Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part I: Getting Started with Photoshop Elements 13 5
Chapter 1: Getting Started with Image Editing 7
Launching the Photo Editor 7
Making Basic Edits in Quick Mode 9
Sharing a Photo 12
Creating Images from Scratch 14
Retracing Your Steps 17
Using the History panel 17
Reverting to the last save 18
Getting a Helping Hand 19
Saving Files with Purpose 21
Using the Save/Save As dialog box 21
Saving files for the web 23
Chapter 2: Basic Image-Editing Concepts 25
Grappling with the Ubiquitous Pixels 26
Understanding resolution 27
Understanding image dimensions 30
The Art of Resampling 30
Changing image size and resolution 31
Understanding the results of resampling 33
Choosing a Resolution for Print or Onscreen 34
Go Ahead — Make My Mode! 35
Converting to Bitmap mode 36
Converting to Grayscale mode 38
Understanding File Formats 42
File formats at a glance 47
Audio and video formats supported in Elements 49
Getting Familiar with Color 49
Getting Color Right 51
Color the easy way 51
Calibrating your monitor 51
Choosing a color workspace 52
Understanding how profiles work 53
Chapter 3: Exploring the Photo Editor 55
Examining the Photo Editor 55
Examining the image window 59
Uncovering the contextual menus 63
Selecting the tools 63
Selecting from the Tool Options 66
Playing with panels 66
Using the Photo Bin 69
Creating different views of an image 69
Viewing filenames 70
Using Photo Bin Actions 70
Finding Your Bearings in Guided Mode 71
Controlling the Editing Environment 73
Launching and navigating preferences 74
Checking out all the preferences panes 75
Customizing Presets 77
Part II: Managing Media 79
Chapter 4: Navigating the Organizer 81
Organizing Photos and Media on a Hard Drive 82
Adding Images to the Organizer 83
Adding fi les from folders and removable media 83
Downloading camera images with the Elements Downloader 85
Importing additional photos from folders 87
Getting photos from iPhoto (Mac only) 88
Navigating the Media Browser 89
Using a Scanner 90
Understanding image requirements 91
Using scanner plug-ins (Windows) 92
Scanning on the Mac 93
Scanning many photos at a time 94
Phoning in Your Images 95
Setting Organizer Preferences 97
Chapter 5: Organizing Your Pictures 99
Touring the Organizer 99
Organizing Groups of Images with Tags 103
Creating and viewing a tag 103
Adding icons to tags 105
Working with custom tags 106
Working with default tags 108
Working with subcategories 109
Sorting photos according to tags 109
Rating Images with Stars 110
Adding Images to an Album 111
Creating an album 112
Using albums for temporary work 113
Editing an album 114
Finding out more about sharing your albums 114
Adding People in the Media Browser 115
Placing Pictures on Maps 116
Working with Events 118
Chapter 6: Viewing and Finding Your Images 121
Cataloging Files 121
Using the Catalog Manager 122
Working with catalogs 123
Backing up your catalog 124
Backing up photos and fi les (Windows) 126
Switching to a Different View 126
Viewing Photos in a Slide Show 127
Searching for Photos 129
Using Search 130
Searching for untagged items 130
Searching captions and notes 130
Searching by history 131
Searching metadata 131
Searching similarities 133
Grouping Files That Get in the Way 135
Marking fi les as hidden 135
Stacking ’em up 135
Creating versions 137
Part III: Selecting and Correcting Photos 139
Chapter 7: Making and Modifying Selections 141
Defining Selections 141
Creating Rectangular and Elliptical Selections 142
Perfecting squares and circles with Shift and Alt (Option on the Mac) 143
Applying Marquee options 144
Making Freeform Selections with the Lasso Tools 146
Selecting with the Lasso tool 147
Getting straight with the Polygonal Lasso tool 148
Snapping with the Magnetic Lasso tool 149
Working Wizardry with the Magic Wand 152
Talking about Tolerance 152
Wielding the Wand to select 153
Modifying Your Selections 154
Adding to, subtracting from, and intersecting a selection 154
Avoiding key collisions 155
Painting with the Selection Brush 156
Painting with the Quick Selection Tool 158
Fine-Tuning with the Refi ne Selection Brush 160
Working with the Cookie Cutter Tool 161
Eliminating with the Eraser Tools 163
The Eraser tool 163
The Background Eraser tool 164
The Magic Eraser tool 165
Using the Select Menu 165
Selecting all or nothing 166
Reselecting a selection 166
Inversing a selection 166
Feathering a selection 166
Refining the edges of a selection 167
Using the Modify commands 169
Applying the Grow and Similar commands 169
Saving and loading selections 170
Chapter 8: Working with Layers 171
Getting to Know Layers 171
Converting a background to a layer 172
Anatomy of the Layers panel 173
Using the Layer and Select menus 175
Working with Different Layer Types 177
Image layers 177
Adjustment layers 178
Fill layers 180
Shape layers 181
Type layers 182
Tackling Layer Basics 182
Creating a new layer from scratch 182
Using Layer via Copy and Layer via Cut 184
Duplicating layers 184
Dragging and dropping layers 184
Using the Paste into Selection command 185
Moving a Layer’s Content 186
Transforming Layers 187
Adding Layer Masks 188
Flattening and Merging Layers 190
Flattening layers 191
Merging layers 192
Chapter 9: Simple Image Makeovers 193
Cropping and Straightening Images 193
Cutting away with the Crop tool 193
Cropping with a selection border 196
Straightening images 196
Recomposing Images 198
Employing One-Step Auto Fixes 200
Auto Smart Tone 200
Auto Smart Fix 201
Auto Levels 202
Auto Contrast 203
Auto Color Correction 203
Auto Sharpen 204
Auto Red Eye Fix 205
Editing in Quick Mode 206
Fixing Small Imperfections with Tools 210
Cloning with the Clone Stamp tool 210
Retouching with the Healing Brush 212
Zeroing in with the Spot Healing Brush 214
Repositioning with the Content-Aware Move tool 216
Lightening and darkening with Dodge and Burn tools 217
Smudging away rough spots 219
Softening with the Blur tool 221
Focusing with the Sharpen tool 221
Sponging color on and off 223
Replacing one color with another 224
Chapter 10: Correcting Contrast, Color, and Clarity 227
Editing Your Photos Using a Logical Workflow 228
Adjusting Lighting 228
Fixing lighting with Shadows/Highlights 229
Using Brightness/Contrast 230
Pinpointing proper contrast with Levels 230
Adjusting Color 233
Removing color casts automatically 234
Adjusting with Hue/Saturation 235
Eliminating color with Remove Color 236
Switching colors with Replace Color 238
Correcting with Color Curves 239
Adjusting skin tones 241
Defringing layers 242
Adjusting color temperature with photo filters 244
Mapping your colors 245
Adjusting Clarity 246
Removing noise, artifacts, dust, and scratches 247
Blurring when you need to 248
Sharpening for better focus 251
Working Intelligently with the Smart Brush Tools 254
Part IV: Exploring Your Inner Artist 259
Chapter 11: Playing with Filters, Effects, Styles, and More 261
Having Fun with Filters 262
Applying filters 262
Corrective or destructive filters 263
One-step or multistep filters 263
Fading a filter 264
Selectively applying a filter 264
Working in the Filter Gallery 265
Distorting with the Liquify filter 267
Correcting Camera Distortion 269
Exploring Element’s Unique Filters 271
Creating a comic 272
Getting graphic 273
Using the Pen and Ink filter 274
Dressing Up with Photo and Text Effects 275
Adding Shadows, Glows, and More 277
Applying layer styles 277
Working with layer styles 279
Mixing It Up with Blend Modes 280
General blend modes 280
Darken blend modes 281
Lighten blend modes 282
Lighting blend modes 283
Inverter blend modes 284
HSL blend modes 285
Using Photomerge 286
Photomerge Panorama 286
Photomerge Group Shot 289
Photomerge Scene Cleaner 291
Photomerge Exposure 292
Photomerge Compose 295
Chapter 12: Drawing and Painting 299
Choosing Color 299
Working with the Color Picker 300
Dipping into the Color Swatches panel 301
Sampling with the Eyedropper tool 303
Getting Artsy with the Pencil and Brush Tools 304
Drawing with the Pencil tool 304
Painting with the Brush tool 306
Using the Impressionist Brush 307
Creating your own brush 309
Filling and Outlining Selections 310
Fill ’er up 310
Outlining with the Stroke command 311
Splashing on Color with the Paint Bucket Tool 312
Working with Multicolored Gradients 313
Applying a preset gradient 313
Customizing gradients 315
Working with Patterns 317
Applying a preset pattern 318
Creating a new pattern 318
Creating Shapes of All Sorts 319
Drawing a shape 320
Drawing multiple shapes 321
Specifying Geometry options 321
Editing shapes 323
Chapter 13: Working with Type 325
Understanding Type Basics 325
Tools 326
Modes 326
Formats 327
Creating Point Type 327
Creating Paragraph Type 329
Creating Path Type 330
Using the Text On Selection tool 330
Using the Text On Shape tool 331
Using the Text On Custom Path tool 333
Specifying Type Options 333
Editing Text 336
Simplifying Type 337
Masking with Type 338
Stylizing and Warping Type 340
Adjusting type opacity 340
Applying filters to your type 340
Painting your type with color and gradients 341
Warping your type 342
Part V: Printing, Creating, and Sharing 345
Chapter 14: Getting It on Paper 347
Getting Pictures Ready for Printing 348
Working with Color Printer Profiles 349
Printing a photo with the printer managing color 350
Printing a photo with Elements managing color 356
Printing a picture package or contact sheet 358
Getting Familiar with the Print Dialog Box 360
Using Page Setup 362
Creating transfers, borders, and more with More Options 362
Chapter 15: Sharing Your Work 363
Getting Familiar with the Elements Sharing Options 363
Planning ahead 364
Understanding photo sharing in Elements 365
Working with Adobe Revel 366
Knowing what Adobe Revel offers you 367
Downloading the Adobe Revel applications 367
Understanding the Adobe Revel interface 368
Editing a photo with Adobe Revel 368
Sharing photos with Adobe Revel 371
Downloading images from Adobe Revel 371
Using the Share Panel 372
Emailing photos 373
Working with Adobe Premiere Elements 375
Sharing your photos on social networks 375
Chapter 16: Making Creations 379
Checking Out the Create Panel 379
Creating Facebook Cover Images 380
Grasping Creation-Assembly Basics 382
Creating a Slide Show 386
Creating a PDF Slide Show 388
Making Additional Creations 389
Part VI: The Part of Tens 391
Chapter 17: Ten Tips for Composing Better Photos 393
Find a Focal Point 393
Use the Rule of Thirds 394
Cut the Clutter 394
Frame Your Shot 395
Employ Contrast 395
Experiment with Viewpoints 395
Use Leading Lines 396
Use Light 396
Give Direction 397
Consider Direction of Movement 398
Chapter 18: Ten More Project Ideas 399
Screen Savers 399
Flyers, Ads, and Online Auctions 400
Clothes, Hats, and More 402
Posters 402
Household and Business Inventories 402
Project Documentation 403
School Reports and Projects 403
Blogs 403
Wait — There’s More 403
Index 405
Barbara Obermeier is principal of Obermeier Design, a California-based design studio, and a faculty member at Brooks Institute. Ted Padova is an internationally-recognized authority on Adobe Acrobat, PDF, and digital imaging.
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