Getting started
In this lesson, you’ll edit several digital images using Photoshop and Adobe Camera
Raw, which comes with Photoshop. You’ll use a variety of techniques to touch up
and improve the appearance of digital photographs. You’ll start by viewing the
before and after images in Adobe Bridge.
1 Start Photoshop, and then immediately hold down Ctrl+Alt+Shift (Windows)
or Command+Option+Shift (Mac OS) to restore the default preferences. (See
“Restoring default preferences” on page 4.)
2 When prompted, click Yes to delete the Adobe Photoshop Settings file.
3 Choose File > Browse In Bridge to open Adobe Bridge.
4 In the Favorites panel in Bridge, click the Lessons folder. Then, in the Content
panel, double-click the Lesson05 folder to open it.
5 Adjust the thumbnail slider, if necessary, so that you can see the thumbnail
previews clearly. Then look at the 05A_Start.crw and 05A_End.psd files.
The original photograph of a Spanish-style church is a camera raw file, so it doesn’t
have the usual .psd file extension you’ve worked with so far in this book. It was shot
with a Canon Digital Rebel camera and has the Canon proprietary .crw file extension
instead. You’ll process this proprietary camera raw image to make it brighter,
sharper, and clearer, and then save it as a JPEG file for the web and as a PSD file so
that you could work on it further in Photoshop.
6 Compare the 05B_Start.psd and 05B_End.psd thumbnail previews.
You’ll perform color corrections and image enhancements in Photoshop to achieve
the end result.
7 Look at the 05C_Start.psd and 05C_End.psd thumbnail previews.
You’ll make several corrections to this portrait of a girl on the beach, including
bringing out shadow and highlight detail, removing red eye, and sharpening
the image.
8 Look at the 05D_Start.psd and 05D_End.psd thumbnail previews.
The original image is distorted, with the columns appearing to be bowed.
You’ll correct the lens barrel distortion.
9 Look at the 05E_Start.psd and 05E_End.psd thumbnail previews
The first image has two layers. Depending on which layer is visible, either the
glass in the foreground or the beach in the background is in focus. You’ll extend
the depth of field to make both clear. You’ll also add posts and apply an iris blur
to the glass.
