Photoshop CS - CS2: Fix Your Photos

Your goals for photo-fixing may well be different from those of the others in the class. Maybe you've been working for years as a film photographer, and are just learning the possibilities with digital. Maybe you are hoping to restore a stack of old family photos. Perhaps your church has enlisted you to put together some photomontages for the newsletter.

Whatever your photo-fixing goals, in this class we're going to expand upon the Photoshop knowledge you have accumulated so far, use the tools that you've had a bit of practice with, and teach you some new techniques to make your photos better than you could have dreamed!

Will this class make you a professional-level photo retoucher? Maybe! This depends upon the amount of time and effort you're willing to put into this class. You will not learn ALL the tricks of the trade in here. And there are photos which are just very difficult to fix, no matter how good you are. However, you will come out of this class with some valuable tools and techniques which will enable you to better retouch and restore your photos!

I'll give you some jumping-off points in this course -- techniques and ideas you can run with to create your own art. Here are just a few of them:

• Evaluate a photo's composition
• Compose by Cropping
• Straighten a horizon
• Fix a keystone distortion
• Sharpen a photo
• Change Views & Preferences in Bridge
• Correct tonality for a photo or part of a photo with Levels or Curves
• Use Color Samplers to keep track of color
• Correct a Color Cast
• Spot-correct tone and saturation
• Change a color
• Create a Custom Gradient
• Retouch areas of a photo
• Replace distracting backgrounds
• Switch a head
• Convert photos from RAW to PSD
• Create a faked photo from one or more source photos
• Work with strategies to make a realistic faked photo
• Make and use a Copyright Template
• Work with color/sepia
• Make a better grayscale
• Repair dust, scratches, mold, and water stains
• Fix uneven tonality or coloration

Prerequisites:

• A registered copy of Photoshop in version CS or above
• Familiarity with your computer's operating system
• Photoshop Launchpad A - C, a 12-week Introduction to Photoshop class, or equivalent experience with Photoshop
• Willingness and ability to work online with other students

Testimonials

Sophie: I am completely bowled over by how much there is in all these brilliant lessons. <Big, big smile>

Most of the information was new and you gave us a chance to try a wide variety of techniques and fix a large number of different problems, all of which I suspect are commonly found.

This has been one of my favourite classes to date. One of the best bits of advice was a) how to plan for fixing and the order in which to proceed. And b) The important points to remember when working on a client's photos.

It was all hugely enjoyable. I cannot stress that enough.

Lynell: This entire session has been an incredible learning experience, and I thank Janee, Joanne and John for their efforts to pound PS into me. I feel like I get it! You guys are awesome.

Deb: This has been a very interesting class and I've learned many new and exciting techniques - thanks Janee, Joanne, and John - also thanks to my classmates for all your suggestions and kind words. Looking forward to the next session.

Susacon: Thank you to all my classmates for your help, to Joanne and John for the comments and suggestions and explanations, and especially to Janee for invaluable instruction and wonderful, wonderfully fun classes.

Anvilcloud: Thanks for the course; I look forward to part b when it's offered. I haven't taken any other courses here and was worried that I might have problems, but, for the most part, I was able to keep up. Thanks to Janee for creating this and the instructors and to those who have taken the time to offer comments.

bethlovejoy: Actually having to apply the techniques to my own photos always makes it clear to me what I actually do and do not understand. Then getting the feedback on the Board from you and all the others, as well as looking at other people’s work and posts, really helps the whole learning process a lot.

I like the schedule, and the flexibility built into the course. Generally, I like your online classes because they are so civilized—no grades, but good constructive suggestions for improvement, access at any time to the board both for posting and reading others’ posts.

Sometimes it’s midnight before I get a quiet moment so being able to get on the board at any time is good. A week is a good amount of time for me to do an assignment.

Just a big thanks to Janee, Joanne, John and all the rest of you. What a nice class this has been. So many talented photographers and editors, and encouraging comments! I have a feeling I'll be seeing you all again in the Fix Your Photos 2 class. It's been a real pleasure.

ronh: Having the lesson plan in a clear, concise, detailed manner with the graphs, photos etc. helped me a lot. Also the interaction with the other students from all over the world was most helpful.