Before, After and Colour Variations, South Africa - 2005

Time: 4 or 5 sessions

Requirements:

• Basic knowledge of Adobe Photoshop CS / Adobe Elements work space.

• Own computer or Notebook.

• Own Adobe Photoshop CS or Adobe Photoshop Elements software.

Description:

This is a beginners course for digital photographers and is aimed at teaching principles and techniques that can be used both in hobby and professional output.

During the course we will be learning different tools, their usage and combinations in editing an image from the beginning to the end.

By the end of the course you will be able to work out your own editing work-flow, assess editing needs of an image and develop your own techniques for editing.

Approach to the course:

When presenting the course, the goals set before the students are:

1. Sound analysis of an image and its editing needs.
2. Learn Photoshop work environment within editing context.
3. Creating pre-determined editing outcomes: don't let the software carry you away.

Course outline:

Lesson 1:

1. Introduction to Adobe Elements / Adobe Photoshop CS
2. Cutting out: magic wand, lasso tool, feathering, modifying selection.

Lesson 2:

1. Colour adjustments:
   White balance.
   Hue/saturation.
   And other adjustment layers.
   
2. Using layers blending modes: Overlay, Soft Light, Hard Light.

Lesson 3 - Sharpening:

1. Sharpen filter.
2. Unsharpen mask.
3. High pass.

Lesson 4 - Blurring:

1. Gaussian Blur and layers.
2. Motion blur.
3. Depth of field.

Lesson 5 - Retouching:

1. Cloning.
2. Red-eye.

Lesson 6 - Creative image effects:

1. Black and white.
2. Antique.
3. Sepia.
4. High contrasts.