Ah, this is an easy post, but in a way it isn’t. I’ve done tutorials before, but this isn’t a tutorial at all. It’s a simple message to all you photo buffs out there.
Here’s the steps involved…..
- Open a book.
- Start learning about Photoshop!
- Open your Photoshop program!
- Start practicing!
- Oh, yeah, experiment, experiment, experiment!
There’s today’s Photoshop talk in a nutshell. Not very useful, eh? Actually it is, and I’ll tell you why…..
I bought the Adobe Suite of design products so many moons ago. Why did I get it? Adobe Illustrator. See, I used that program to help generate cycling maps. The suite came with InDesign & Photoshop as well. InDesign I’ve used many times, used to generate articles and books…..I knew the value of the program. I also knew the value of Photoshop, but I never really knew how to use it.
Everybody knows Photoshop is a powerful tool. But it’s a hard program to figure out on your own. There’s so much in there, and the amateur doesn’t even know where to start. So my copy of Photoshop always sat idle. It was used for cropping, for a little editing here and there, but it was never leveraged like Illustrator and InDesign. What a shame!
I’d often make the excuse, “I don’t believe in photo editing. What you shot it what you shot. This digital editing thing isn’t so positive.” You wouldn’t believe the number of comments from other photographers I’ve heard about Photoshop saying the same thing. Now I ask them if they really understand Photoshop, and every time I find out they don’t. Ah, those of us playing the sour grapes game…..we’ve missed out on more than we ever suspected!
When I started considering HDR I knew that more knowledge would be required. Heck, when I started shooting with a serious intent I knew I’d need more information. So I started my journey into really getting a handle on digital imaging. Photoshop was in my future.
Before HDR I went to the basics. Kelby’s Photoshop Lightroom Book, the 7 Point System, and finally the Photoshop for Digital Photographers book. So glad Scott Kelby is out there. He not only makes it easy, he helps you to understand what it is you’re doing. Oh, and also Ben Wilmore’s DVDs are invaluable. I’d recommend anything by either of these guys!
After gathering up all that information and really learning Photoshop I sat down to understand HDR further. And understanding the technique was made easier by everything else I learned. Plus knowing Photoshop has allowed me to take the initial shots further. It’s that simple.
So, the Photoshop tip for the day is simple. Learn it, use it, experiment with it, and then repeat the whole sequence. Heck, I’ll be learning forever.