24 Hidden Photoshop Tricks Every Pro Must Know!

Summary

The video script is an engaging walkthrough of 24 essential Photoshop tricks that professionals should be aware of. It begins with a tip on locking layers to prevent accidental movement, followed by a discussion on color grading with gradient maps and controlling tool opacity. The presenter shares an announcement about an upcoming Photoshop workshop in Colorado Springs, emphasizing its benefits for creatives of all skill levels. The script continues with various editing techniques, such as fitting images to the canvas, using smart filters for perspective correction, and the Face Aware Liquify tool for facial adjustments. It also covers advanced retouching with dual windows, frequency separation, and the Clone Stamp tool with Vanishing Point for perspective matching. The video concludes with additional tips on exporting documents, enhancing images with secret Curves sliders, sampling colors from external sources, and creating PDF presentations from open documents. The presenter also highlights the use of layer comps for saving different versions of a project and the convenience of creating shortcuts for repetitive tasks. The script is a valuable resource for anyone looking to enhance their Photoshop skills and efficiency.

Takeaways

• 🔒 Locking the movement of layers in Photoshop can prevent accidental shifts while editing, by clicking the lock icon in the Layers panel.
• 🎨 Using a Gradient Map adjustment layer in combination with blending modes and noise can provide a versatile approach to color grading.
• 📉 The Fade command (Edit > Fade) can be used to reduce the effect of various tools like the Patch Tool, Brush Tool, Sharpen Tool, or Blur Tool after their application.
• 📚 Photoshop's Scripts > Image Processor feature allows for batch exporting of open documents to JPEG or other formats, saving time on repetitive tasks.
• 🔍 Holding the Alt/Option key while dragging Curves adjustment sliders can help identify when details start to break, providing more control over tonal adjustments.
• 🖼 The ability to create a PDF presentation from multiple open documents in Photoshop offers a convenient way to compile and present a series of images.
• 🚫 If you need to remove an unwanted object from a perspective-transformed image, use the Vanishing Point filter to create a plane that matches the perspective before cloning.
• 🔄 Photoshop's Transform command with the Shift and Alt/Option keys allows for quick and easy scaling or stretching of images without distorting key elements.
• 📷 For a more natural dodge and burn effect, use the 'Retouch for me' plugin, which can automatically apply these adjustments and save editing time.
• 🌈 The 'Colorize' feature in Neural Filters can be used to change the color of existing photos, even when traditional color correction methods fail.
• 🔧 Utilizing Layer Comps to save different versions of a composition within a single document can be more efficient than relying on the History panel's snapshots.

Q & A

What is the purpose of locking the movement in Photoshop while working on blemishes?

Locking the movement prevents accidental shifting of the entire image or selection when zooming in and working on specific areas, such as removing blemishes, dodging, or burning.

How can you give yourself unlimited color grading options in Photoshop?

You can achieve this by creating an adjustment layer and choosing 'Gradient Map'. You can then experiment with different blend modes and adjust the smoothness and randomness of the colors to explore a wide range of grading options.

What is the fade command in Photoshop and how can it be used?

The fade command allows you to reduce the effect of a tool's action after it has been applied. It works similarly to an undo function but on a slider, enabling you to control the extent of the effect's reduction.

What is the benefit of using the 'adapt to selection' feature in the Piximperfect compositing plugin?

The 'adapt to selection' feature automatically resizes and fits a lower resolution image to the dimensions of a selected area or the entire canvas with a single click, which is particularly useful for quick and precise image placement.

How can you zoom in and out of different layers or elements in Photoshop?

You can hold the Alt (Option on Mac) key and click on a layer or group to zoom into that specific element. To zoom out, you can press Ctrl (Command on Mac) and the zero key to fit the canvas to the screen.

What is the significance of using smart filters in Photoshop?

Smart filters allow for non-destructive editing, meaning you can go back and adjust the filter settings at any time without affecting the original image layer.

How can you use the liquify tool for facial adjustments on the canvas?

In the liquify tool, you can use the 'Face' aware liquify feature to perform adjustments directly on the canvas, such as changing the smile, making the face appear slimmer, or altering facial expressions.

What is the advantage of having two windows for the same document in Photoshop?

Having two windows for the same document allows you to view and work on different parts of the image simultaneously. For example, you can zoom in on one window for detailed work while keeping an overview in the other.

How can you automatically repeat a transformation in Photoshop?

You can repeat a transformation by pressing Ctrl (Command on Mac) + D, which repeats the last transformation. To copy and repeat the transformation, you can use the shortcut Ctrl (Command on Mac) + Alt (Option on Mac) + Shift + T.

How can you create a hole in a shape or text layer to allow for later text changes?

You can achieve this by double-clicking on the text layer to open its properties, navigating to the 'Knockout' section, and changing the setting to 'Shallow'. This will create a hole in the shape that the text layer punches through.

What is the benefit of using the image processor in Photoshop for exporting multiple files?

The image processor allows you to batch export multiple open documents to a specified format, such as JPEG, without having to manually export each one individually, saving significant time and effort.