Practical Photoshop August 2022

There are lots of photo editing apps out there, but there’s still at least one thing Photoshop does better than any other: blending images. Whether you’re making fantastical composites or more functional image-blending tasks, it’s still the best there is. This issue, discover our top 10 blending techniques. james.paterson@futurenet.com www.digitalcameraworld.com DOWNLOAD THE PROJECT FILES To download this issue's files, type the following link into your web browser on your PC or Mac: https://bit.ly/pho_137 FIND US HERE… http://bit.ly/practweet http://bit.ly/pracface Also available on: http://bit.ly/pp_pocketmags http://bit.ly/pp_app_store http://bit.ly/zinio_pp…

DOWNLOAD THE PROJECT FILES HERE http://bit.ly/pho_137 ON YOUR PC OR MAC 01 THE BEST BLENDING MODES Blending Modes are not only one of the most effective ways of combining images or layers, but also among the easiest of techniques. We simply drag one image on top of another, then change the Blending Mode in the Layers Panel to combine the pixels on the ‘blend layer’ with those on the layers underneath. Each Blending Mode has a different way of mixing the pixels. The four most useful modes for combining images tend to be Lighten, Screen, Darken and Multiply. Lighten only shows pixels that are lighter than those below; Darken works similarly, but for darker pixels. Screen combines the brightness values, while Multiply does the opposite. Here Screen lets us blend the moon and…

WATCH THE VIDEO https://bit.ly/3PFxxN5 The Smudge Tool might at first seem like it has a limited set of uses. In fact, it can be helpful for all kinds of creative effects, including painterly treatments. The tool works simply by smudging colors into one another. But if we combine this with Photoshop’s array of realistic bristle brush tips, we can smudge a photo so that it looks like a painting. With the Smudge Tool, even those without painting skills can transform a photo into brush-based art. We’ll look at the key features of the Smudge Tool here, and explain how to set up your photo for an effect like this. When it comes to painting with the Smudge Tool, we can gradually build up the effect, following the natural lines, wrinkles and details…

WATCH THE VIDEO https://bit.ly/3PxoqhA A portable studio allows you to capture subjects in all sorts of places, and with a clarity that only comes from flash lighting. The mobile studio plays a key role in the history of photography. In the mid-19th century, ‘ambulant photographers’ would travel from town to town. Later the practice was embraced by a host of famous photographers. Perhaps the most captivating examples come from Irving Penn, who travelled the world with his Rolleiflex camera and northlight studio, photographing mud-masked men in New Guinea and hippies in San Francisco. Whether you want to capture animals, people or any kind of subject, a mobile studio can work wonders. It might seem complicated at first, but in a sense it is a great simplifier. By using plain backdrops and sculpting the…

1 THREE-LIGHT SET-UP Our farmyard studio set-up consists of three lights, although only the key light on the right was required for some shots. We set up in a barn not far from the chicken coop and goat stables. This way, we could grab an animal and take a few shots, then let them wander off back to their friends. 2 PLAIN BACKDROP A roll of grey vinyl fixed to two light stands makes a simple, effective backdrop. Vinyl is sturdier than paper and is less likely to kink or crease – and it can be wiped clean after the shoot. In a pinch you could use a pop-up backdrop, a sheet of black velvet or any other plain material you like. 3 SIDE LIGHT Our first light here is positioned to the right and…

01 POSITIONING ANIMALS It helps to have an assistant around to get the animal into position and keep them calm so that you can concentrate on focusing and composing the shot. Lots of animals suit a side-on or three-quarters angle to the face: their profiles are often more striking than a straight-on view. 02 CALM ON THE FARM Get the animals calm before you shoot, and make sure you turn off beeps on the flash or camera. Use food to entice animals into position and to reward them afterwards. We scattered chicken feed over the floor of the studio, then removed it in Photoshop afterwards. 03 REFLECTORS AS BARRIERS The large pop-up reflector on the left here bounces some light into the shadows on this side, which helps to balance out the contrast. It also…