Photoshop and Learn Elements – Online Video Tutorials

By David Peters | January 21, 2009

When it comes to editing digital photography, there is hardly a photo-editor which is as effective and as diverse as Photoshop is. However, given the plethora of options it offers and the myriad functions it is loaded with, Photoshop may not always be the most amiable software to grapple with as a beginner in fact, working your way around some of Photoshop’s more complicated maneuvers may be a very daunting task and is even disheartening if you aren’t too conversant with the way this software functions. And to combat this disadvantage that many novices around the world have to deal with, Adobe has devised and developed a more scaled down version of its full-fledged software, which is aptly named Photoshop Elements.

Photoshop Elements is a unique blend of some of the most alluring possibilities that Photoshop has to offer. only, it limits its selection to the more commonly used functions which means that as the user, you have a lot less technicality to maneuver through, without being starved of all the tools you need to work wonders on your images. Elements simplifies a number of procedures that you may have to grapple with the more expansive version, without giving you that feeling of “That’s it?” which effectively ruins your creative process. And this is the very reason why this software is such a great success with amateur photographers and digital imaging enthusiasts. It offers them all the core elements of Photoshop which have earned this software its fame, while leaving out the professional tools that they wouldn’t have used anyway. In all its concise glory, Elements is comprised of an efficient photo-editor, a photo-organizer that you can use once you’ve added your inimitable touch to your images and even a collection of themes and templates to augment your images with.

Photoshop Elements allows you to achieve some of the most spectacular effects that you would like to experiment with, when using Photoshop. Only, it scales down the often elaborate procedures which Photoshop entails to one simple function. As a result, you can wipe away those disastrous red eyes, crop your images and even moderate the light and color adjustments in a few swift moves. This is where the automated ‘Red Eye Removal’ feature, the ‘Quick Fix’ functions and the ‘Auto Contrast’ and ‘Auto Crop’ options take over tedious task of fine tuning your images and making the necessary changes, while also allowing you to view the progress with before and after images.

Photoshop Elements also segregates its tools on the basis of the function they are designed to fulfill, so that the apprehension of wandering through a maze of options and selections is done away with. you can simply browse through the selection of tools offered under the ‘Organize’, ‘Fix’, ‘Create’ and ‘Share Photos’ categories based on what you’re looking to do with your photographs. The process of selection is brilliantly simplified with the user having to simply paint over the desired section of the image and letting the selection tool carve out the edges by itself. And if you’re looking for finer precision, you can also use the ‘Refine Edge’ dialog to smooth, contract or expand the selection edge.

There are times when you think an image would look a lot better in its black and white form rather than the colored version you’ve captured with your digital camera. And if you’re holding back for fear of having to venture into yet another confusing procedure, and ruining your image in the process, Elements lets you take a look at your photograph in its vintage avatar with just a few simple steps. You can even toy with the intensity until you achieve the exact effect you had envisioned. To sort through your images, simply refer to the ‘Smart Albums’ feature in the ‘Organize’ category, which sifts through your collection on the basis of the date you last modified it and even the model of camera it was captured with. The larger and more prominent icons are amazingly easy to locate while the add-ons and tutorials that the internet has to offer, only add to the ease with which you can sail through your Elements editing process and explore an even larger array of possibilities.

Photoshop Elements allows you a number of alternatives when it comes to showcasing your creations. You can either package your images into slide shows or feature them in web-galleries, or even print them out on contact sheets, depending on how you want to display them. The software also has a number of frames you can choose from, and even a selection of backgrounds and artwork that you can click and drop on your image to yield results that are nothing short of spectacular.

Irrespective of whether you choose to use Photoshop Elements all by itself, or as a part of your Photoshop exploration process, this software lives up to every claim it makes. But if you are bound by constraints of time and budget, or are swayed by the argument Photoshop loyalists swear by, then you can even download trial versions of both kinds of software from the website and browse through all their features. Although these trials are time-bound, they offer you the complete versions of the software, which are invaluable when it comes to making your selection. The bottom line is that if you have the will and the inspiration enough, the means by which you can accomplish your aspirations are many. All you have to do is take that first step and get your very own photo-editing software today and let your images shine in their true glory.

Did you enjoy this article? Interested in learning photoshop fast? Well now you can by getting this free Guide…what are you waiting for?

*

Article kindly provided by UberArticles.com

Topics: Software | Comments Off

Comments are closed.