Adobe Photoshop (CS2)

Basic Techniques for Photographs

Jeanne Le Ber
Education Librarian
801-585-6744
jeannele@lib.med.utah.edu
September 2006
Using Adobe Photoshop (CS2) to Edit Scanned Images

Tutorial Exercise One - Basics

For this exercise you will start with a scanned photograph and make typical
kinds of adjustments. You will learn to use a variety of tools & functions including
! Crop, Measure
! Rotate
! Zoom
! Variations

1. Open Adobe Photoshop

Path: Start > Programs > Adobe Photoshop CS2

2. Open picture of girl and ball

Path: File > Open > Desktop > Adobe Class > Exercise 1 > Photo_album_scan.jpg

3. Working with the picture. Before doing any adjustments to the picture use the Save As
command and save the picture to the desktop with the file name <girl&ball.jpg> using
default settings. The picture has been scanned upside down along with another picture that
was on the same page. We are going to select and crop the picture of the girl.

HINT: When scanning a picture from a book it sometimes helps to put a black sheet of paper
behind the page to avoid any bleeding through.

a) Click on the Crop Tool.

b) Drag from the upper left corner of the picture of the girl to the lower right corner. Include
some of the border.

c) Press the Enter key to Crop the selected image.

d) If you did not select well, use the Edit / Undo

command and select again. (keyboard command Ctrl – Z)

e) The scanned picture is slightly crooked. Use the

Measure Tool to straighten the photograph.
Click and hold on the Measure Tool and drag from the
lower left corner to the lower right corner. Try
to drag along the edge as precisely as possible.
(The Measure Tool is located under the Eyedropper Tool. A > in the lower corner of any tool
indicates additional tools are available. Click and hold on the tool to see more options. )

f) Path: Image > Rotate Canvas > Arbitrary. Click in the radio button CW for clockwise
rotation. Click OK to rotate the picture.

g) Crop the picture again; this time make a selection that is just inside the border of the picture.

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h) To flip the picture right-side-up
Path: Image > Rotate Canvas, then 180 . Now the girl is right side up.

i) Path: File > Save

Correcting the Exposure and Color Balance

When correcting for exposure and color it’s helpful to have the original picture in font of you.
Since we do not have the original picture, use your best judgment.

The scanned picture looks very dark.

1) Use the Zoom Tool to make the image 100%. Click on the Zoom Tool, then click on the
image. Every time you click with the Zoom Tool the image gets a little larger. To reduce the
size of the image, hold down the ALT key (note that a minus sign appears in the center of the
magnifying glass), and Click to reduce the size of the image.

You can also use the Navigator palette to zoom.

(Located in the upper right corner.)

2. Path: Image > Adjustments > Variations.

The Variations window appears.
a) The two picture in the upper left are the Original (note: you can click the original to reset
the image) and the Current Pick (what the picture looks like with adjustments).
b) The three pictures to the right adjust for brightness and include the options for Lighter
and Darker. The Current Pick in the center reflects the change for lighter or darker.
c) The seven pictures in the center adjust for color and provide a way to correct color with
the Current Pick in the center. The pictures surrounding the Current Pick allow for
adjustments and show how the picture would look if you changed a color level in that
direction (for example, More Green, More Yellow, More Cyan, More Red, More Blue,
More Magenta) You can also effect Shadows, Midtones, and Highlights, and allow for
more or less Saturation by using the radio buttons. EXPERIMENT with these
features.

Be sure the <girl&ball> window is the active window before proceeding. If it is not, then
close the Variations window, click on the <girl&ball> window and then re-select
Image > Adjustments > Variations.

3. Adjust brightness by clicking on the pictures labeled Lighter and Darker on the right-hand
side. Keep comparing the Current Pick (top row) to the reference picture.

4. Adjust color by evaluating whether any of the color variations are closer to the colors of the
reference picture. Pick a color variant or stick with the current setting. Use you own
judgement and color sense.

5. Click OK when you are satisfied with color and brightness. This closes the Variations
window. If you are not happy with your choices, then choose Edit > Undo Variations and
start over again or you can click on the original picture in this window.

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6. Another way to do these adjustments is to select Image > Adjustments> Auto Levels and
allow the system to make the adjustments for you. Sometimes this is adequate and
sometimes not. Again, use your color sense.

Brightness/Contrast
Increasing contrast makes the light areas lighter and the dark areas darker; decreasing it makes
the light areas darker and the dark areas lighter.

From the menu select Image >Adjustments >Brightness/Contrast

Click on the slider to adjust the
<girl&ball> picture. Experiment.
When you are satisfied with the
look then click OK and Save your
work.

NOTE: Having Preview selected

allows you to see the change in
your picture.

Path: File > Save and File > Close the picture.

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Tutorial Exercise Two- Retouching Photos

Open the photograph of the gondola.

Path: File > Open > Desktop >
Adobe Class > Exercise 2 > Start06.psd

1. Path: File > Save As > Gondola

2. Crop the image

Select the Crop tool
Drag to select an area around the image

3. Straighten the image

! Move the pointer outside the selected
area and "swing" clockwise until one
edge of the crop box is parallel with
the image.
! Use the pointer to fit the crop box to
the picture. Drag in and out on the
crop box handles to accomplish.
! Press Enter key to crop and straighten
the picture.

4. Adjust the tonal rang

The tonal range of an image represents the amount of contrast or detail in the image. It
represents the amount of white and black in the picture.

Path: Image> Adjustments> Levels

Notice the histogram in the dialog box.

The black triangle represents the shadows
while the white triangle represents the
highlights. This graph indicates that there
are no very dark or very light colors. You
can adjust the black and white points of
the image to extend its tonal range.

Drag the dark and light triangles inward

to where the histogram indicates the
darkest and lightest colors begin.
Click OK to apply the change.

5. Path: File > Save Shadows Midtones Highlights

(black) (grays) (whites)

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6. Removing a color cast (or imbalances of color)
You will use Color Balance to correct the color cast.

Path: Image > Adjustments > Color Balance

Drag the top slider to the left (-15) Drag the middle slider to the right (+8)

Click OK to apply the changes to the

Color Balance.

EXPERIMENT with the various

choices including the Tone Balance.
(Shadows, Midtones, Highlights)
Having Preview checked allows you
to view changes to the picture as you
work. This is similar to variations.

7. Path: File > Save

Replacing colors in an image

Options in the Replace Color command's dialog box allow you to adjust the hue, saturation,
and lightness components of a selected area of the image. It helps to zoom in on the area
where you want to effect a change.

In this case, you want to change the color of the tarp in the
gondola in the bottom right corner of the image from
mud-orange to hunter green.
a) In the Layers palette, select the Background
b) Use the Zoom tool to zoom in on the tarp
c) Select the rectangular marquee and drag around the tarp
d) Path: Image > Adjustments > Replace Color
e) Click the left Eyedropper Tool in the Replace Color
dialog box, and click once on the orange tarp to select it
f) Then select the center Add to Sample eyedropper tool,
and click over other areas of the tarp until the
entire tarp is highlighted in white in the dialog box.
g) Make the following adjustments: Fuzziness = 61 ;
Hue = 149 ; Saturation = -17 ; Lightness = -39
(Note that the color displays in the sample square.
For different colors, experiment with different settings.)
Click OK to apply changes.
h) Path: Select >Deselect
i) Return picture to 100% by double clicking in the
Zoom tool in the tool bar.
j) Path: File >Save.

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Sponge tool - Adjusting saturation
When you change the saturation of a color, you adjust its strength or purity. The Sponge Tool is
useful in letting you make subtle saturation changes to specific areas of an image. We will use the
sponge tool on the red and white stripped tarp covering the main gondola in the picture.

1. Hold down the mouse button on the Dodge Tool

and select the Sponge Tool.

2. From Sponge Tools options select:

Brush: Soft round 17 pixels
Mode: Saturate
Flow: 90%

3. Drag the Sponge Tool back and forth over the

gondola to saturate the color.
(Use Desaturate to reverse the process.)

Dodge Tool - Adjusting lightness

Use the Dodge Tool to lighten the highlights along the
gondola's hull and exaggerate the reflection of the water there.

1. Select Dodge Tool (its under the Sponge Tool)

Brush: Soft round 13 pixels
Range: Highlights (midtones; shadows)
Exposure: 50%
2. Drag the Dodge Tool back and forth over the gondola's
hull to bring out its highlights.
3. Path: File > Save

Clone Stamp Tool -- Removing unwanted objects

Use the Clone Stamp Tool to remove an object or area by "cloning" an area of the image over the
area you want to eliminate.

1. Select the Zoom Tool; zoom in on the small motor boat

in the center of the picture.
2. Select the Clone Stamp Tool
Brush: Soft round 13 pixels
Mode: Normal
Opacity: 100%
Flow: 100%
Aligned: deselected
3. Center the Clone Stamp Tool over the water
between the large gondola and the post
4. Hold down the ALT key and click this section of water.
5. Drag the Clone Stamp Tool over the boat to paint over
it with water.
6. Path: File > Save

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Replacing part of an image
The sky is fairly drab and overcast in this photograph. You will replace it with a more interesting
sky from another file.

1. Select the Magic Wand Tool. Click to select part of the sky.
2. Hold down Shift key and click the rest of the sky to select it.

3. You will now open another file that is just a picture of clouds.
Path: File > Open > Desktop > Exercise 2 > Clouds.psd

4. Path: Select > All; then choose Edit > Copy. Close the Clouds.psd file.

5. Return to the picture of the gondola. Choose Edit > Paste Into to past the clouds into the
current selection. Notice that a new layer has been added to the Layers palette.

6. Use the Move Tool and drag the clouds into the position you want.

7. Change the Opacity of the cloud layer to 55% using the Layers Palette. A lower
percentage will soften the look of the clouds; a higher percentage will make the clouds
stand out.

8. Choose File > Save

Adding Text
! Select the Horizontal Type Tool (T)
! Click the gondola image in the upper right corner
! Note that a text layer now appears in the Layers Palette.
! Font and font size and color selection choices appear in the "T" tool bar (reproduced below).
! Type Venice Is the Place. The text is automatically placed on the picture.
! Reposition the text using the Move Tool.
! Notice that the Layers palette now includes a layer named Venice with a T icon next to the
name, indicating it is a type layer.

Adding a Layer Style

! Path: Layer > Layer
Style > Blending
Options
! EXPERIMENT by
clicking in the various
boxes and making
choices.

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Warp Text
1. Path: Create warped text > Style > Arch
Bend: +4
Horizontal Distortion: -12
Vertical Distortion: -4
2. Type other numbers for bend, horizontal
distortion, vertical distortion and other styles.
3. Experiment!

Flatten image into a single layer.

1. Path: Layer > Flatten Image (notice that the layers have been removed)
2. Path: File > Save As. In the dialog box, type a new filename <gondola2>, select the
appropriate Format (jpg, tif, pict, etc.) and click Save.

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Working with a LOGO

The goal in this short exercise is to take a logo and make a modification to it. As an example, we
will use the U Caduceus logo and add a circle around it.

Go to the Health Sciences Center Office of Public Affairs image gallery page at:
http://www.med.utah.edu/pubaffairs/imagegallery/

Scroll until you see the U Caduceus.

Right click on the U Caduceus image and Save Image As …
Save image to the desktop as U_Caduceus.gif

Open PhotoShop and navigate to:

File > Open > Desktop > U_Caduceus

You notice that you don’t have any room on the

canvas for drawing. To create more canvas -
Image > Canvas Size
Change the Width and Height to 4 inches and
then press OK. This gives you an area when you
can draw or type text.

Use the Eyedropper Tool to

select the red color from the
logo and use as the foreground
color.

Select the Elliptical Marquee

Tool – hold down the Shift key
and then draw a circle around
the logo. You can move the
circle for better placement – just
click on the circle and drag.

Path: Edit > Stroke

Width 5
Click OK

Select > Deselect

File > Save or Save As

(Note: If you want to save the image as a jpeg, then do Image > Mode > RGB Color before
doing a save as.)

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Resolution
Image Resolution--the number of pixels per unit of length in an image; measured in pixels per
inch (ppi). An image with a high resolution has more pixels and therefore a larger file size.

Monitor Resolution--the number of pixels per unit of length on a monitor; usually measured in
dots per inch (dpi).

Printer or Output Resolution--the number of dots per inch produced by an image setter or laser
printer. Higher resolution printers combined with higher resolution images generally produce the
best quality.

Photoshop Tools

Go to Adobe Online ..….........

Rectangular Marquee..…….... ..... Move

Lasso .......................……....... ..... Magic wand

Crop ......……...........……...... ..... Slice

Healing Brush .….......…........ ..... Brush

Clone Stamp ......…...……..... ..... History Brush

Eraser .........................…........ ..... Gradient

Blur ............................…....... ..... Dodge/Sponge

Path Selection........................ ..... Horizontal Type

Pen .................……………... ..... Rectangle

Notes .......................….......... ..... Eyedropper

Hand………………………... ..... Zoom

Set Foreground color ............

Default colors ...........…......... …. Set Background color

Edit in Standard mode .......... .....

Edit in Quick mask mode

..... Full screen with menu mode

or full screen

…. Jump to ImageReady

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File Formats

Bitmap -- Use the bmp. file extension. Used for photographs, scanned images and images saved
in "paint" programs. Bitmap images tend to have larger file size. And it is best not to rescale a
bitmap image as it effects the definition of the image. Can be used on Macintosh or Windows.
(See http://www.whatis.com/bitmap.htm for a slightly more technical definition.)

GIF -- Use the .gif file extension. Graphics Interchange Format. Use GIF file format for images
with only a few distinct colors, such as illustrations, cartoons, and images with blocks of color,
such as icons, buttons and horizontal rules. A popular file format for the Web. (See
http://www.whatis.com/gif.htm for a slightly more technical definition.)

JPEG -- Use the .jpg file extension. Joint Photographic Experts Group works well for Web
graphics. Use JPEG for scanned photographs and naturalistic artwork with highlights, shaded
areas, and shadows. The more complex and subtly rendered the image is, the more likely it is that
the image should be saved or converted to JPEG. DO NOT use JPEG for illustrations, cartoons,
lettering or any images that have very sharp edges. Sharp edges in images tend to blur in JPEG.
(See http://www.whatis.com/jpeg.htm for a slightly more technical definition.)

PICT -- Use the .pct file extension. The Picture file format is used primarily on the Macintosh
platform; it is the default format for Macintosh image files. PICT files are usually large. Use the
PICT format for images used in video editing, animation, desktop computer presentations and
multimedia authoring. Not used that much anymore.

Photoshop --Use the .PSD file extension.

TIFF--Use the .tif file extension. The Tag Interchange File Format is compatible with a variety
of software applications and can be used across platforms such as Macintosh, Windows and
UNIX. TIFF format is complex and the files are generally larger than GIF or JPEG. Cannot be
opened by a browser. There is no compression with TIFF and so this is the best format if you are
going to have your work printed professionally. TIFF files are commonly used in desktop
publishing, faxing, 3-D applications, and medical imaging applications. (QuarkXPress on Mac)

To place an image in any of the following software programs used the

suggested file extension:
! Microsoft Word - save as JPEG or TIFF

! PowerPoint presentations - save as JPEG or TIFF

! QuarkXPress (desktop publishing) on the MAC - save as TIFF

! WordPerfect - save as JPEG or TIFF

revised September 16, 2006 - jml

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