Step-by-Step Easy Photo Editing Tricks in Photoshop
1. Adjusting Brightness and Contrast
Step 1: Open your image in Photoshop.
Step 2: Navigate to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast.
Step 3: Use the sliders to adjust the brightness and contrast levels of your photo. A higher brightness value will lighten your image, while contrast will deepen shadows and brighten highlights.
Step 4: Click OK to apply the changes.
2. Cropping for Composition
Step 1: Select the Crop Tool from the toolbar or press C.
Step 2: Drag the crop handles to select the part of the image you want to keep.
Step 3: Use the grid overlay for optimal composition, following the Rule of Thirds or Golden Ratio (enable through the View menu).
Step 4: Press Enter to crop your image.
3. Removing Unwanted Elements
Step 1: Select the Spot Healing Brush Tool from the toolbar.
Step 2: Adjust the brush size as necessary for the object you want to remove.
Step 3: Click on the unwanted element. The tool automatically samples surrounding pixels to fill the area.
Step 4: For larger areas, consider using the Patch Tool. Select the area, drag it to a similar-looking patch, and release.
4. Enhancing Colors
Step 1: Navigate to Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation.
Step 2: Check the “Colorize” box to change the entire image’s hue. Adjust the Hue slider to select a color, and then tweak Saturation and Lightness.
Step 3: For localized changes, use the Quick Selection Tool to isolate an area before applying Hue/Saturation adjustments.
5. Sharpening the Image
Step 1: Go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask.
Step 2: Adjust the Amount slider to whatever looks visually appealing (typically between 100% to 200%).
Step 3: Set the Radius to a low value (1.0–2.0 pixels) to maintain quality without introducing noise.
Step 4: Preview your image to ensure it sharpens without artifacts, then click OK.
6. Creating a Vignette Effect
Step 1: Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool from the toolbar.
Step 2: Hold Shift and drag to create a circular selection around the focal point.
Step 3: Invert the selection by pressing Shift + Ctrl + I.
Step 4: Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast and decrease the brightness for the edges.
Step 5: Deselect by pressing Ctrl + D.
7. Adding Text
Step 1: Select the Type Tool from the toolbar.
Step 2: Click on the canvas and type your desired text.
Step 3: Highlight the text to adjust font type, size, and alignment in the options bar at the top.
Step 4: Move the text layer as needed using the Move Tool.
8. Applying Filters
Step 1: Go to the Filter Gallery from the Filter menu.
Step 2: Choose a filter from the list, such as Oil Paint or Watercolor, and adjust the settings.
Step 3: Click OK to apply the filter when you’re satisfied with the effect.
Step 4: Create a duplicate layer before applying to retain the original image.
9. Using Adjustment Layers
Step 1: Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer.
Step 2: Select an adjustment type (e.g., Levels, Curves).
Step 3: The new adjustment layer will appear in the Layers panel; you can double-click on it to modify.
Step 4: Use layer masks to apply adjustments selectively without affecting the entire image.
10. Cloning to Fix Images
Step 1: Select the Clone Stamp Tool from the toolbar and adjust its size.
Step 2: Hold Alt and click on the area you want to sample.
Step 3: Release Alt and paint over the area you want to fix, replicating the sampled pixels.
Step 4: Adjust the opacity of the clone layer for a smoother blend if necessary.
11. Utilizing Layer Masks
Step 1: Select the layer you want to mask.
Step 2: Click on the Add Layer Mask icon at the bottom of the Layers panel.
Step 3: Paint with black on the mask to hide parts of the layer, or white to reveal them.
Step 4: Use gradients for smooth transitions in visibility.
12. Basic Retouching with Frequency Separation
Step 1: Duplicate your image layer twice. Rename the duplicate layers as “Low Frequency” and “High Frequency.”
Step 2: Select the “Low Frequency” layer and apply a Gaussian Blur via Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur, focusing on smoothing skin tones.
Step 3: On the “High Frequency” layer, apply the Image > Apply Image technique, using the “Low Frequency” layer as a reference.
Step 4: Adjust and retouch if necessary, creating a more refined skin texture.
13. Save for Web
Step 1: Navigate to File > Export > Save for Web (Legacy).
Step 2: Choose the desired file format (JPEG/PNG) based on your needs.
Step 3: Adjust quality settings, ensuring to balance size and quality for faster load times.
Step 4: Click Save to store your optimized image.
14. Smart Objects for Non-Destructive Editing
Step 1: Right-click on the image layer in the Layers panel.
Step 2: Click Convert to Smart Object.
Step 3: Apply filters non-destructively, meaning you can edit or remove them later by double-clicking the filter effect in the Layers panel.
Step 4: Resize your Smart Object freely without losing quality.
15. Using Actions for Automated Edits
Step 1: Open the Actions panel (Window > Actions).
Step 2: Click the Create New Action button at the bottom.
Step 3: Name your action and click Record.
Step 4: Perform the editing tasks you want to automate, then click Stop when finished.
Step 5: Run your action on other photos by selecting it and hitting the Play button.
By following these easy photo editing tricks in Photoshop, you’ll be able to transform your images to a professional standard, engage your audience, and streamline your editing process. Each method introduces flexibility and creativity, enhance your workflow, and assist in creating stunning visual content, making your editing experience not just efficient, but enjoyable.
