Photoshop Secrets: 10 Rules I Wish I Knew When I Started

Summary

In this video, the creator shares 10 essential Photoshop secrets and tips that would have been a game-changer when they first started. From working with 16-bit images to ensuring color consistency during exports, the video highlights crucial techniques to avoid common mistakes. Key insights include mastering smart objects, proper masking, converting layers into smart objects, and saving documents securely. The creator also stresses the importance of using cloud documents, not relying solely on autosave, and preventing accidental pixel loss when cropping. Ultimately, these tips are aimed at streamlining workflows and improving overall editing quality in Photoshop.

Takeaways

• 😀 Work in 16-bit color mode to avoid banding in your images, and only switch to 8-bit when exporting.
• 😀 To prevent color shifts during export, always convert your file to sRGB before exporting for web use.
• 😀 When working with raw photos, hold the shift key and click 'Open Object' to open them as smart objects for more flexibility in editing.
• 😀 Group similar layers and use one mask to simplify your workflow and prevent issues like halos around edges.
• 😀 Always convert layers to smart objects before applying filters for non-destructive editing that allows easy adjustments later.
• 😀 Develop the habit of saving your work frequently using 'Ctrl + S' or 'Command + S' to avoid losing progress.
• 😀 Set your Photoshop auto-save recovery settings to the most frequent interval (e.g., 5 minutes) for added security.
• 😀 Use cloud documents for critical projects to ensure that your work is backed up, accessible on multiple devices, and saves version history.
• 😀 Always disable the 'Delete Cropped Pixels' option in the crop tool settings to ensure you can access cropped areas later.
• 😀 Never install beta software on your primary machine, especially if it's a professional setup, to avoid instability and crashes.

Q & A

Why is it important to work in 16-bit mode in Photoshop?

Working in 16-bit mode is recommended to avoid banding in your images, especially when making adjustments. 16-bit mode provides more color information, which helps maintain image quality even after applying multiple adjustments, preventing issues like banding that occur in 8-bit mode.

What should you do if the colors change when exporting a photo from Photoshop?

To prevent color changes when exporting, you should convert the image to the sRGB color space, as web platforms like Instagram and other social media sites support this color profile. This can be done by checking the 'Convert to sRGB' and 'Embed color profile' options when exporting the image.

How can you preserve the flexibility of a raw photo in Photoshop?

You can preserve the flexibility of a raw photo by opening it as a Smart Object in Photoshop. This allows you to make changes in Camera Raw at any time, even after the initial adjustments, and it keeps your edits non-destructive.

What is the benefit of using smart objects in Photoshop?

Smart objects allow you to apply non-destructive edits, meaning you can always go back and adjust the changes made to filters or adjustments like Camera Raw. This flexibility helps you tweak your image without permanently altering the original pixels.

What is the purpose of using the shortcut for converting layers to Smart Objects?

Assigning a shortcut for converting layers to Smart Objects streamlines your workflow, allowing you to quickly apply non-destructive edits. This prevents you from making irreversible changes and gives you more control over your adjustments.

Why should you avoid relying solely on Photoshop's autosave feature?

While autosave is useful, it’s important to develop the habit of regularly saving your work manually (using Command/Control + S) to ensure your progress is always backed up. Relying solely on autosave can be risky in case the software crashes unexpectedly.

How can you protect your work from data loss or corruption in Photoshop?

To protect your work from data loss, save your files to both local and cloud storage. Saving your document as a PSD locally and then using Photoshop's cloud storage ensures that your files are backed up and accessible from any device, with version history included.

What is the significance of the 'Delete Cropped Pixels' setting in Photoshop?

The 'Delete Cropped Pixels' setting removes the cropped areas of an image permanently. If you want to retain the ability to re-crop or recover the cropped areas later, make sure to turn off this setting before starting your edits.

Why is it risky to install beta software on a production machine?

Installing beta software on a production machine can lead to instability or crashes. If the beta software has bugs, it could cause your other software, including stable versions of Photoshop, to malfunction, affecting your workflow and productivity.

How can you paste a copied element in the exact same position on a new document in Photoshop?

To paste a copied element in the exact same position, use the shortcut Command/Control + Shift + V. This will paste the element in the same location as it was in the original document, which is especially helpful for maintaining alignment and consistency across different projects.