Saturday, January 24, 2009

Conquer Photoshop at an Elementary level

By David Peters

When it comes to editing digital photography, there is hardly a photo-editor which is as effective and as diverse as Photoshop is. However, given the plethora of options it offers and the myriad functions it is loaded with, Photoshop may not always be the most amiable software to grapple with as a beginner in fact, working your way around some of Photoshop's more complicated maneuvers may be a very daunting task and is even disheartening if you aren't too conversant with the way this software functions. And to combat this disadvantage that many novices around the world have to deal with, Adobe has devised and developed a more scaled down version of its full-fledged software, which is aptly named Photoshop Elements.

As the name suggests, Photoshop Elements allows you, the user, several of the most enticing features that Photoshop has to offer, without being bogged down by an overload of functions and techniques. And yet, it is still proficient and flexible enough to allow you your creative freedom, without making the process frustratingly simple. This software is a very popular choice with amateur photographers and digital imaging enthusiasts who are working their way up to the more complicated editing tools. The software has been designed bearing in mind the core elements of Adobe Photoshop and leaves out the editing tools only professionals have use for. It includes an efficient photo-editor, an integrated photo-organizer and a number of templates and themes you can use to correct and enhance your digital images.

Photoshop Elements also facilitates the process of editing by letting you accomplish some of the more common functions of photo-editing, with just one simple function, instead of having to plod through endless steps and routines. For instance, one of the most common problems that plague a majority of photographers is the red-eye effect, which ruins the best of photographs by cropping up at the most inopportune of moments. Getting rid of this effect can be very tedious with Photoshop per SE, but with Photoshop Elements, you can use the automatic Red Eye Removal feature and let the software do the laboring for you. Even better, the Quick-Fix functions let you crop images and adjust the light and color with the Auto Smart Fix and the Auto Contrast and Crop options, while also letting to take a look at the before and after versions.

Photoshop Elements also segregates its tools on the basis of the function they are designed to fulfill, so that the apprehension of wandering through a maze of options and selections is done away with. you can simply browse through the selection of tools offered under the 'Organize', 'Fix', 'Create' and 'Share Photos' categories based on what you're looking to do with your photographs. The process of selection is brilliantly simplified with the user having to simply paint over the desired section of the image and letting the selection tool carve out the edges by itself. And if you're looking for finer precision, you can also use the 'Refine Edge' dialog to smooth, contract or expand the selection edge.

You can also convert your colored images to vintage black and white souvenirs, choose from the array of styles that Elements offers and even adjust the intensity as per the effect you want to achieve. The 'Organize' section has an incredibly useful feature called 'Smart Albums' which let you pick out the images you've edited on a particular date or even the one's you've captured with a specific camera. Elements also makes it a lot easier to navigate through the software with the more prominent and larger icons it offers, while the astounding number of add-ons and tutorials you can find off the internet, make it an comprehensive and resourceful software to work with.

And once you're satisfied with the magnum opus you've created, you will obviously want to showcase it in a way that's just as spectacular. And to do this, Elements lets you pack your images into slides hows, display them in web-galleries and even print them out on contact sheets. You can also click and drop a frame of your choice, or even a background, from the eclectic assortment that Elements has in store.

Photoshop Elements gives you a very helpful start when you first venture into the world of digital image editing. However, Photoshop has its own brand of loyalists who will insist that you cannot afford to opt for anything less than the all-inclusive version. And if you in a quandary about which side the grass is greener on, simply visit the Photoshop website and download trial versions of both varieties. Although time-bound, they do allow you a complete insight into the software and what it is capable of, giving you a comprehensive picture to base your selection on. So once you know the limits which you can scale with digital editing, why wait any longer? Download your trial versions, or take the plunge and invest in the software today and watch your images look more stunning than you could have ever pictured them as. - 16738

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