Essential Photoshop

Have you been disappointed with some of your pictures? Did you ever want to learn how to correct some errors made while taking the shots, or enhance some of those you love most? Then you should consider learning Photoshop, the software used by professional photographers!

This dynamic photo course aims at getting you started with Photoshop, spanning the basics of digital imaging concepts to some advanced enhancing techniques in a non technical way.

Open to both Macintosh and Windows users, this course will teach you how to get the most out of your Photoshop software! It will help you realise Photoshop's potential to improve your photography. Just as the traditional darkroom was used to achieve the best results from a negative, Photoshop can be used to bring out the best in your images.

Topics

• Learn how to think about histograms. Avoid blown out highlights.
• Setting White Balance and other digital controls.
• Photoshop navigation
• The toolbox
• Contact sheet
• Image resizing and resolution
• Image printing
• Layers and adjustment layers
• Learn the two most important concepts for photographers : exposure and
  colour correction (correct over and under exposure)
• Curves and levels - using levels and curves for contrast control and global colour shifts.
• How convert colour images into black and white masterpieces with adjustable tonal control.
• Learn multiple techniques for dust busting and retouching your images
• Create more depth of field by combining images or reduce depth of field with filters. How to create motion with filters and layer masks.
• How to create warming filters, tone prints, and paint with light.
• Use the Eraser, Healing Brush, Cloning Brush and History palette to spot and retouch your images.
• Burn and dodge with control
• Graduated neutral density filters
• Add borders and frames to your shots
• Add textures
• Selective Color and Hue saturation - controlling colours by using
  selective colour and Hue/saturation. Controlling local colour.
• Create custom brushes to contain your signature and copyright info, and
  special effects brushes for making your own custom edges and borders.
• Use Free Transform to correct common perspective problems.
• Liquify filter
• Remove noise
• Adding new skies to landscapes
• Add colour to monochrome pictures
• RAW format conversion

Requirements

Laptop (Mac or Windows)

Photoshop (Elements 9 or above, CS5 or above)

No previous Photoshop necessary!

A minimum of 4 people is required for this class to take place.