull out our respective devices, shoot easily while driving and then upload them immediately. Because the Instagram community allows friends and loved ones to “follow” you, everyone who was waiting to welcome us home (and the friends I’d left back in Boston) were able to keep up with our journey as it was happening.
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By Rick LePage | August 4th, 2011
Per your requests, this week we’ve added PDF cheatsheets for two older videos: Corey Barker’s Alternative Cropping and Matt Kloskowski’s Master the Staighten Tool, from 2009. (Look in the “Related Articles and Links” section of the page for the links to the cheatsheets.)
It’s great that Corey’s video from 2007 still holds up as a technique, despite the fact that it was done with Elements 5. It just goes to show how, despite the changes to Elements’ look over the years, most editing techniques come down to the layer, simple selections and blend modes. (Although, aren’t you glad we don’t do those crazy intros to our videos any more?)
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By Rick LePage | July 29th, 2011
Just a quick note to let subscribers know that the July edition of the “From the Editor” email has been sent. There’s a whole bunch of fun stuff in there, including links to newly posted cheatsheets, a lead photo from Kelly’s budding photographer-in-training, info about our newly released “The Best of Photoshop Elements Techniques, Volume 5″ DVD, and lots more.
If you haven’t received it, and think you should have, you might want to check your spam filters to make sure it isn’t sitting there. If you’ve set your site preferences so that you don’t want email from us–or if you want to view the page in it’s full HTML glory–you can check it out over on our From the Editor home page, which also has an archive of every edition of the newsletters.
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By Kelly | July 28th, 2011
Photo by by Keith Hall via Flickr
Starting this month, we’re launching a fun new project called the PET Photo Challenge. At the beginning of each month, we’ll give you a new assignment. Some months it may involve shooting a photo that illustrates a theme (such as friendship or secrets) while others may focus on using a specific photographic technique (such as shooting in Macro mode). Whatever the challenge, you’ll then have a month to experiment and come up with your best shot (or shots), interpreting the theme in your own way. When the month is over, we’ll highlight some of our favorite entries on the website and in the magazine.
For our first challenge, we’re turning our attention to the dark side of photography—literally. This month, take a photo with strong shadows or that uses shadows in an interesting way. Pay special attention to the shapes and patterns created by shadows, the stories our shadows tell, or any surprises that may be hiding within those dark corners.
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By Liz Ness | July 28th, 2011
I can’t help it. I’m drawn to the vintage look. However, whether it is for the instant hit of nostalgia or that it just appeals to me artistically, I can’t say. But, I’ve been playing around with various effects to simulate the look of old printed photographs. Most recently, I’ve been trying out a vintage treatment that includes soft edges, brighter skin, and a hint of cyan. This look just tugs at my heartstrings in a way I can’t explain. And, while the look isn’t great for every photograph, it does work well with some. Plus, it’s really easy to pull off!
Here’s how:
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By Liz Ness | July 26th, 2011
Recently, I went browsing the site for photography tutorials. I’m always seeking to improve my skills and anything that I can learn is a welcome read. However, usually I find myself browsing for Photoshop Elements techniques to spark my creativity. So, I wasn’t really sure what to expect.
To my delight, the site is full of wonderful tips and techniques devoted to capture. There’s much to learn and remember via site tutorials. Needless to say, I’ve been enjoying catching up on tutorials!
Storm Rolling into Bridgeport (by Liz Ness)
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By Liz Ness | July 21st, 2011
Right now, today, all I can think about is the Orton effect and my little sister’s wedding. So, I thought I’d combine these two fixations and get the whole thing out of my system. Turns out, I really like the soft glowing edges and drama that the effect adds to my wedding photo (at right) of the groom’s bou·ton·nière!
Which brings me to a flash-back of two posts that I really loved from last year:
- Mike Rodriguez’s Getting the Orton Effect (the technique I used for my image), is such an easy technique with tips for customizing the effect for your specific photographs. Plus, I just love the old blue truck in the example.
- Then, there is my all time favorite by Rick LePage: Digging Deeper on the Orton Technique. This post is a great resource for more information about Michael Orton, groups that love the Orton effect/look, tips on techniques, and examples of Orton imagery.
So, what about you? Any post-production obsessions driving your efforts (or driving you crazy) at the moment? I’d love to hear about them.
By Liz Ness | July 19th, 2011
A while back, I mentioned that I’d learned much from my Project 52 experiences already, including that it’s great to participate with friends…
Having friends (or in my case, sisters) along for the journey is a great idea. They motivate you just by participating. Plus, you just can’t let your family have teasing rights — you have to participate or they’ll be relentless! After all, you talked them into this project, right?
It turns out, there’s a bit more to the story, however, because sharing a photo blog with others is great, too.
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By Rick LePage | July 14th, 2011
The layer mask is one of those key features in Photoshop Elements that we use all the time while editing photos and when compositing images and text. Version 9 has a layer mask feature built in, but, with earlier versions, you need to use an adjustment layer workaround to create the mask.
If you’re running Elements 5 through 8, the process is really quite easy; the only complication comes up between Versions 7 and 8, with the changes to the Layers palette (now officially called a panel), and the change of the clipping group menu item name (called “Group with Previous” in versions 7 and lower, “Create Clipping Mask” in Version 8 and up).
Since we use layer masks quite frequently in our tutorials, things would bog down pretty quickly if we printed instructions for creating a layer mask for each version of Elements. So, in our latest entries in the Quick Video Tips reference series, Mike Rodriguez has created short videos–with written instructions–for creating layer masks in Photoshop Elements 8 and in Elements 7 and earlier versions. If you’re using Elements 9, you can check out Mike’s Easy Layer Masks video from last fall.
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By Liz Ness | July 14th, 2011
Last November, I was mapping out a trip to Yosemite for my summer vacation this year. However, just as I was making plans, fate took over at the steering wheel and drove us somewhere else; somewhere wonderful.
I found myself at my sister’s wedding, my sister-in-law’s baby shower, and the Fourth of July celebration in Bridgeport, California (my other home town). Now, I had a different set of photographs to take: Wedding photographs. Plus, I just had to capture some of the fireworks! So, I put aside my black-and-white studies for a bit and started reading up and practicing night photography and refreshing my memory about wedding photography.
It’s sort of funny, but I felt like I was packing ideas into my head for the trip. In a way, I guess that’s exactly what I was doing. I wouldn’t want to be without extra socks and packing a bit of extra knowledge about the upcoming shoots seemed appropriate, too.
Some of the other useful bits of information I carried with me included:
- A quick review of Draw Attention to Objects in a Photograph by Matt Kloskowski. Knowing what I might need to fix, helped me pay attention while shooting. This cycle of photograph, adjust photo, learn, and adjust photography is a key element of my approach to photography.
- Likewise, Mike Rodriguez’s Making Adjustments to Images is still a favorite for making me think about light before and after capture.
- And, I reviewed some prop ideas from a post I wrote in January (3 Prop Ideas for Your Photos), revisiting the links for inspiration for my sister’s wedding photographs.
After all, when fate grabs the wheel, you don’t know where you might land and it’s good to be prepared!
By Liz Ness | July 12th, 2011
Experimenting again, I stumbled upon a two-step method for achieving a soft, nostalgic look that I thought you might enjoy, too. I turned this flower:
Into this:
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By Liz Ness | July 7th, 2011
I’ve just returned from a whirlwind vacation. First, I went on a retreat where I met wonderful people, made new and amazing friendships, and shared stories. Then, my family and I headed to the mountains for my sister’s wedding, a chance to swim in glacial waters, …
Twin Lakes, California
my sister-in-law’s baby shower, and the Fourth of July (which was a blast, pardon the pun). And, I’m still in a daze, sorting through the photographs as I process my adventures.
And, as I thought about what I’d post today, I realized something very important about my photographs. While it’s true that they help me remember, reminisce, and revisit the places I’ve been, they do so much more, too: They help me gain perspective from the life I’m living.
Each photograph is a moment — a slice of my life — that is connected to the next image through my personal story. Sure, these images capture the moments of others, too, yet they are all from my perspective. They are all representative of decisions (quick and slow) about what I found important (or not) in a given moment; decisions I tend to forget until I revisit my photos later. When I do revisit these moments through my photos, I’m given the luxury of slowing down and existing within the moment just a bit longer. Then, as I look, I remember my decisions. Likewise, I discover the gaps, the decisions I didn’t make and the lack of attention paid to elements within the frame, how I was capturing these elements, and so on. I’m given the chance to realize who I was within that moment and the opportunity to ask, why? From this, I learn, becoming a better photographer and a better person all at the same time.
And then, I know why I love photography so much.
By Liz Ness | July 5th, 2011
Summer is here (woo-hoo!) — time for summer vacations and vacation photography! And, as I planned for our own vacation, it occurred to me that a post on the topic might be useful. So grab your sunscreen, hat, and extra batteries, because we’re about to hit the road!
There are a few things to think about when it comes to capturing a vacation:
- Packing and planning
- Storage
- Surprise management
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By Rick LePage | June 30th, 2011
Just a real quick note to let subscribers know that the PDF version of the July/August issue is now available for download from the issue’s magazine page. I have also posted the Linked List file for the issue, which includes all the web links mentioned throughout the issue.
And, before you ask, “where’s my issue?” don’t forget to read my earlier letter from the editor entry about when subscribers around the world should expect their issues for the rest of 2011.
I’m hoping to get Diana’s out-of-bounds extras article, and Elizabeth LePage’s latest video up online before the weekend, so stay tuned.
Thanks,
Rick
By Liz Ness | June 29th, 2011
With the Fourth of July coming up in United States (along with other firework-intensive holidays and events around the world), I thought it was time to refresh my memory on what matters when it comes to capturing a bit of the firework fun. So, I did a bit of surfing and came up with the following tips and inspiration.
Here are some great tutorials on how to set up the shot:
And, here are a few links to inspire that shot in the first place:
For all that celebrate the Fourth and even for those that don’t, I hope your summer celebrations are amazing and that your firework photographs inspire!
By Rick LePage | June 24th, 2011
Just a heads-up that the July/August issue of Photoshop Elements Techniques started mailing to subscribers late this week. Subscribers in the U.S. should see their issue by the end of the first week of July. Canadian subscribers should see their issues by July 15 (assuming the postal strike is over soon), while the rest of the world should have theirs by July 22. (If you’ve subscribed in the past three weeks, you should get your issue by the end of July.)
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By Liz Ness | June 22nd, 2011
Paper Punches are Versatile
Paper punches are fun tools for making shapes for cards, scrapbook layouts, and other craft projects. You can punch and add the shapes to your designs or use the punched paper as a stencil for mixed media art. There are so many shapes to choose from, too. Journal spot shapes, flowers, elephants, and the list goes on. Add to this the ability to decorate the borders (or insides) of your punched shapes through Photoshop Elements, and the possibilities become endless!
Here are a few examples of decorated tags from Etsy:
However, while it’s easy to decorate and create a border for paper punched shapes that come in standard shapes, like a circle, it takes more effort and time to add borders to a non-standard, custom shape. And, that’s when a scanner becomes a creative ally. If you put your scanner to work for you, decorating non-standard punch-outs is as easy as capturing an image of the punched shape, turning that into a template, and then adding a border. It no longer matters if the shape is standard or not.
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By Liz Ness | June 15th, 2011
No matter what hat I’m wearing (photographer, mixed media artist, web designer), Photoshop Elements seems to be one of my favorite go to tools for creative projects. While it’s a great tool for developing beautiful photographs, it’s so much more than a photography tool. I’m always finding ways to use it for other projects. The built in tools, filters, and effects make it so easy to use when creating graphics. Which leads me to the topic of our post today: How to make website buttons.
The following steps describe how to make a fun website button quickly through the built in features provided by Photoshop Elements.
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By Liz Ness | June 8th, 2011
This morning, my photograph (taken with my iPhone) seemed to shout, “Turn me into a painting!” However, having other things to paint and little time, I wasn’t about to give in — no matter how demanding the photograph was (yes, I know, I need to do something about this feeling I have that these photographs are talking to me). Anyhow, that’s when I decided I’d just use Photoshop Elements to create my painting — it’s a lot less messy and there’s no cleanup time required!
Because my photograph was simple with minimal intricate details, it was easy to simulate a painted look. The following explains how I did it:
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By Liz Ness | June 2nd, 2011
A bride’s wedding dress, snowy scenes, and subjects that are white all have something in common: They can mess with our exposure. Sometimes, it’s so bad that the subject can seem to glow. And, that’s when selectively applying the Brightness/Contrast adjustment can really help! The following tutorial demonstrates how.
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