Tips Tricks and Tutorials... What do you want

[Scubatooth]

There are several people on here who have already asked for me to write them some simple photoshop actions which will be done this afternoon. and will be posted this evening ( i just need my machine to stop processing about 500 RAW image scans from negatives)


In the last week or so there have been a fair number of request or questions posted about various things for digital imaging and editting, and since i do alot of this work on daliy basis i would be more then willing to help anybody out if i can.

but some topics i could help with

1. Digital Darkroom-- ie your computer do do your image editting(everything from what to buy for a digital darkroom from $$ - $$$$, monitors , hardware, etc)
   
2. Color - correction, calibration, etc
   
3. Software help (Adobe PS 7 (still learning CS, so please give me some time), and Elements (either version), Macromedia Dreamweaver MX (for building webpages ( see last item on list), Flash MX, MS Frontpage, Jalbum
   
4. Scanning + Printing: everything from how to make the colors pop to
5. preparing images for printing (Size, DPI, etc)
   
6. Image Editting-- tips and tricks for above and below the water
   
7. Camera Specific tips and tricks
   
8. Camera Reviews - this might be harder as i cant buy alot of them but i can give you a good idea based off the information i find on the camera.
   
9. Webpage design and devolpment: can offer my advice on building but beyond that you need to contact me privately to discuss,

these are some of my ideas but if you have anything specific i would be glad to help you.

Dan
aka
Scubatooth

 

[Dee]

Dan...this is a great idea. Thanks for the help. I use PS Elements 2.0 and there are several things I need help on.

I have a T-shirt project in mind where I want to use fish out of some photos, cut them out of the background and turn them into line drawings. I can do that last part but need help to cut fish out of a photo. I haven't used Elements for much except for tweaking pictures so I know nothing about using layers or anything I hear folks talk about. Sorry...just haven't had time!

This is more in the line of a tutorial instead of PS actions, which I don't think Elements can do.

 

[Scubatooth]

Dan...this is a great idea. Thanks for the help. I use PS Elements 2.0 and there are several things I need help on.

I have a T-shirt project in mind where I want to use fish out of some photos, cut them out of the background and turn them into line drawings. I can do that last part but need help to cut fish out of a photo. I haven't used Elements for much except for tweaking pictures so I know nothing about using layers or anything I hear folks talk about. Sorry...just haven't had time!

This is more in the line of a tutorial instead of PS actions, which I don't think Elements can do.

Dee what your needing to do is called masking and/or clipping paths which i dont know that Elements can do, but let me check ( my copy of Elements should be here within the next week) if i find that you cant do masks in Elements i will help you out and workon it for you, but let me find out.

Dee question, do you have the following tools, the pen tool, and or the magic wand tools in Elements?

 

[Dee]

Dee question, do you have the following tools, the pen tool, and or the magic wand tools in Elements?

I have the magic wand and a pencil, but no pen.

 

[Mike Newman]

Scubatooth - thanks for offering your services. I know that the Oly 5050 has a huge following on this Board. There's also been a lot of information about preferred settings for underwater use. I'd certainly appreciate even more advice on White Balance, Settings with and without a filter (I use a UR Pro filter with available light usually) and other topics too numerous to list here.

Dee - I can't help but think that there's scope for a specific thread here for 5050 users

(Please don't tell me I've simply missed an existing one!)

 

[Dee]

Dee - I can't help but think that there's scope for a specific thread here for 5050 users

(Please don't tell me I've simply missed an existing one!)

Are you talking about a seperate sub-forum for Oly C-5050 users? There's certainly alot of 5050 users here, and I would love to see it. But I don't think we can add a forum just for brand dedication. There's also alot of Canon, Nikon, and Sony users and it's not possible to give each brand their own forum.

The best thing to do is to start your thread title with C-5050---- so it will be easier to find with a search.

I'll ask, though...it can't hurt to ask!

 

[ReyeR]

I have the magic wand and a pencil, but no pen.

Dee, the easiest way (I can see) to mask on PSE is to use the Selection Brush tool. Please bear in mind I use Photoshop (and not Elements) extensively, so if I've missed something feel free to jump in.

Masking in PSE:

• open the image
• it is advisable at this stage to save this image as a copy, preferably as a .PSD (Photoshop) file
• click on the Selection Brush tool
• on the Options bar (below the menus and shortcut bar) change the Mode to 'Mask'. This makes it easier to see the mask (also called Selection) you are painting. It'll look like transparent red paint instead of a marquee (marching ants)
• you can now 'Paint' the mask using the tool like a normal brush. You can vary size and softness/hardness of the brush
• to remove from the mask hold the 'Alt' key (Windows) down and paint
• if it is a complex mask and you are likely to spend time on it then it is adisable to keep saving the selection. First time: Select >> Save Selection >> New Selection and give it a name. Subsequent saves: Select >> Save Selection >> Select the name >> Replace Selection
• once you are satisfied with the mask (save it!), click on the Rectangular Marquee tool
• the mask you were painting will become a Marquee (marching ants)
• you can now invert the Marquee and cut and paste the selection as you please or
• leave the Marquee as it is and wipe out the unwanted background with a colour
• to save the mask permanently you should save the file itself as a .PSD (Photoshop) file. Next time you open the file you can load the selection again.

 

[Dee]

Uh...thanks. I've saved your instructions and will use them later, after I've learned to use this new board program. The moderating stuff isn't where I thought it was! haha

 

[Scubatooth]

Dee what Reyer said is about right, once i get my copy of elements in i will take a look at what the differences are i will post on how to do masks and clipping paths. and how to take one image and transfer it to another.

i will add it to the list of tutorials.

scubatooth