Photoshop

swiftflo

swiftflo

Messages
1,336
Name
Peter
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi all,

I am struggling with Photoshop, can anyone help will a book tutorial. I got one from Amazon but it did not refer to my latest edition of photoshop.
I found the online tutorials are okay if you have 2 screens, one to refer to and one to work on.
 
swiftflo said:
Hi all,

I am struggling with Photoshop, can anyone help will a book tutorial. I got one from Amazon but it did not refer to my latest edition of photoshop.
I found the online tutorials are okay if you have 2 screens, one to refer to and one to work on.
Click to expand...
What is it that you are trying to do?

With Photoshop you need to decide on a particular task and then learn how to do that. And then learn another task.

As far as books are concerned, I have always found the Scott Kelby books easy to follow.
 
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j crossley said:
What is it that you are trying to do?

With Photoshop you need to decide on a particular task and then learn how to do that. And then learn another task.

As far as books are concerned, I have always found the Scott Kelby books easy to follow.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your reply, will investigate those. I am trying to blur a background to an image, I am nearly there but not quite. looked at some video's on it but somehow still cannot get it.
 
Another thumbs up for Scott Kelby books. Glyn Dewis's books are also really good and his Youtube Channel is a treasure trove.
 
The Adobe videos are also good as they tend to feature a particular operation or set of controls.

Dave
 
I always liked Martin Evening's Photoshop for Photographers. My copy is for some prehistoric version of PS, but there's a current edition in print today:

Adobe Photoshop CC for Photographers

The Adobe Photoshop CC for Photographers book
www.photoshopforphotographers.com
www.routledge.com

Adobe Photoshop 2020 for Photographers

Adobe Photoshop 2020 for Photographers by acclaimed digital imaging professional Martin Evening has been revamped to include detailed instruction for all of the updates to Photoshop on Adobe’s Creative Cloud, including significant new features such as Cloud document saving, the new Content-Area...
www.routledge.com www.routledge.com
Here the same author explains one way of adding background blur, using a recently added filter:
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk

How to use Photoshop's new background blur tool

How effective is the new instant background-blur tool in Photoshop? Photoshop expert Martin Evening checks out the new Neural Filter
www.amateurphotographer.co.uk www.amateurphotographer.co.uk
 
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When in Photoshop ( Not Bridge) press Ctrl F on Windows - drops down a panel with a comprehensive list of tutorials you can access- which has a search box as well as a drop down menu

Like this
Dz3tXt6.jpg


I also recommend this chap- https://www.youtube.com/c/PiXimperfect


Les :)
 
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Lez325 said:
When in Photoshop ( Not Bridge) press Ctrl F on Windows - drops down a panel with a comprehensive list of tutorials you can access- which has a search box as well as a drop down menu

Like this
Dz3tXt6.jpg


I also recommend this chap- https://www.youtube.com/c/PiXimperfect


Les :)
Click to expand...

Well I'll be b******d, that s absolutely brilliant , its hidden gem in PS I never new existed
Thanks a million

Chris:plus1:
 
swiftflo said:
Thanks for your reply, will investigate those. I am trying to blur a background to an image, I am nearly there but not quite. looked at some video's on it but somehow still cannot get it.
Click to expand...
Select the subject- using the quick selection tool then right click the mouse on the image and invert selection- select Blur from the drop down Filters menu and adjust the amount of Blur, simple enough :)

Like this

With out BG Blur

AoP99Xp.jpg



With BG Blur ( over the top to demonstrate my technique)

PmoComO.jpg



Hope this helps?

Les :)
 
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Thank you all.

@Lez325 think I must be getting thick in my old age. I have tried your method but after selection my right click does nothing.
 
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With my ancient CS5 the blur doesn't get me anywhere near as good an effect, it does some blur but it's rather subtle compared to that rather extreme effect. I suppose they must have turbo charged it for newer versions.
 
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swiftflo said:
Thank you all.

@Lez325 think I must be getting thick in my old age. I have tried your method but after selection my right click does nothing.
Click to expand...


Ok 1st question
1. Are you selecting the original layer ?
2. Are you selecting an image in RAW, PSD or JPG?

The right click should work if you are selection the base layer in the image (usually at the bottom of the screen ) its named Background

P7aXm4A.jpg


Or maybe your mouse isn't working properly

good tutorial here

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85mbfhQzw1I


Les :)
 
Lez325 said:
Ok 1st question
1. Are you selecting the original layer ?
2. Are you selecting an image in RAW, PSD or JPG?

The right click should work if you are selection the base layer in the image (usually at the bottom of the screen ) its named Background

P7aXm4A.jpg


Or maybe your mouse isn't working properly

good tutorial here

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85mbfhQzw1I


Les :)
Click to expand...
Yes I am selecting the background layer and the image is jpeg. I am using photoshop 2021.Using a trackpad, but have tried with mouse with the same result.
 
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swiftflo said:
Yes I am selecting the background layer and the image is jpeg. I am using photoshop 2021.Using a trackpad, but have tried with mouse with the same result.
Click to expand...
You are right-clicking on the actual image aren't you.
 
There is no need to invert the selection if you are using Select and Mask.

If you would be so kind as to post the image that you are working on I will try and explain what you need to do.
 
j crossley said:
There is no need to invert the selection if you are using Select and Mask.

If you would be so kind as to post the image that you are working on I will try and explain what you need to do.
Click to expand...
Okay here we go.
I just think the BG is messy.
 

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Open the image in Photoshop and then duplicate the Background layer twice.

Name the Middle Layer “Gaussian Blur” and the top layer “Select and Mask”

Now make the Background Layer and Gaussian Blur layer invisible by clicking on the EYE icon, and then select the “Select and Mask” layer.

From the Select Menu click on Select and Mask. Make sure that the VIEW mode is set to ONION SKIN ad set the TRANSPARENCY to about 50%. (These are at the top of the Properties panel)

From the TOOLS pallet on the left select the forth tool down (the square with the arrow), and then draw a rectangle over the the head and shoulders of the woman on the left. Then click on REFINE HAIR, also adjust the REFINE EDGE sliders on the right, but only by small amounts, until you are happy with the result. You will then need to paint out any anomalies that have occurred in the masking using the third brush down in the tools pallet. This needs to be set to MINUS. Using this brush won’t automatically affect any other parts of the image as the other brushes will.

Now you need to select the LASSO tool and draw around the inside of the woman’s body, as close to the edge as you can. Once the selection is complete it will automatically fill in. All you need to do now is paint around the edge of her body with the first brush - the one at the top of the pallet. If you select something that you don’t want to be selected just switch the brush to MINUS and paint over the part that you want to remove.

You will just have to keep refining the edges until you are happy with them. If the brush at the top of the pallet keeps selecting items that you don’t want selected then use the third brush down.

Once you are happy with that repeat the process on the woman on the right of the image.

Now change the OUTPUT to Layer Mask - this is at the bottom of the properties panel on the righthand side of the screen - and click OK. There will now be a layer mask added to the Select and Mask layer.

Now select the Gaussian Blur layer and make it visible again by clicking on the EYE icon.

From the FILTER Menu navigate to BLUR > GAUSSIAN BLUR and adjust the slider as required.

Any anomalies can be tidy up by painting on the layer mask.


You will be able to achieve much better results by using the full size image.

Screenshot 2021-09-19 at 17.14.47.jpg
 
j crossley said:
Open the image in Photoshop and then duplicate the Background layer twice.

Name the Middle Layer “Gaussian Blur” and the top layer “Select and Mask”

Now make the Background Layer and Gaussian Blur layer invisible by clicking on the EYE icon, and then select the “Select and Mask” layer.

From the Select Menu click on Select and Mask. Make sure that the VIEW mode is set to ONION SKIN ad set the TRANSPARENCY to about 50%. (These are at the top of the Properties panel)

From the TOOLS pallet on the left select the forth tool down (the square with the arrow), and then draw a rectangle over the the head and shoulders of the woman on the left. Then click on REFINE HAIR, also adjust the REFINE EDGE sliders on the right, but only by small amounts, until you are happy with the result. You will then need to paint out any anomalies that have occurred in the masking using the third brush down in the tools pallet. This needs to be set to MINUS. Using this brush won’t automatically affect any other parts of the image as the other brushes will.

Now you need to select the LASSO tool and draw around the inside of the woman’s body, as close to the edge as you can. Once the selection is complete it will automatically fill in. All you need to do now is paint around the edge of her body with the first brush - the one at the top of the pallet. If you select something that you don’t want to be selected just switch the brush to MINUS and paint over the part that you want to remove.

You will just have to keep refining the edges until you are happy with them. If the brush at the top of the pallet keeps selecting items that you don’t want selected then use the third brush down.

Once you are happy with that repeat the process on the woman on the right of the image.

Now change the OUTPUT to Layer Mask - this is at the bottom of the properties panel on the righthand side of the screen - and click OK. There will now be a layer mask added to the Select and Mask layer.

Now select the Gaussian Blur layer and make it visible again by clicking on the EYE icon.

From the FILTER Menu navigate to BLUR > GAUSSIAN BLUR and adjust the slider as required.

Any anomalies can be tidy up by painting on the layer mask.


You will be able to achieve much better results by using the full size image.

View attachment 330506
Click to expand...
Wow thanks for all your trouble, will try it again tomorrow.
 
j crossley said:
Open the image in Photoshop and then duplicate the Background layer twice.

Name the Middle Layer “Gaussian Blur” and the top layer “Select and Mask”

Now make the Background Layer and Gaussian Blur layer invisible by clicking on the EYE icon, and then select the “Select and Mask” layer.

From the Select Menu click on Select and Mask. Make sure that the VIEW mode is set to ONION SKIN ad set the TRANSPARENCY to about 50%. (These are at the top of the Properties panel)

From the TOOLS pallet on the left select the forth tool down (the square with the arrow), and then draw a rectangle over the the head and shoulders of the woman on the left. Then click on REFINE HAIR, also adjust the REFINE EDGE sliders on the right, but only by small amounts, until you are happy with the result. You will then need to paint out any anomalies that have occurred in the masking using the third brush down in the tools pallet. This needs to be set to MINUS. Using this brush won’t automatically affect any other parts of the image as the other brushes will.

Now you need to select the LASSO tool and draw around the inside of the woman’s body, as close to the edge as you can. Once the selection is complete it will automatically fill in. All you need to do now is paint around the edge of her body with the first brush - the one at the top of the pallet. If you select something that you don’t want to be selected just switch the brush to MINUS and paint over the part that you want to remove.

You will just have to keep refining the edges until you are happy with them. If the brush at the top of the pallet keeps selecting items that you don’t want selected then use the third brush down.

Once you are happy with that repeat the process on the woman on the right of the image.

Now change the OUTPUT to Layer Mask - this is at the bottom of the properties panel on the righthand side of the screen - and click OK. There will now be a layer mask added to the Select and Mask layer.

Now select the Gaussian Blur layer and make it visible again by clicking on the EYE icon.

From the FILTER Menu navigate to BLUR > GAUSSIAN BLUR and adjust the slider as required.

Any anomalies can be tidy up by painting on the layer mask.


You will be able to achieve much better results by using the full size image.

View attachment 330506
Click to expand...
Yes that certainly works (every now and again) for me, need to practice more. Once again many thanks.
 
Did you try the neural filter thing? I'm intrigued about how well it works, but don't have a remotely recent version of PS to try it with.
 
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