Learning Elements

In December I took an on-line photo course called the Photoshop Skinny-Mini run by Kim Klassen.  It was totally free and I learned a ton about how to use Photoshop Elements (I have version 6) better.  When the first class was basically on how to crop pictures and use layers, I was a little worried it wouldn't go past my current Photoshop skills.  I already knew how to use Photoshop Elements to make a digital scrapbook.

However, how to actually use Photoshop to enhance pictures I had no clue, and she quickly got into those details.  I am not going to tell you how to do what I learned because she is a great teacher and has another class coming up in February (most of it is video lessons, so step-by-step instructions).  But I thought you would like to see how my pictures changed just by applying some of the techniques she taught me.

Original:

 After applying the "homework":

 

Original:

After Homework (only this time cropping off part of the main object in the picture as she did):

Original:

 I tried the same type of options as the first time, but none of those really makes up for a blurry picture:

This was all from the first few days of classes.  Then I learned more about adjustment layers (particularly hue saturation), spot eraser (I knew how to clone areas, but the quick fix for small blemishes I didn't know about--yeah, new technique!), and adding textures.  I didn't get a chance to actually do the rest of the homework (though I watched all the videos) because it was mid-December and I needed to put together my "digital scrapbook" pages for the calendars I give for Christmas.  However, I used some of the techniques I learned, plus ones I knew, to make my own backgrounds for some of the pages instead of relying on Elements preset options.

I used some adjustment layers on the penguins background so the penguins stood out and nothing else.

Then recently Kim Klassen offered a class on learning textures in ten minutes and I played with some photos a little more.  Adding one of her free textures I was able to improve the fuzzy butterfly picture a little more (I think.)

I still have a lot to learn in order to figure out what improves what and which adjustments, filters, etc. will do what, but I feel the class was worth my time if for no other reason than I learned how to adjust the layer effects after applying them (for 5 years I have been stuck with the default settings on each effect.)  Now my husband might wish I hadn't taken the class because while Office Max was able to do a 24 turn around when we ordered the calendars on December 23 because I forgot to work on the pages sooner since I was playing with Elements, I now really want to upgrade my 3 MegaPixel 12x Optical Zoom Point and Shoot Camera for something a little more fancy.