Never have a photo in your yearbook that is too dark. Fix the easily with our sure-fire method.
Just as easy as fixing photos that are too dark, this will fix the ones that are way too light to be printed.
You know the ones we mean. Someone takes a picture and the back is just a big white mass and the subject is almost completely black. But you HAVE TO HAVE that particular photo in your yearbook and restaging Homecoming (or whatever) is just not possible. We can help.
When you take color pictures in your gym or your auditorium do they come out kind of yellow? Or maybe REALLY yellow? We can fix that too.
A Poster with All Four Techniques
After you teach the four techniques above (too dark, too light, backlit and color balance) download this mini-poster to remind everyone how to do it. Put it on the wall near your computers.
Down and Dirty Cut-out Backgrounds
There are more ways than we can count to cut out a background of a photo in Photoshop. After a lot of experimenting, we think this one works best. See if you agree with us.
Looking for that Comic Book Look
Everyone is asking, "How do I make my photos look like comic books?" Well here's the answer in a short number of steps.
Ever since the Look Book came out two years ago with that incredible photo collage on the cover, we have been getting requests to learn how to do that. It's actually pretty easy, just time consuming. Found out here.
Pop-out Photo Beats Busy Backgrounds
Try saying that five times real fast. It's a tough one. But so is having a picture of two people you want your readers to see that are in front of a very busy background.
Combining Color and Black and White in Photoshop CS4
Want to add color to a black and white photo in CS4 or change one color to another in the Photoshop CS4. This is for you.
You have place in your yearbook where you need to set a mood and a traditional photograph won't do. What you really need is a sketch of your subjects. But you have no artist. Download this tutorial and find out how to convert any sketch into exactly what you need.
Change the Look of a Photo with Color Matching
Ever have a photo that was really nice but the color of the entire photo was just "off"? Well, that's easy to fix. Grab this handout and give it a try.
Then we have just what you need. Learn how to turn any photo into a quick jigsaw puzzle with movable pieces using a Photoshop Action you can download.
Cut the Headline into the Photo
This is so much cooler than just putting a headline over a photo. This is a quick way to put the photo right into the headline. Really!
All Kinds of Fun with Blending Modes
You won't believe what you can do by combining layers. If you want the ability to create some great but EASY effects, check this out.
Magazines do this all the time when they run profiles of famous people. They blend an action shot with a posed candid. It's really all the rage so see how it would look in your yearbook by trying this tutorial.
Busting Photos into Little Pieces
OK, this may sound like something you do to your enemies but seriously, it is a really cool effect that will grab the readers attention. We promise.
Fixing a SLIGHTLY Blurry Photo
You'll noticed that we really emphasized the word SLIGHTLY in the title of this tutorial. If you have a really blurry photo the only thing you can do is take it again. But if you have one you love that has a little blur, this will fix it.
Jostens Adviser magazine had one of these on the cover and I got a TON of request asking, "HOW DO YOU DO THAT?" Well here you go. It's pretty cool.
Is Photoshop Express Right For You?
Adobe has introduced a new, FREE Photoshop that's online. But how does it work for yearbookers? Read our opinion.
Everybody wants to do something with just parts of a photo. Maybe they want to cut out the background, maybe add a new one or something completely different. This handout will help you learn that the best way of making a selection is really a lot of different ways put together.
Do you scan photos? Like baby pics, advertising photos, senior snaps? Let us show you some great scanning shortcuts in Photoshop to make the job easier.
So you have this great photo you want to use for a dominant. The only problem is that you love your subject (it's two happy people) but the background is really cluttered. Here's how to make that background just fade away.
Making Parts of a Color Photo Black and White pre-CS4
With many schools doing all-color yearbooks it is hard to find something that really stands out. How about a photo that is black and white with some one, important subject in full and glorious color.
Alien Abductions or The Spot Lights on Them
No matter what kind of light you want to shine on someone, this lesson will teach you the best way to do a spotlighting effect.
You've seen them. The really cool photos where something sticks out of the picture. Ever wanted to know the "right" way to do them. Here it is.
Using Bridge to Organize Your Photos
Do you have Adobe Bridge? If you have Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, you do. It comes with them and can be THE best way to organize your digital photos.
Did you know that you don't have to have a big, fancy camera to use the power of Adobe's Camera Raw Plug-in. You can fix all your lighting, exposure and more when you open your pictures in Camera Raw.
Cutouts in InDesign May Need a Clipping Path
And here's the best way to create one.
You know your students love them. And you know they get a TON of students into the yearbooks on one or two pages. But don't paste up pictures. Do them digitally. It looks so cool.
How about a black and white photograph that has a full color polaroid at is center? Interested? Check out the look then give it a try.
Or at least you will be when you discover how to create your own Photoshop Actions that will do those mundane, repetitive tasks that you have to do to a whole bunch of pictures. Train this program to do what YOU want.
Create some cool edges for your pictures.
Take a photo and cut out a section (like you did it with an exacto knife) and then put your headline behind the cutout. I know you have to see it to understand but it's really cool.
Make Your Photos Fade for Headlines Sake
Need a great spot to put a caption or a headline? Try this technique to create a great faded area on any photo.
Create Hot Headlines with Photoshop's Built in Actions
Did you know that Photoshop has some great actions to make the coolest of headlines. And you already have these actions. Just download this to find out where they are and to start using them.
This may be one of the simplest and easiest things to do in Photoshop but it sure is cool. Just click and drag. Really.
The idea here is to put two photos together in a really cool way. Like mapping a soccer ball to a soccer player's face. Or money to the face of a shopper. Yes, we know, it's a special effect you won't use often. But when you do, it's cool.
Put a Photo into Another Photo
Seriously. When we show you how to put dancers at the Fall Ball into the photo of a leaf you'll understand what we mean. And you'll probably have a hundred other uses for this technique.
You're on TV (or a cell phone, or a computer)
Take any photo and add it to your favorite screen picture making someone a star and more. Do it the right way. It's easy.
YTO Users--Put A Photo into Words
If you use InDesign to create your yearbook then this technique is best done there. But if you use YearTech Online you will have to use this method.
Our Favorite Photoshop Quick Tips
Just a potpourri of fabulous and short Photoshop tips and tricks. Enjoy.
Advanced Selection Techniques with Channels
So you have a photo that you want to take the background out of. But there are just too many really fine areas to get them all. Then try this advanced selection method using Channels. For advanced users only.
Ever since Apple started running those silhouette adverts for iPods I get request for doing this. Here it is.
One of the coolest things you can learn in Photoshop is how to use Blending Modes. Once you master them a bunch of stuff comes into focus. Download this handout and give the tutorial a try.