Among the photo editing software on the market, Adobe Photoshop (PS) is one of the most popular on the market. In fact, the company recently celebrated Photoshop’s 25 years of continuous excellence and popularity in the industry. They also celebrated the success of their mobile platform through the high installation and upgrade sales of their iOS and Android apps. Thus, it is a very popular software for photographers, even for first-timers who are looking to learn their craft because it is very easy to use.

With its multitude of buttons, Photoshop can be very overwhelming to novice photographers out there albeit it’s, like aforementioned, one of the easiest to use. So to help you out, this article will provide a quick guide on using PS as a starter, with a few glimpses of how I overcame my first day using the software.

Try the mobile app first
Although Photoshop came up in several conversations with friends, as most are photographers and graphic designers, I had never used the platform myself. To further understand how it worked, my friends told me to install the mobile app version first including the editing software to understand its basic functions. So, I installed the Adobe Photoshop Express app on my Android handset to get a grip of how the service works, as I had very little clue idea how it worked. Although my Galaxy S6 Edge has a 16-megapixel lens, it should never about the number of megapixel, but more about the camera’s ability to take high quality images in high and low light areas. The good thing is that my handset also has an aperture of F1.9 which, according to O2, can produce crisp and high resolution images even in poorly lit areas.

After awhile of using the application on my handset and watching various YouTube videos about Adobe Photoshop , I finally found the courage to download the software on my laptop.

Photoshop CC 2014

Play with the buttons
Here comes the exciting part, as you will get to understand each button on your own terms and your own time. How? You will need to play with each function using one of your images to get to know how it affects the photograph. Although it may be time consuming, compared to signing up for an online tutorial or purchasing a book that teaches you about the software, this process will actually help you comprehend and retain information further since you are having more fun. In addition, it is all free to use as opposed purchasing a pricey book, for instance.

To create an image:
1. Choose File then click New.
2. Type the name you want for the file in the dialog box.
3. Set the value of height and width on the Size menu text boxes.
4. Choose the Resolution, Bit Depth, and Color Mode.
5. Pick a canvas color option: White, Background Color, and Transparent.
6. Save the settings by clicking Save Preset, or click OK to open a new file.

Additional selections:
• You can select document size from the Preset Menu.
• There is an Advanced button that you can use to display more options.
• Advanced button has options for color profile and Don’t Color Manage This Document.
• Choose Square Pixel Aspect Ratio all the time, unless you’re using the photo for a video, then you will have to use non-square pixels.

Here are some other Photoshop aids that might help you in creating, opening, and importing files.

Love the automatic editing functions
To start viewing results on your images, you might want to try using some of the automatic photo adjustment options. You can find these options in the Menu bar under Image > Adjustments. In here, you will see various tools such as Brightness/Contrast, Auto Contrast, Auto Color, Color Balance…, Levels …, and Curves. Each option enhances your image quickly either by making it brighter, shadows become darker, or create midtones.

Once you’ve graduated from the beginners’ class of PS, you can finally use various effects more effectively on your photos, such as the Miniature Effect that Joerg Knoerchen introduced previously. We hope that this tutorial has given you an insight on how to get started with using Adobe Photoshop.

What other tips can you share to our readers? Comment below please.

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Submitted by Jennifer Birch
@WrittenByJenni

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