3 Good Reasons to Use Layers in Photoshop

By: Sarah Hipwell 

If you shoot RAW, in general, you will be editing those files in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), Lightroom or some other RAW editor. This may be all the post editing that you require. However, if you are like me, I finish my editing in Photoshop. Why? Because I use layers and they play an essential part of my workflow.
Layers are definitely where the real magic in Photoshop happens. They were introduced way back in version 3.0. I am a long-time user of Photoshop, so using layers in my workflow is second nature.

How do layers work?

In Photoshop, there are many types of layers. You can add text to your image using a Type Layer. You can duplicate any type of layer. By using a Layer Style, you can add a drop shadow or other effects to your photo. For example, you may want to color correct a portrait image by using a Curves Adjustment Layer.
In this article, I’ll give a brief overview of how layers work and go on to explain why I use the following go-to in my workflow:

1. Adjustment Layers for non-destructive editing
2. Layer Masks
3. Smart Objects

The Layers Panel

Let’s go over to the Layers Panel and I’ll walk you through how layers work. Here is an example of a simple vector image of a mountain range with a sunset. There are six layers stacked on top of one another, that make up the final image. By clicking on the eye icon, you can turn the visibility of each layer off and on.

Different layer types in Photoshop

Six layers stacked on top of each other to form a picture in Photoshop

However, in Photoshop, you can do a lot more with layers. You can delete a layer by clicking on it and dragging it to the little trash can at the bottom of the panel. You can also duplicate a layer by dragging it down to the icon beside the trash can, which creates a copy of that layer. A layer can be moved by clicking on it and dragging it up or down the stack. You can reduce the opacity of a layer, thereby allowing some or all of the image layer underneath to show through, depending on how much you reduce the opacity.

Duplicate and delete layers in the Layers Panel using the tools circled in red.

#1 – Adjustment Layers

Without a doubt, when Adjustment Layers were introduced into Photoshop 4.0 it meant that users could unleash the magic of Photoshop by editing non-destructively. Prior to this, you had to duplicate the image first to preserve the original, as edits were permanently made to the layer. Adjustment Laters are key in any photographer’s workflow.
As a precautionary note, Adjustments under Image in the Options Bar is not the same as creating an Adjustment Layer via Layer>New Adjustment Layer. The former will apply edits directly to the layer that you are working on, where as an Adjustment Layer adds a layer above the working one. These edits can be redone or discarded without altering the pixels of your original image.

Applying edits through Image>Adjustments will affect the image permanently.

Working non-destructively by adding a New Adjustment Layer via the Layer tab in the Options Bar.

Adjustments Panel

As with the Layers Panel, the Adjustment Layers has its very own panel too. The icons represent the 16 different layer adjustments available in Photoshop. Some are used more than others. Adjustment layers apply the correction to all the layers below them, without affecting any of the layers above.

Adjustment Layers has its own panel with 16 icons representing the different options.

Once I do my initial edits in ACR, I’ll finish off my post-processing in Photoshop using Adjustment layers. I like to use Levels, Curves and Selective Color & LUTs to add the necessary contrast and color corrections. As each Adjustment Layer is used and stacked on top of each other, it is essential to reduce the opacity of each layer.

How Adjustments Layers can add color correction and bring out the details in the image in a 

non-destructive way

Different Adjustment Layers such as Levels, Curves and Selective Color were used on this image.

What about areas of your image that don’t require the same amount of editing as other parts?

#2 – Layer Masks

When adding an Adjustment Layer in Photoshop, it applies the adjustment to the whole image. But, sometimes you need to make adjustments to only one area or separate parts of an image. This is where Layer Masks come in handy. When you add a new Adjustment Layer, it automatically adds a white Layer Mask (white reveals and black conceals).
For example, in the image of the waterfall, it was necessary for me to mask the water with each adjustment layer, otherwise, the highlights would have been blown out.

The water in the image on the left has not had masks applied when global edits were added using 

Adjustment Layers. Masks were used on the water in the image on the right to preserve the highlights.

In the following image of this landscape in the Dublin mountains, the day was quite overcast. I wasn’t happy with the sky, so I decided to try a different one. By using the Layer masks, I was able to mask out the original sky. I used the Pen Tool for this but you can use the Brush or the Quick Selection Tool and then fill the area with black.

Layer mask applied to hide the original sky and reveal the new sky from the layer beneath.

The new sky image underneath was put under this layer so that it showed through the mask, similar to a cut-out. I then added more Adjustment Layers to color correct the image so that the new sky looked seamless.

An animated gif to demonstrate the Adjustment Layers to color correct the image and by adding a 

layer mask to reveal a different sky to the original overcast one.

#3 – Smart Objects

Adobe really defines Smart Objects in a neat nutshell. Smart Objects preserve an image’s source content with all its original characteristics, enabling you to perform nondestructive editing to the layer.
So for photographers, this is fantastic news. Now, when you apply edits to a layer that is a Smart Object, you can transform, scale, rotate, warp, apply filters or layer masks. The quality of the image will not be degraded even though it is a raster image!

An image layer converted to a Smart Object

So how do you convert an image to a Smart Object? It is simple, right click on the layer and select Convert to a Smart Object. You will see a small icon on the thumbnail image that tells you that the layer is now a Smart Object.

Right click on the layer to reveal a drop-down menu and select Convert to a Smart Object.

If you edit your images in Camera Raw, you can then export the image into Photoshop as a Smart Object. Hold the Shift key and the Open Image button turns to Open Object. This means that at a later date, you can return to Camera Raw to re-edit by double clicking on the layer thumbnail.

How to set the default in Camera Raw for images to be exported to Photoshop as Smart Objects.

Alternatively, when you have the Camera Raw dialog box open, at the bottom there is what looks like a link on a website. This link actually takes you to the Camera Raw Workflow Options. You can check the box Open in Photoshop as Smart Objects to set that as the default in ACR.

Click the check box in the Camera Raw Workflow Options dialog box to ensure images are exported out as Smart Objects.

Conclusion

Layers can play an important role in your post-production.

• You can separate parts of the image and edit them without affecting other parts of the image.
• Converting your image layers to a Smart Object allows you to move the new image around, edit it, and resize it without affecting the resolution of the original image.
• You can add multiple layers on top of each other and put them into groups.
• You can apply filters and effects to layers independently, e.g. drop-shadow, color adjustments, etc.
• Blend Mode options can change the appearance of each layer
• You can reduce the opacity on a layer. This is particularly useful when using Layer Adjustments to fine-tune the edit to create a subtle effect.

The main take away from using Layers in Photoshop is that the whole process is working non-destructively.
Now it’s your turn, do you use layers in your post-production process? What are your favorite techniques for using layers? Please share your comments below.

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Photoshop Adjustment Layers Explained and How to Use Them (Part 1)

By: Nisha Ramroop 

If you use Photoshop, you probably already know that layers are a great non-destructive way to edit. Within the realm of layers, there exists a group of very useful editing tools called Adjustment Layers that allows for easy editing of your images. As with most Photoshop tools, there are several ways to achieve the same result. When you use Photoshop adjustment layers (as with other layer types), you can make changes, save it as a Photoshop file (PSD) and undo/change it many years later. Since no pixels are destroyed or changed, your original image stays intact. Let’s take a look at the basics of using Photoshop Adjustment Layers.

Accessing Photoshop Adjustment Layers

There are two ways to access Photoshop Adjustment Layers.
1. To access via the Layers Menu; choose Layer->New Adjustment Layer, and choose one of the many adjustment types (which are expanded upon below).

2. To access via the Layers Panel; click on the half black/half white circle at the bottom of the Layers Panel, and choose the adjustment type you want to work with.

Adjustment Layer Types

1. Brightness and Contrast

Brightness and Contrast allow you to make simple adjustments to the brightness and contrast levels within your photo. When you adjust brightness, the overall lightness (or darkness) of each pixel in your frame is changed. To increase a photo’s tonal values and increase the highlights, slide the Brightness to the right. To decrease a photo’s tonal values and increase the shadows, slide the Brightness to the left.
Contrast, however, adjusts the difference between the brightness of the elements in your image.  Thus, if you increase brightness you make every pixel lighter, whereas if you increase contrast you make the light areas lighter and the dark areas darker.

2. Levels

The levels tool adjusts the tonal range and color balance of your image. It does this by adjusting the intensity levels of the shadows, mid-tones, and highlights in your image. Levels Presets can be saved and then easily applied to further images.
Of note, if you use the Image menu to open the levels tool (Image->Adjustments->Levels) a separate layer will not be created and the changes will be committed directly (destructively) to your image layer. Thus, I recommend using the Adjustment Layers menu (as shown above)  to access this very useful tool.

3. Curves

While the Levels adjustment allows you to adjust all the tones proportionally in your image, the Curves adjustment lets you choose the section of the tonal scale you want to change. On the Levels graph, the upper-right area represents the highlights, while the lower-left area represents the shadows.
Use either of these adjustments (levels or curves) to correct your tone when your image’s contrast is off (either too low or high).
The Levels Adjustment works well if you need to apply a global adjustment to your tone. To apply more selective adjustments, you are better off using Curves. This includes adjustments to just a small section of the tonal range or if you only want to adjust light or dark tones.

4. Exposure

When you think of exposing an image properly, you are concerned with capturing the ideal brightness, which will give you details in both the highlights and shadows. In Photoshop Adjustment Layers, the Exposure Adjustment has three sliders that adjust Exposure, Offset and Gamma.
Use the Exposure slider to adjust the highlights of the image, the Offset slider for the mid-tones and the Gamma to target the dark tones only.

5. Vibrance

Use the Vibrance Adjustment Layer to boost the duller colors in your image. The great thing about increasing vibrance is that it focuses on the less-saturated areas and does not affect colors that are already saturated.

Vibrance adjusts only the duller colors in an image

Look at the difference in the greens between this image and the one above. Saturation adjusts all 

the colors (and tonal range) in an image.

6. Hue/Saturation

Hue and Saturation, allows you to change the overall color hue of your image, as well as how saturated the color is.
You can change the hue (color) of your entire image by keeping “Master” selected in the dropdown (this is set by default). Alternatively, you can pinpoint the color you would like to change the hue of. You can choose from Reds, Yellows, Greens, Cyan, Blues or Magentas.
In addition to adjusting the obvious hue and color saturation of your image, this Photoshop Adjustment Layer allows you to adjust the lightness of your entire image as well as work with specified colors. Keep in mind that changing the overall saturation of an image affects your tonal range.

Use the Hue Adjustment to get creative

Color Balance

The Color Balance Adjustment layer is used to change the overall mixture of colors in an image and works well for color correction.

Color Balance adjusted for the mid-tones to include more red

You first need to select either Shadows, Midtones or Highlights, to choose the tonal range you want to change.
Check the Preserve Luminosity box to preserve your luminosity values (brightness or darkness) and maintain the tonal balance as you change the color in your image. Move your slider toward the color you want to increase and away from the color you wish to decrease.

Black and White

As the name implies, the Black and White adjustment layer allows you to easily take your images to a grayscale version or apply a color tint entirely.
There are many ways to achieve black and white image processing. The Black and White Photoshop Adjustment Layer is one of the better ones. It allows you to lighten or darken specific color ranges to enhance your black and white conversion. Example: If you want the blues of your color image to stand out more when converted to black and white, simply toggle that slider. You can add more or less contrast by making particular colors lighter or darker.

1. When you choose the Black & White Adjustment Layer, you get a default black & white conversion 

2. You can tweak the image based on selective colors. In this example, the blues and yellows were 

adjusted 3. You can apply a tint (of any color) over the entire image by ticking the Tint box and 

selecting the color you wish to overlay.

Important Note: While most of these adjustments are available under the Image menu (Image->Adjustments), using them from there does not work the same. The main difference is that these are applied directly to the image (destructively) as opposed to when done under Adjustment Layers. When done under Adjustment Layers, you can turn the adjustment on and off by selecting and deselecting the “eye” in the layers panel.

Conclusion

Photoshop Adjustment Layers are a great group of tools that allow you to smartly edit your image in a non-destructive way. Your original pixels are preserved, so you are able to come back and change your edits years later. Thus, they give you the power to undo easier and work more efficiently.
Photoshop Adjustment Layers group together the most common editing tasks, along with a few others to help you bring your images to life.
In Part 2, we will explore some other tools in the Adjustment suite.
Share with us in the comments your favorite adjustment tool and how you use them.

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This week's Photography Freebie:

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Food Photography:From 
Snapshots to great Shots

Carry Less – Photograph More: Elevate Your Travel Photography

By: Daniel Korzeniewski  

As a travel photographer, either on assignment or shooting a personal project, capturing great quality images that represent the spirit of a place and its people is key.
Looking to achieve that was a priority for me, so I always traveled with a bag full of gear, including at least two DSLR bodies, three or four lenses, flash, tripod, batteries, etc. It was a heavy load, and it slowed me down. I am a Nikon shooter, so my first approach to unload weight was to carry an all-purpose lens. I got the Nikon 28-300mm, and along with this, I’d carry the 14-24mm for wide-angle shots. Now I needed a backup camera or second body. I debated whether to keep carrying another Nikon body or to try something more compact. Finally I decided to get myself a mirrorless camera; enter the Fuji X system. My first mirrorless camera was the Fuji X-E1 with the kit lens, the wonderful Fuji 28-55mm. That camera was a turning point for me, and after my first trip I was sold on the system. Yes, I still shoot Nikon, but I just don’t travel with those big guns anymore.
The mirrorless technology is now really advanced – gone are the days when the image quality was not up to par with DSLRs and the availability of lenses was scarce. There are similar options from different manufacturers: Sony, Olympus, and Panasonic all have systems that eliminated the reflex portion and bulkiness of the typical DSLR. Please understand that I am mentioning Fuji because that’s the camera I use, but this is not an article to discuss a specific camera or brand. What you should consider is that for the most of us, the image quality of these cameras nowadays is amazing.

I’d say I’ve switched, at least for travel. Fuji is now my go-to system for everything on the move, including photo walks. If you are planning to invest in a camera system, you should at least give mirrorless consideration, and here is why:

1) Travel Light

When using a mirrorless system, traveling light doesn’t mean that you’ll be out of options in the field. In just a small camera bag, you can fit a lot. This Domke F-3X Super Compact bag contains two bodies, five lenses, a flash, four extra batteries, radio triggers, a GPS for geotagging and SD cards. What I have here in terms of camera are the Fuji X-T1, Fuji X-E2, Fuji18-55mm zoom, Fuji 55-200 zoom, the 23mm and 35mm primes and an 8mm fish-eye from Rokinon. Believe me, I can carry this all day long without putting strain on my back, which brings me to the second point.

2) Shoot all day

Wandering light means you can wander more. A small and light kit won’t wear you out and you can pretty much shoot all day long. With these cameras you can always have one on you, even if you are not carrying a camera bag. There are plenty of options where you can take them on your belt and even inside the pocket of a jacket. Having a camera with you all the time brings more opportunities to capture the people and places where you are traveling. The photo below was taken my first day in New Orleans; after a long flight I just went out for a walk with the Fuji X-E2, the 23mm prime and a flash in my pockets, and when the opportunity presented itself I was able to shoot it.

3) Be invisible, blend in

There is nothing more annoying than people being scared of you. Trying to stick a big lens or camera in front of people in public spaces, or even worse, in remote locations where you don’t speak the local language, is a formula for disaster. There is also a difference if they see you as a pro photographer or just another tourist. When you carry a small camera, you’ll most likely go unnoticed or they won’t feel as intimidated as they would when they think you are pro shooting for a magazine. I personally love to shoot markets: these places, away from big cities, are one the best ways to explore local cultures. I’ve noticed a big difference since I started to shoot with the Fujis on my trips. I can blend in more, I can aim the camera, smile, and get a photo with no problems, whereas before many times I’d have people turning their faces down or away from me. Just consider this fact alone and the difference it can make in your photography.

Another great feature besides what is mentioned above is how easy it is to work with an electronic viewfinder. Imagine being able to see exactly what are you getting in your viewfinder before making the shot. You can quickly adjust camera settings and see the changes on the fly. Seeing where your whites are clipping or how the shooting mode will affect the result of the image without having to move your eyes out of the viewfinder is phenomenal. I could go on an on about the benefits, but I am not a technical person.
If you like to travel and go places, in my opinion this is the way to go. The future is even brighter, as manufacturers continue to develop their lineups. Mirrorless is versatile and delivers excellent results. Touring light will make your travel photography better and you’ll be able to enjoy your trip more.
Any other mirrorless fans here? Show us your photos and tell us about it.

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Is a Career in Travel Photography Right for You?

By: Kav Dadfar 

It sounds tempting and exotic. Traveling the world taking photos and seeing those photos appear in newspapers and magazines can be thrilling but are you made for a career in travel photography? Here are seven ways to know if a career in travel photography is right for you.

#1 – You have a longing to travel

The first requirement of being a travel photographer is actually enjoying traveling but it’s more than that. It’s a restlessness that simply doesn’t go away no matter what you are doing or where you have already been. You simply can’t sit still and want to explore everything and everywhere. Does that sound like you?
But it’s also important to remember that taking photos while traveling is different than traveling to take photos. Your time on the road as a travel photographer has one reason and one reason only and that’s to take photos. Nothing else matters and nothing can come between you and your next great shot.

#2 – You enjoy your own company

Travel photography is a lonely business and most of your time is spent on the road with your own thoughts. Yes you’ll have the odd conversation with a local but ultimately you are working alone. You are usually awake and out and about before others and you usually end up being the last one back to the hotel room. While spending time on your own can sometimes be nice, can you handle days, weeks or even months by yourself?

#3 – You can adapt quickly

There is a common theme amongst travel photographers and that is “not enough time”. You will usually find yourself with a long shot list and not enough time to fulfil it. So you need to be able to adapt quickly and hit the ground running straightaway, even in new destinations. There won’t be time to spend a couple of days getting to know a destination and every second wasted is eating into your time needed to cover off your shot list.
But you also need to learn to adapt while you are at a destination, for example, if the weather is causing problems to your shot list. You need to be able to think, act, and plan quickly and efficiently.

#4 – You have an eye for what people want

I remember learning very early in my career as a travel photographer that you need to learn what people want to see. This is a business after all, and the only way that you can earn a living from it is by being able to sell your images or getting paid for assignments. Some photographers are better at this than others. Ultimately the success or failure of your photography business comes down to being able to give people what they want to see and what they will pay for.
Part of this will come with experience through years of seeing which of your images sell. But you also need to actively spend time researching and looking at trends in the travel industry, be in the know with up and coming destinations and the news. For example a major airline could be starting a new route, or a previously “closed off” country could be opening its doors to tourists.

One of my images recently used by Tatler.

#5 – You can function with little sleep

There’s no getting around it, being a travel photographer on location is tiring work. You often have to function on little sleep as you’ll be getting up before sunrise, spending all day walking around, then hanging around until well after sunset to capture great shots.
In the summer months that could mean having to get by with just a few hours of sleep a night. Add to that carrying camera equipment all day and not eating properly and you will quickly learn that being on a photo assignment is completely different than being on holiday.

#6 – You are confident

As a travel photographer, you often have to do things by yourself. Whether that is adapting to a new location, finding your way around a city or trying to explain to a local why you want to take their photo. But arguably the biggest requirement for a travel photographer is being confident in your ability to capture great photos that will go on to sell.
Unlike working in a studio when you can set up and art direct your shoot and make adjustments as necessary, as a travel photographer sometimes you only get one shot at documenting a location. You may only have a few days at any given place so you have to capture what you need to in that time.
Because of this you need to believe in your ability both to compose and frame your photos, making sure things like the lighting and the subject are right, but also in your ability to execute that shot perfectly. Sometimes there are no second chances to correct a photo that is blurred or poorly focused.

#7 – You can work quickly

Travel photography is about telling the story of that destination. Whether it’s a famous monument, a beautiful cityscape or a local going about their day, a travel photographer’s job is to capture that. Often those moments are fleeting and don’t stay around for long. For example the gap in the flow of traffic in front of that famous monument could just be a few minutes. Or the interaction between a market vendor and a customer could last a few seconds. Even capturing landscape or city shots could only have a short window where the light is perfect.
The only way to ensure you don’t miss these moments is to be able to work quickly. This means being ready and knowing how to use your camera completely. With practice over time you will naturally improve and get faster in your work and your camera will become an extension of your arm.

Despite all of these points, there really aren’t many jobs that can give you the same excitement, anticipation, and satisfaction as being a travel photographer. Seeing your work published makes all of the early mornings and endless hours of walking around and waiting worth it.
So do you think a career in travel photography is right for you? Share your thoughts below.

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday Photography Deals

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We took a quick look at what Amazon is offering. We get a commission if you buy anything through our links below, at no extra cost to you.
There is a big sale happening in their Camera, Photo and Video section. Their specials are changing all the time so do check back later to see what else they’ve added. Or take a look at our most popular digital cameras and gear page for some hints as to what others are buying. Many of the cameras listed there are currently on sale at Amazon too.
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Christian Photographer Preemptively Sues City to Prevent Her from “Being Forced” to Capture and Blog About Same-Sex Weddings

By Kehl Bayern 

Tales of bakers and officiants having issues with same-sex marriages are becoming rarer with each passing year yet that doesn’t mean that stories about a person’s right to refuse service based upon some kind of moral or religious objection don’t get attention.

Photo by Rocsana Nicolete Gurza from Pexels.

One Kentucky photographer finds herself at the center of a story about a photographer’s right to refuse to shoot (and, oddly, blog about) same-sex weddings because she is suing the city of Louisville, Kentucky – preemptively – in order to prevent the enforcement of a fairness ordinance which prevents discrimination based upon sexual orientation.

Photographer Chelsey Nelson is being represented by a group called Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative rights group, and is acting to prevent what they perceive as the city government somehow “forcing” her to accommodate these groups in terms of professional services and aforementioned blogging.
As anyone who has worked with weddings and wedding photographers knows, it would be a brave couple that enlists a photographer that sues her city to prevent working with certain clients in the first place and this author feels comfortable enough with the notion that Nelson’s current marketing efforts are doing an amazing job at procuring only the kinds of clients she wants to work with in the future.
Specifically, the lawsuit says that the law would “force Chelsey to create photographs for, blog about, and participate in solemn ceremonies she disagrees with—same-sex wedding ceremonies” and that she “doesn’t want to have to violate the law in order to challenge what is an unjust application of a law.”
Further, Nelson and her legal representatives are casting all of this as an artist rights issue with Nelson herself saying, “The government shouldn’t force artists to express views they disagree with. And that goes for both people who share my particular views and those who don’t.”
As PetaPixel points out, all of this might be a gigantic smoke and mirrors show because Nelson’s rights are already protected under a law in Kentucky called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Ultimately, Nelson’s goal is to have the law ruled unconstitutional though many point out that is unlikely to happen given the law’s robust stance in the face of previous, likely more well-positioned, challenges.
What do you think about a photographer preemptively suing a city to make sure they don’t “force” her to photograph and, by her accounts, BLOG about gay weddings? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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I'm posting this article as a direct result of my encounter this past Wednesday with someone's drone.

  

Rogue Drone Ends Up Costing Pilot $20,000

By Kehl Bayern

It’s that time of the year again and drones and airports are showing the world just how much they don’t mix.

Photo by Inmortal Producciones from Pexels.

One drone pilot who lost control of his device is facing a $USD 20,000 fine after his UAV decided to fly off course and land at an airport. How’s that for bad luck?

As reported last year, some drones at London’s Heathrow airport caused some real chaos for travelers during the holiday season.
Yet, even before that, we were reporting on how much of a problem drone pilots were proving for some airports around the world and how this was one of the major concerns impacting the growing UAV community going forward.
While on vacation in Las Vegas in 2018, California resident Reuben Burciaga piloted his DJI Phantom 3 from his hotel but then it decided to take off on its own and landed near a Las Vegas McCarran International Airport runway.
Burciaga said he wanted to get some shots of the strip but that the drone lost its GPS mid flight and then decided to fly itself to one of the world’s busiest airports.
Fox 5 KVVU reports that flying a drone over the strip requires prior authorization so Burciaga was in the wrong to start. The station featured some of the footage captured by Burciaga’s drone which you can view here.
After landing, the drone was found by some airport workers and it was identified as Burciaga’s by the FAA and returned to him in April of this year along with a fine for some $USD 14k. He ignored the notices from the government and apparently racked up late fees that pushed the total to over $USD 20,000. Burciaga admits his culpability in the drone’s errant landing but thinks that the fines are somewhat excessive.
What do you think? Are the fines from the FAA excessive? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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