MORNING RECAP

Image navigation

• Power shortcuts in navigating the image
• Importance of pixel view

Cutting out / isolating areas of an image

• Using navigation techniques to facilitate cutouts
• Edges softening and smoothing
• Offsetting problems created by softening

Layer masks

• Advantages of use / importance of isolating image areas
• Masks from selections
• Masks made using freehand techniques
• Combining the two
• Floating selections to make masks across the layer stack
• Useful things to know about the wand and marquee tools

Adjustment layers

• Advantages of use in retaining image quality
• Use in conjunction with masks
• Common darkroom techniques applied through layer masks
• Using the histogram
• Using levels to ensure correct tonal range
• Common colour correction problems
• Changing the feel of an image through colour correction
• Effects of image saturation

ADVANCED SECTION

Selections

• Alpha channels and masks
• Using the alpha channel palette
• Creating a complex cutout using the alpha channels as a mask
• Precise control of image edges after feathering/ mask blurring
• Using colour range and layer modes to make a complex selection involving hair
• Making a complex mask using filters and image duplication

Image quality

• Digital image limitations
• The importance of bit depth in image manipulation
• Effects of bit depth on the image histogram
• Common bit depths and what they mean
• Maintaining image Quality with Smart Objects
• Using Smart Objects
• Transforming and resizing Smart Objects
• Saving Smart Objects as a separate file

Tonal manipulation

• Using curves – the ‘s’ curve – what it does and how it can be used
• Modifying the ‘s’ curve
• Using curves with the image histogram instead of levels
• The reasons behind difficult colour balance problems and some solutions

Black and white from colour

• Appreciating the issues in changing to monochrome
• Differences between conversion methods
• Using the channel mixer

Colour management

• The need for colour management
• Configuring default working colour spaces
• Choosing an image profile
• Generic cmyk – does it really exist
• Monitor calibration
• Printing to a desktop printer using colour management
• Sending work out using colour management
• Soft proofing
• Effect of ‘intent’ on conversion between colour profiles.

Hardware requirements to run Photoshop efficiently

• Configuring memory and scratchpad

Automated actions

• Creating an action
• Editing an action
• Running a batch command