Articles: Photoshop Tools and Functions

A wide range of technical advice for Photoshop and Elements.

Cropping in the workflow

Don't do it during editing!

Histogram identification test

Can you match these photos to their histograms?

What nobody tells you about Curves

They're powerful, but also damaging if misused.

Raw noise removal

Never forget this important step in raw editing.

Making PDFs from Photoshop

How to ensure the highest quality.

The overrated adjustment brush

Put it down, and learn from your photos

Photoshop’s "Arrange" functions

View multiple photos on your screen at once.

Some alternatives to cloning

The Clone Stamp Tool is very useful, but sometimes unnecessary.

The Pen Tool

What it's for, and what it's not

Itty bitty tips for PS on PC

Small shortcuts for time saving.

Adjustment layers – strength vs opacity

Lowering layer opacity isn't always the same as lowering adjustment strength.

Curved box method

How to make a wave-shaped box in Photoshop

Straightening horizons

How to fix crooked photos

Opacity shortcuts

Speed up your workflow.

Shift while brushing

Your best friend for careful masking

Histogram identification test 2: Raw files

Can you match these raw photos to their histograms?

Comparing Curves and Levels

They do a lot of the same things, but slightly differently

The "Blend If" sliders in Photoshop

Not an everyday function, but very useful sometimes.

A tour of the Actions panel

Learn what all the little buttons and icons do.

Creating an animated GIF in Photoshop

To show people a before-and-after of your edit.

Alt/Option key tricks

How many of these do you use in your editing workflow?

 


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