About This Book

This book is split into two distinct sections. In the first section, we start off by going through selections and cutouts. Having taught thousands of Photoshop users around the world, I know that making great selections and cutouts is the area that causes the most frustration. So, I‘ve purposely dedicated Chapter 1 to this and placed it right at the start of the book. I’ll show you how to achieve the very best results using a range of tools and techniques to get the job done, so you can carry on doing what you really want to be doing: being creative.

The tools we have available to us are incredible, but despite this there’s no single tool or technique that will work on every image. I’ll show you how to master the tools and the techniques, and even show you some tricks of the trade for making the perfect selections. Your knowledge and confidence will quickly build, so you can then laugh in the face of a tricky cutout—well, you know what I mean.

We then move on to look at the many creative uses of gray in Chapter 2. I’ll show you a super-fast way to create composite images, how to creatively use textures, and will explain a nondestructive dodging and burning technique for adding depth and dimension to your images. I’ll also share how to completely transform a location using gray, how to create a lens flare, how to add fake damage and dents, and even how to give anyone a perfect abs six-pack (well, almost anyone!).

Adding lighting effects is a great way to change the look and feel of a picture, so Chapter 3 covers some of the most common techniques I use to do exactly that. I show you what I call “the world’s simplest lighting effect” and how to create realistic shadows. These techniques are effective but also simple and quick to apply.

Chapter 4 is where we’ll have great fun with special effects, but with the emphasis on realism. We’ll look at how to add realistic rain and how to create the flying debris that we so often see in Hollywood action-movie photos. You’ll also learn how to turn day into night and even how to create a snow scene.

In Chapter 5 I’ll show you how to match the color when compositing, and how to add realistic shadows so that the viewer will totally believe that everything was there in the original photograph. In addition, I show you some clever uses of brushes in compositing and how to add a horizon line so that the lighting in a scene is totally believable.

In the second section of the book, everything comes together and we put all the learning into practice as I take you step by step through six complete retouching projects.

Anyone can learn Photoshop techniques, but the real skill is in knowing how and when to apply them, and that’s exactly what we do here as we work through a character portrait, a themed composite using gray, an animal project composite creating a unique landscape from a number of different pictures, a fairytale-themed composite using miniature and life-size elements, and a landscape retouch. By working through the projects you’ll learn not only how to apply the techniques we covered in part one of the book, but also how to combine them to make your own creative images.

To help you with the learning process, I’ve made all the image files for each project available for you to download. To access the files, you must first register your book at Peachpit.com. If you don’t already have an account, create one (it’s free!) at peachpit.com/register. After you have created your account or logged in, register your book. Enter the book’s ISBN number, 9780134008462, and click Submit. Look for the book under the Registered Product tab on your Account page. Then select Access Bonus Content. From there, you can download the image asset files.

When it comes to Photoshop, there is no right or wrong way to do something—there are just good and bad results! Throughout this book you’ll see many tips, tricks, and techniques that I use in my work, but there will always be countless other ways to achieve similar results. The key, however, is to continually build a knowledge base and add to your Photoshop tool bag.

Sharing knowledge and seeing someone’s joy when they can do something that previously eluded them is a wonderful feeling. My hope is that the content of this book not only helps you develop your skills, but also inspires and pushes you to create images you never thought possible. Realize that with knowledge and plenty of practice, you can do it!

—Glyn Dewis