Personal Workflow for Photoshop

Product Description

In this 2.5-hour video course, you will learn the ins and outs of a professional, fully non-destructive Photoshop workflow. I am covering everything from start to finish, starting with the preparation of your raw images in Adobe Camera Raw (Photoshop’s raw processing software), through the various processing steps, all the way to the export of the final image. Learn how to set up and develop even the most complex Photoshop projects. No plugins or other software is required. So if you have Photoshop, you’re good to go.

The course is 2.5 hours long and the original raw images used for the image editing part are included. If you work with Photoshop CS4, CS5 or CS6, you will still be able to follow along as the HDR image we create in Adobe Camera Raw at the beginning is included in the course resources.

Table of contents

1. Loading the Images Into Camera Raw [9:51]
   • In this lesson, you will learn how to start your workflow by bringing your RAW files into Adobe Camera Raw.
2. Merging and Preparing the Images [29:12]
   • In this lesson, I will show you how to create an HDR image inside Adobe Camera Raw, how to apply some basic adjustments to the HDR and how to bring it into Photoshop for more complex editing steps. The method we’ll be using gives you the flexibility to go back and edit your images in ACR at any time.
3. Analyzing the Image and Preparing Multiple Base Versions [8:30]
   • In this lesson, you will learn how to dissect your image into different regions that you can then edit selectively. We will also use the power of smart objects to create several base versions for the different regions.
4. Setting Up a Project in Photoshop and Editing the Sky [28:47]
   • In this lesson, you will learn how to structure your Photoshop project to make best use of layer masks and to not lose track of your edits at any time. Then, we’re going to start adding adjustments to make the sky pop.
5. Editing the Tower and the Ground [29:29]
   • In this lesson, I will teach you how to use the Quick selection tool in combination with the Refine Edge tool to create precise selections and masks. You will also learn a few more masking tricks and an advanced technique for bringing out the details in your photos.
6. Editing the Trees [10:16]
   • In this lesson, you will learn how to combine exiting masks to create a new one. You will also learn how to use masking and a Photo Filter layer to colorize areas with low saturation.
7. Adding Global Adjustments [5:35]
   • In this lesson, I will show you how to add global adjustments on top of all your local adjustments such that each adjustment is independent and can be changed individually.
8. Removing Dust Spots and the Power of Smart Objects [4:32]
   • In this short lesson, I will demonstrate how smart objects can really allow you to edit your images very flexibly.
9. Refinement Phase [8:29]
   • In this lesson, you will learn about the importance and the right approach to revising your images. I will show you how I go about revising my own images to apply those finishing touches to them.
10. Exporting the Image [13:27]
    • In this lesson, I will go through the process of exporting your final image to a file format that can be used on the web or in some other publishing process.
11. Summary [3:16]
    • In this lesson, I am summarizing the course and what you learned.

The image we will be creating

Here is the before-and-after of the image we will be working on.

Free Excerpts

Check out these free excerpts from the course.