How to learn professional photoshop makeover tricks?

Position:Home>Visual Arts> How to learn professional photoshop makeover tricks?

Question:

im really fascinated with all those photoshoped photos in magazines, eds, etc!. And i want to learn more about it!. But when i google this, i get bunch of really lame tutorials and nothing that would look professional!. any ideas how can i get my hands on real things!?:))Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Try this neat little trick that I use quite a bit!.

windoze machine!.

ctrl+shift+tilde (~)
You will see a million ants
ctrl+alt+I (reverse)
ctrl+H (hides the ants)

Then use filters or contrast, curves, whatever that manipulates the image!.

What that little trick does is selects the highlights, or the revers (opposite) and lets you manipulate only that!. It works pretty damned well!. I use it quite often!. You can go back and forth by using ctrl+alt+I (reverse) to achieve the desired affect!.

I learned that little one from a photoshop pro when I worked at a major publication manipulating images for publishing!.

Just remember, when you are finished use ctrl+D to deselect the activity!. Otherwise, when you do normal manipulation it will drive you nuts!.

I use that trick on many of my images I have on my web site

http://www!.chinablix!.com

By the way, there are a ton of photoshop trick websites!. Take the time and learn a few of the tricks that interest you!. You don't need many to turn out good work!. The one above I use almost exclusively!.

===============
Life is so simple, but we insist on making it complicated

Confucius
551 - 479 BC
===============

Peace

Jim

!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

i tried alot of different approaches however i found a UK magazine called Digital Photo and it comes with an accompanying CD every month!. it is fantastic and you can see them performing the procedures on screen as it happens!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

First, be sure you understand the basics!.

Here's the address of my tutorial page on the subject: http://www!.jimsdigitaldiary!.com/photosho!.!.!.

Second, join NAPP, or at least visit their website!. This is the National Association of Photoshop Professionals!. There's simply no better place to get real, accurate and cutting edge information and education!.

Be prepared to spend some time!. I've been using and teaching Photoshop for several years now !.!.!. and I still learn something new every day!

No matter what approach you take, or what your eventual plan is, just be sure to always keep in mind that working with images in Photoshop is a three-step process !.!.!. and you must NEVER get them out of order!.
1!. Optimize (that's what my page referred to above is about)
2!. Enhance
3!. Manipulate

So many Photoshop beginners never learn steps 1 or 2 and only want to go to step 3!. And it will always show in their work!.

You've seen their stuff I'm sure!. Hell, it's everywhere!

It seems that any poor soul with a point&shoot digital camera and a "free" download or online editing program thinks they can suddenly become a creative artist with just the click of a few buttons!.

So !.!.!. if you're really serious, do the work!. Learn the tools, learn the processes, learn the science and math or it !.!.!. and then never stop practicing, learning and experimenting!.

Who knows!? In a few years you may get good at it !.!.!. and even earn a few bucks!

Good luck!

(BTW, if you visit my site, you won't see any of the magazine-type stuff referred to in this original post!.

Why!? Because I don't do that!. I'm a photographer, not a designer or graphic artist!. I use Photoshop like a creative darkroom, not like a graphics production studio!.)Www@QuestionHome@Com