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Am I doing something wrong or does anyone else find creating selections tiresome in Photoshop.
The usual problem is I zoom in closely and start selecting the object. Then I want to move the view of the object to the left and right, but can't. There's other annoying things too. Is there a way around this particular problem?
I also have problems with Photoshop sometimes.
The problem is that the program is a profesional package with various spin off such as Elements. If your really stuck you can buy a training CD or maybe download it.
Hope you get over the problems.
There are innumerable great photoshop sites devoted to tips and tutorials and all for free,before buying any books,do a search on google,visit these sites and suck it all in and then go to your local library and hire books on photoshop,I live in tiny New Zealand in the South Pacific and my local library has about 6 really good titles on photoshop,again for free.
It may take time but heh! Photoshop is a huge software package and you only need to scrape the surface to make your photos look better.
regards
keith
You can always use quickmask to make a selection, using black (to add) or white/eraser (to erase). This is excellent for critical selections.
Andy B
There are no short-cuts to masking or selecting and there are many different ways of approaching the same job in Photoshop. Complicated selections can take hours of work. It's all down to practise and experience but it is the essence of digital manipulation. Real World Photoshop is a great book - one of the best, but not for beginners.
Most things in Photoshop can be done in several different ways,have a look at Digital Photo magazine, every month there is an excellent CD included that contains some very good Photoshop tutorials, and of course, the Mag itself.
Good luck.
Malcolm
Hi I teach Photoshop and this is what I have found.
My students range from just out of highschool to grand fathers and mothers. Everyone!! will hate learning photoshop "it's like learning to Ski" you will have your days... But when you UNDERSTAND Photoshop you will never use anything else.
The key to photoshop is:
1. understand how and when to use all selection tools
2. understand layers
3. know that there is more than one way to work in photoshop.
4. learn a little at a time.
I tell all my students they must learn how to walk before they can run. and after 8 sessions all my students are runing.
Links for my class can be found at: http://rickwong.com/Digital%20Darkroom.html
Learn to use the path tool as the path can be easily edited and saved. It can be edited at any time or altered as required.
From the paths panel, make selection. This gives you a choice of feathering the selection.
By making several paths for one selection, different feathering can be applied to each part of the selection and saved as a channel in the channel palette. Add all the channel selections together and you have a selection with different amounts of feathering. ie. this can be used to give a distance effect. Parts of an image will be sharp edges as if they are near the camera while other parts will have a fuzzy edge as if it is distant from the camera.
Using paths and channels for selections is probably the best method to use in Photoshop. other software like Corel Knockout, Extensis Mask Pro are also usefull additions for masking. Knockout will add transparency to masks so that if you change a background, it will show through glass objects etc..
if this explanation is not clear or you wish to find out more about using 'paths', mail me off-list.
Dave
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Totally agree with Mad Dogs. Creating a path with the Pen tool and converting it into a selection is by far the easiest way.
Also agree with the comment about getting Digital Photo magazine. I learnt more from the excellent video tutorials than reading countless manuals.
Try out www.computerarts.co.uk and head over to the tutorial section for photoshop. I have learnt loads from these lessons...
Sean
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