Summary Notes

Advanced Diploma inPhotoshop

Suggested Set Up Workspace: Essentials or Custom

Recommended:

Ctrl Shift U Ctrl + T Menu Ctrl + I Ctrl + J

Desaturate Free Transform Filter options Invert Duplicate Image

• Ctrl = CMD - Alt = Option

Panorama Photo-Merge Guidelines

1. Overlap Images Correctly

Images should overlap by approximately 40%. If the overlap is less, Photo-merge may not be able

to automatically assemble the panorama. However, keep in mind that the images shouldn’t

overlap too much. If images overlap by 70% or more, Photo-merge may not be able to blend the

images. Try to keep the individual photos at least a little distinct from each other

2. Use One Focal Length Only

If you use a zoom lens, don’t change the focal length (zoom in or out) while taking your pictures.

3. Keep the Camera Level

Although Photo-merge can process slight rotations between pictures, a tilt of more than a few

degrees can result in errors when the panorama is assembled. Using a tripod with a rotating head

helps maintain camera alignment and viewpoint, or tap into your core strength and hold the

camera steady.

4. Stay in the Same Position

Try not to change your position as you take a series of photographs, so that the pictures are from

the same viewpoint. Using the optical viewfinder with the camera held close to the eye helps keep

the viewpoint consistent. Or try using a tripod to keep the camera in the same place.

5. Avoid using any Distortion lens

Distortion lenses can interfere with Photomerge. However, the Auto option adjusts for images

taken with fish-eye lenses.

6. Maintain the Same Exposure

Avoid using the flash in some pictures and not in others. The blending features in Photo--merge

helps smooth out different exposures, but extreme differences make alignment difficult. Some

digital cameras change exposure settings automatically as you take pictures, so you may need to

check your camera settings to be sure that all the images have the same exposure

Photo-Merge Process • File > Automate > Photo-Merge

Photo-Merge Options Source Files

Under Source Files in the Photo-merge dialog box, choose one of the following from the menu:

Files: Generates the Photo-merge composition using individual files.

Folders: Uses all the images stored in a folder to create the Photo-merge composition. To use the

images currently open in Photoshop, click Add Open Files, which is what we want to do. If you’ve

accidentally added in some files that you don’t want, you can just select it and click the Remove

button.

Layout

Auto: Photoshop will analyse the source images and decide which layout to apply for you - while this

will often work perfectly fine, nothing is 100% in Photoshop so take it with a pinch of salt.

Perspective: Photoshop will use the middle image as the reference image, and all others will be then

transformed (repositioned, stretched or skewed as necessary) so that overlapping content across

layers is matched.

Cylindrical: This will reduce the “Bow Tie” style of distortion that can come about from using the

perspective layout by displaying individual images as on an unfolded cylinder. Overlapping content

across files is still matched and again the reference image is placed at the centre. Best suited for

creating wide panoramas.

Spherical: Aligns and transforms the images as if they were for mapping the inside of a sphere, which

simulates the experience of viewing a 360-degree panorama. If you have taken a set of images that

cover 360 degrees, use this for 360 degree panoramas. You might also use Spherical to produce nice

panoramic results with other file sets.

Collage: Aligns the layers and matches overlapping content and transforms (rotate or scale) any of the

source layers.

Reposition: Aligns the layers and matches overlapping content, but does not transform (stretch or

skew) any of the source layers.

Options

Blend Images Together: Finds the optimal borders between the images and creates seams based on

those borders, and colour-matches the images. With Blend Images Together turned off, a simple

rectangular blend is performed. This may be preferable if you intend to retouch the blending masks

by hand.

Vignette Removal: Removes and performs exposure compensation in images that have darkened

edges caused by lens flaws or improper lens shading.

Geometric Distortion Correction: Compensates for barrel, pincushion distortion

Content Aware Fill Transparent Areas: Photoshop will aim to fill the transparent areas with similar

image content nearby.

High Dynamic Range - HDR HDR photos cover a large exposure range, allowing for deeper contrast in both shadows and highlights.

The main reason that photographers will shoot for HDR, is to compensate for exposure issues. You

should take a range of photos with the exposure adjusted for the sky, the focused object and then

adjusted for the ground, and merge them together through a HDR software to get the best of both.

There are two basic types of HDR photos.

The first are True HDR composite photos, created by taking multiple shots of a subject at different

exposures and combining them.

The second technique involves using Photoshop effects and adjusting the shadows, highlights, and

other settings. This can be known as Faux HDR.

Terminology:

High Dynamic Range: The process of merging multiple exposures to achieve good dynamic range.

Faux HDR: The process of editing a single image to give the impression of HDR

Tone Mapping: Developing and editing HDR images to achieve good detail and contrast in all areas of

the photo.

True HDR • File > Automate > Merge to HDR Pro

Under Source Files in the Merge to HDR Pro dialog box, choose one of the following from the

menu:

Files: Generates the HDR composition using individual files.

Folders: Uses all the images stored in a folder to create the HDR composition. To use the images

currently open in Photoshop, click Add Open Files, which is what we want to do. If you’ve accidentally

added in some files that you don’t want, you can just select it and click the Remove button.

Tone Mapping Options Pre-sets: Different options embedded in Photoshop eg: Monochromatic

Remove Ghosts: Helpful to tone down any movement in the image

Mode: Determines the bit rate. 16-3d recommended

Edge Glow: Exaggerated HDR effect, adds a subtle glow to edge colours detected in photoshop

Tone and Detail:

Gamma: Contrast slider

Exposure: Increases and Decreases exposure slider

Detail: Sharpness and clarity slider

Advanced:

Shadows: Adjust the Black tones

Highlights: Adjust the White tones

Vibrance: Subtle adjustment to the Hues

Saturation: Saturate or desaturate the Hues

Curves: Use cures to effect shadows/highlights

Faux HDR Technique 1 1. Duplicate the background 3 times

2. Rename layers

3. Desaturate layer 2 (CTRL / Command + Shift + U)

4. Change Blend Mode to overlay

5. Invert layer 2 (CTRL / Command + I)

6. Filter> Blur> Gaussian Blur (40 pixels recommended)

If halo occurs change pixel radius.

7. Turn visibility of layer 1 back on

8. Change layer 3 blend mode to Linear Light

Faux HDR Technique 2 1. Duplicate the background 3 times

2. Rename layers

3. Desaturate layer 2 (CTRL / Command + Shift + U)

4. Change Blend Mode to overlay

5. Filter> Other> High Pass (40 pixels recommended)

If halo occurs change pixel radius.

6. Turn visibility of layer 1 back on

7. Change layer 3 blend mode to Vivid Light

Little Planets Technique Steps- 1 to 6 are only needed if the image does not match on opposite sides.

1. Duplicate background image

2. On duplicated image find middle point and use Marquee tool to select one half.

3. Delete unwanted selection. Select inverse CTRL+ SHIFT + I

4. Transform CTRL + T and Flip Horizontally

5. Crop if needed

6. Merge Layers

7. Unlock Background

8. Image > Image Size

9. Turn off constrain properties

10. Replace small value with bigger value to make the image a perfect square.

11. Transform CTRL + T and Flip Vertically

12. Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates

13. Rectangular to Polar

14. Ok