Watts Digital Imaging Blog • Photoshop & LightJet Printing - Part 2

Photoshop Layer Mask Concepts & Basics – Part 1

Posted on March 30, 2020November 9, 2022 by John Watts

The material in this blogpost comes from: • My Photoshop book called “Not Just Another Photoshop Book” • And, my Small Group Workshop called “The Power of Layer Masks in Photoshop” ______________________ There is incredible power in being able to work on your image in Photoshop “globally” (the whole image), as well as “locally” (just part of your image). Being able to localize your image adjustments is the digital post-processing equivalent of the legendary Ansel Adams’ & Fred Archers’ photographic Zone System – see this post for more as it relates to Photoshop: https://blog.main.wattsdigital.com/using-zones-in-photoshop/ • This is Part 1 of what will

The Philosophy of RAW

Posted on December 19, 2019June 14, 2022 by John Watts

Updated 05/01/22 Psssst – wanna see the Adobe Camera RAW User Interface in action? WITH VIDEO … https://blog.main.wattsdigital.com/?p=3025 __________________________ One of the most misunderstood (and mis-used!) concepts in digital post-processing is how to properly work with RAW files. What to do with all that digital information? How do you work with the format correctly & maximize your image’s potential? When enhancing your image from RAW, what are the “Goals”, and why? What the heck are you even aiming for? First, what is a RAW File? A Camera RAW file contains unprocessed, uncompressed 16 bit

A Better Way to Sharpen your Images in Photoshop CC

Posted on October 29, 2019March 9, 2022 by John Watts

Updated 03/01/22 NOTE – For maximum clarity, you can zoom in on (or download) any image in this post! For best results, maximize your browser, then click on the desired image – navigate as needed. Having challenges getting your image sharpened properly in Photoshop? Try using this technique, rather than the generic Sharpening tools, which are not as effective and prone to over-sharpening – it’s also much harder to accidentally over-sharpen your image, and gives incredible results. This is a “non-destructive” technique, which means it will minimize throwing out unnecessary pixels. Without getting into

Not a Fan of Photoshop Speed Keys? Here are the 10 Essential Ones …

Posted on August 26, 2019August 27, 2021 by John Watts

Updated 08/24/21 Most people have a love / hate relationship with Speed Keys, regardless of the software program. But they’re called Speed Keys for a reason – they can save you lots of time with repetitive functions. You should get into the habit of using a few basic Speed Key Combinations: Once you start to memorize these, you’ll significantly increase the speed with which you work. There are hundreds of speed key combinations — Don’t be over-whelmed, as you only need a handful. The 10 shown below are the ones that I believe you’ll find the most

Need to Calibrate and Profile your Monitor? Here’s how to do it correctly – WITH VIDEO

Posted on March 13, 2019April 10, 2023 by John Watts

Update 03/01/22: See even more on this subject in my post: Color Management 101 for Photographers”: https://blog.main.wattsdigital.com/?p=3858 There are 3 steps necessary to successful color management – Profiling your Monitor is “Step #1”. A properly calibrated & profiled monitor will closely match the output of your photo printer or favorite custom print lab. It’s crucial even if you don’t want to print your images, as it will allow you to see your image as accurately as possible – and in accordance with photo industry standards. Think of your monitor as your photographic “Window to the World”. But let’s face

Photoshop CC: Soft-Proofing, plus RGB Color Spaces

Posted on October 23, 2018April 8, 2023 by John Watts

Updated 08/26/21 Two questions from Patrick C in San Diego, CA: Should I be “soft proofing” my images before I send them to you? If so, do you provide any ICC profiles for your LightJet printer to view my images before uploading to you? Do you use ProPhoto RGB Color Space (or something else) as your working Color Space in Photoshop? The answers: Interesting questions – some real “In the weeds” stuff – let me put on my “propeller-head” hat, and we’ll look at these one at a time … _____________

Photoshop: What is a Master File, and why do you need one? – WITH VIDEO

Posted on October 9, 2018October 3, 2022 by John Watts

Updated: 08/22/22 – BONUS – – For even more information on Master File Creation & Workflow in Action, see this additional post – WITH YOUTUBE VIDEO: https://blog.main.wattsdigital.com/video-photoshop-master-file-creation-workflow-in-action/ X Notes for the above video can be found here: https://main.wattsdigital.com/images/WattsDigital_ContrastColor_Notes_08-21.pdf ___________ Question: From Matthew S in San Diego, CA: “Once you capture an image in RAW (or a 16-bit scan), what is the best way to save the image for printing purposes? Or should I convert the image to another format? I typically convert everything to a max quality JPG. Supposedly any “lossy” degradation will be unnoticed to the eye, or so

Why shoot in 16 bit (RAW), rather than 8 bit (JPG)?

Posted on October 5, 2018September 29, 2022 by John Watts

Updated: 08/26/21 • By the way – for much more on “The Philosophy of RAW”, see my post here: https://blog.main.wattsdigital.com/?p=2215 I’ve been asked versions of these two questions so much lately that I had to share – In this post, we’ve got two important questions (and two timely answers) as seen from a “post-processing” point-of-view … _____________________ Question #1: From Kris K in Gilroy, CA: “You’ve mentioned shooting in 16 bit RAW files, and I’ve always used 8 bit JPG’s. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of using 16 bit versus 8

Photoshop: A Trick of the Eye

Posted on October 3, 2018August 29, 2021 by John Watts

Updated 08/29/21 Rods and Cones are Nature’s Own, but our eyes will still deceive us … Our eyes are miracles that are created by God – but even God has a sense of humor! – Do not underestimate how easily our eyes (and by extension, our brain) can be tricked – Magicians make use of this fact! It has been my experience that of The Three Steps to Successful Color Management in Photoshop the most overlooked is #3: Assure that you have the proper Lighting Conditions and Perception. I want to prove my point on Perception (more

Photoshop vs Lightroom? Wrong question! – WITH VIDEO

Posted on October 2, 2018October 6, 2021 by John Watts

Updated: 09/09/21 – BONUS: See my short video from YouTube here: FYI, this is Part 1 of a 3-part series on this subject – – • Part 2 is here: https://blog.main.wattsdigital.com/?p=2375 • Part 3 is here: https://blog.main.wattsdigital.com/?p=2637 ________________ Lately, I’ve been asked a version of this question over and over – “For working on my images, should I use Lightroom or Photoshop?” To me, that’s the wrong question, perhaps not even a fair question. Photoshop and Lightroom are NOT designed to replace each other; they’re designed to COMPLEMENT

Photoshop CS6/CC: The Navigator and History Panels – Video Tutorial

Posted on September 7, 2015August 28, 2021 by John Watts

Updated: 05/01/19 … The Navigator Panel allows you to “navigate” around your image at large magnifications. • When your image is enlarged bigger than your Document Window, simply drag the “Red Box” with your mouse to the desired location • Notice that the magnification of your image shows at the bottom, along with Sliders to reduce and enlarge. • This is also a good time to review these navigation “Speed Keys” (see this post for the 10 essential ones), as this is where you’ll use them in conjunction with the Navigator Panel: To

Photoshop CS6/CC: The Tools Panel and Color Picker – Video Tutorial

Posted on April 8, 2015August 28, 2021 by John Watts

Updated: 05/01/19 … In the last blog post, we discussed how to set up a proper Workspace with Panels. In this and future posts, we’ll explore some of these Panels in detail, starting with the Tools Panel and the Color Picker. The purpose of the Tools Panel and the Color Picker is to allow easy access to the some of the most commonly used tools and functions in Photoshop. There are over 50 tools contained in the Tools Panel, including access to the invaluable Color Picker, but don’t be overwhelmed, you’ll only need a handful of

Photoshop CC: Setting up your Workspace with Panels – Video Tutorial

Posted on March 5, 2015April 20, 2023 by John Watts

Updated: 09/01/22, and still relevant today! Note: Feeling adventurous? You should definitely watch the video, but perhaps I can save you some time – once a small file, “WD Basic 1.psw”, is properly loaded on your computer, only the 9 “essential” Panels discussed in the video will show up in your Photoshop Workspace. Easy installation instructions included (link near the bottom): https://wattsdigital.com/free-useful-downloads ____________________ Think of Panels as “miniature workspaces”, each accomplishing a different function. There are almost two dozen different panels available to you, but in the spirit of K.I.S.S., I would suggest that you start with just nine,

We don’t need no stinkin’ HDR Hassles!! – Use ACR instead …

Posted on February 5, 2015September 21, 2021 by John Watts

Updated: 09/09/21, & still relevant today! – BONUS: See my short video from YouTube below: Want to take advantage of the positives of High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography, while bypassing all of those confusing HDR plug-ins and software (with their sometimes unpredictable and “plastic-looking” results)? Then you’re going to love this – you can make all of your adjustments in the powerful Adobe Camera RAW (ACR) plug-in that comes with Photoshop, instead of confusing third-party software… First, what is HDR? From Wikipedia: “It’s a set of techniques used in photographic digital imaging to reproduce a

Photoshop: OMG I’ve Got my Ott! (Ott-Lite, that is …)

Posted on June 27, 2014August 29, 2021 by John Watts

Updated 08/29/21 “What?? That’s not what my print looks like – it’s way different in this lighting!” – How many of us have had that frustrating conversation, and want to know how to avoid it? When it comes to Digital Imaging, there are Three Steps to Successful Color Management. In my experience, the most overlooked is #3: Assure that you have the proper Lighting Conditions and Perception (more here on Perception). Before your eyes start to glaze over, let me start with a quick and simple definition: Color Management allows you to print what you see

Photoshop CC – Time to get your head INTO the “Cloud”?

Posted on August 20, 2013September 19, 2022 by John Watts

Updated 08/30/21, & still relevant today … August 20, 2013 – So, have you been hearing about Photoshop CC lately? Welcome to the Brave New World of Adobe’s Creative Cloud, and all of the confusion that results from a revolutionary concept. Since it’s here to stay, it’s time to get your head INTO the “Cloud”. Concept: We’re all familiar with the traditional method of purchasing software, whether from Adobe or another company: install the software on your computer (say, Photoshop CS6), enter a key, and it’s yours to use in perpetuity – a “perpetual” license.

Thoughts on Judging at the San Diego County Fair Photo Contest

Posted on May 1, 2013September 1, 2021 by John Watts

09/01/21 – Updated, and still relevant today … Note: Sadly, Dave passed away in October of 2020. He will be sorely missed – both as an accomplished individual in his chosen fields – but also as a friend … ______________ 05/01/2013 – Dave King’s “must-read” on judging at the San Diego County Fair Photo Contest last Sunday is wisdom for more than just photo contest entrants – – this is great stuff! Dave teaches Photography at San Diego City College, and eloquently makes the same observations I had as a Judge in the same contest: Dave’s

Photoshop CS6 & CC’s innovative new Crop Tool

Posted on April 10, 2013September 9, 2021 by John Watts

10/05/20 – This post has been updated here: https://blog.main.wattsdigital.com/?p=3561 ______________________ So, you’ve used previous versions of Photoshop, and now you’ve got CS6. You’re ready to crop your image, and – – “Whaaa?! #%&* – Egads! This new Crop Tool is really different!” Yes, it is – but once you know how it works and get used to it, you’ll never want to go back. Purpose: The Crop Tool allows you to crop to a portion of an image to enhance the subject matter, remove an unwanted object, or improve your composition. Where to Find: You can find the

Setting up your Photoshop CS6-CC Workspace with Panels

Posted on March 19, 2013November 9, 2022 by John Watts

07/01/21 – This subject has been updated in a new post, with VIDEO: Click Here for more … _________________ Think of Panels as miniature workspaces, each accomplishing a different function. There are almost two dozen different panels available to you, but in the spirit of K.I.S.S., I would suggest that you start with just nine, and add those you deem necessary as you gain more experience with Photoshop. Below is a representation of the panels I would suggest that you set up on your Photoshop desktop to create a proper workspace: Photoshop gives you a set of predefined workspaces:

Photoshop: Profiling your Monitor is easier and cheaper than you think

Posted on February 4, 2013July 7, 2021 by John Watts

03/21/19 – The information in this post has been updated, WITH VIDEO – Click here There are 3 steps necessary to successful color management – Profiling your Monitor is “Step #1”. But let’s face it: the main reasons most people avoid profiling their monitor are because they’ve got to buy something, and they think it’s too complicated. The truth is, it can be quite simple to get your monitor to match the output of your printer. All you need are the right tools, the main one being a Monitor Profiling package, which consists of a piece of hardware called a