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The deeper you get into Photoshop, the more there is to learn. And with CS5 now available, the toolset has continued to expand. That's why I checked in with Lesa Snider, an imaging expert and author of "Photoshop CS5: The Missing Manual," to get a rundown on the new features. In the following Q&A, Snider also reveals the Photoshop techniques you should always avoid and she discusses the limitations of web-based image editors.
What are the big changes in Photoshop CS5?
Lesa Snider: The Refine Edge enhancements for easier masking are out of this world, and perhaps the most useful of all the improvements . For example, you can use the new Smart Edges option in the Refine Edge dialog to make Photoshop take a closer look at your selection and determine whether your edges are soft or hard. That helps you get better selections of tough stuff, such as hair and fur. It works amazingly well. though it takes a little time to get used to. And as it so happens, the very same option lets you add creative, painterly edges to your photos. That's actually the subject of my forthcoming "Graphic Secrets" column in the July/August 2010 issue of Photoshop User magazine.
Content-Aware Fill is one of my favorite improvements because it's so practical. It's like magic. If the item you want to zap has a lot of free space surrounding it, you can literally paint it away with the Spot Healing brush. If the soon-to-be zapped item is close to something else you want to keep -- like another person -- you can draw a selection around it first and then use Content-Aware Fill with the Edit > Fill command, and then touch up the edges using the Spot Healing brush, if necessary. This kind of thing is incredibly useful for daily photo editing ... not to mention family reunion photos and divorces.
Editor's note: the following video shows Content-Aware Fill in action:
Other big ticket Photoshop CS5 items include:
- The new Puppet Warp tool, which lets you move items around within your image. If you need to move a person's arm or leg into a more pleasing position, this tool can get it done. You can also straighten out a curved road or path, or curve one that's straight.
- Merging images shot at multiple exposures is faster and easier with the new Merge to HDR Pro option.
- The Lens Correction filter now downloads camera and lens profiles in order to do a better job of automatically correcting problems from lower-quality lenses (barrel distortion, chromatic aberration, edge vignetting, etc.).
- Photoshop's brush engine got a major overhaul, which improves the performance of any tool that uses a brush cursor and features brushes that behave like their real-world counterparts.
- The new Mixer Brush lets you create a painting from a photo in minutes. You can also control how much paint you're adding to the canvas, how much you're picking up from the photo, if you'd like the brush cleaned between strokes, and so on.
Aside from that, there are hundreds of little improvements that'll make your Photoshop life easier and more productive. For example, you can drag an image into an open Photoshop document and have it land on its very own layer, change the opacity or fill of multiple layers at once, access your files through a Mini Bridge that opens inside Photoshop, turn off gesture support on Mac laptops via preferences, revert to the old keyboard shortcuts for Channels via editing Keyboard Shortcuts, and the list goes on.
Are there any tools you wish had been kept from previous versions or added to the new version?
Lesa Snider: I'd love the ability to change the blend mode of multiple layers at once. It makes sense because the Lords of Adobe granted us the ability to do it with layer opacity and fill. You'd think layer blend modes would've been a no-brainer. A behavior I wish Adobe had kept from CS4 is the single-click to expand or collapse a panel. In CS5 they changed it to a double-click, which is driving me a little nuts.
What are the worst Photoshop techniques?
Lesa Snider: Oh, that's easy. But for once per year, thou shalt not create text that looks like chrome or steel, or make silhouettes that look like an iPod. Maybe twice a year. Really. If you're tempted, go to the bookstore and peruse the graphic design section until you get a new idea.
How can you make Photoshop editing more efficient?
Lesa Snider: We're at a unique time in our Photoshop lives where there are more efficient ways to work within the program. For example, try using Fill adjustment layers instead of filling a pixel layer with color. They won't bloat your document and they automatically expand and shrink with your document size. Use vector masks instead of pixel-based masks for more editing flexibility. Use vector shapes instead of the Marquee tools. Use Smart Objects at every opportunity so you can swap out content, resize vector elements, and so on.
Are web-based photo editors viable alternatives to Photoshop?
For the hobbyist, sure. But because they're web-based, they can be slow. For example, Photoshop.com has a friendly interface and a slew of canned non-destructive edits that are quite useful: black and white, cartoon effects, color correction, basic blemish zapping, etc.
However, if you're editing a large image -- one taken on a high-quality camera setting that you want to print -- you'll have to wait for the image to upload, then wait for each edit to take place, and then you wait for it to download so you can print it. The web-based editors are for very patient folks only.
This interview was condensed and edited.
Photoshop is the world's most widely used photo-editing and graphics program. But with all its fantastic new features and options, Photoshop CS5 can bewilder even the most seasoned professional. Packed with tips, tricks, and practical advice, this Missing Manual teaches you everything you need to know to edit photos and create beautiful documents in Photoshop -- whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro ready to try advanced techniques.
