What to learn first?

elven

I was answering someone's query on how to go about learning photoshop and started wondering if there's a sensible approach to it, rather than the haphazard, random way I picked it up. What would you say are the most important elements, and basic techniques, that are required to get the most out of your photos?

I'd be thinking:

Adjustment layers - the concept, why you use them rather than direct editing
Levels - how to use them and what to watch out for - this would include reading a histogram
Curves - following on from levels, to give you finer control
Layer masks - to apply changes to just part of an image
Sharpening - USM and high pass techniques, remembering to apply to a duplicate background layer
Blending modes - (since you need to learn that to use high pass anyway) and for contrast
Black & white conversion - different methods (gradient map, bw adjustment layer, calculations, channels)
Dodging & burning - either straight on to the image (a duplicate background!!!) or using adjustment layers & masks etc
HDR - but manually, as in processing a raw file twice and using the highlight detail in the darker one with masks

Whaddya think? Have I missed anything really important?

ThOnda

Clone and Heal tools are also important from the very beginnings.

By the way, if you had mentioned only beginnings, I haven't started yet. And it shows :-(

YogiBear

elven wrote: »

I was answering someone's query on how to go about learning photoshop and started wondering if there's a sensible approach to it, rather than the haphazard, random way I picked it up. What would you say are the most important elements, and basic techniques, that are required to get the most out of your photos?

I'd be thinking:

Adjustment layers - the concept, why you use them rather than direct editing
Levels - how to use them and what to watch out for - this would include reading a histogram
Curves - following on from levels, to give you finer control
Layer masks - to apply changes to just part of an image
Sharpening - USM and high pass techniques, remembering to apply to a duplicate background layer
Blending modes - (since you need to learn that to use high pass anyway) and for contrast
Black & white conversion - different methods (gradient map, bw adjustment layer, calculations, channels)
Dodging & burning - either straight on to the image (a duplicate background!!!) or using adjustment layers & masks etc
HDR - but manually, as in processing a raw file twice and using the highlight detail in the darker one with masks

Whaddya think? Have I missed anything really important?

Exposure & Gama correction..
Filters.. colour filters & filter gallery.
Hue/Saturation.. can make a big difference to a photo..
For a complete beginner, it might be helpful to go through the different tools & brushes aswell.

nilhg

elven wrote: »

I was answering someone's query on how to go about learning photoshop and started wondering if there's a sensible approach to it, rather than the haphazard, random way I picked it up. What would you say are the most important elements, and basic techniques, that are required to get the most out of your photos?

I'd be thinking:

Adjustment layers - the concept, why you use them rather than direct editing
Levels - how to use them and what to watch out for - this would include reading a histogram
Curves - following on from levels, to give you finer control
Layer masks - to apply changes to just part of an image
Sharpening - USM and high pass techniques, remembering to apply to a duplicate background layer
Blending modes - (since you need to learn that to use high pass anyway) and for contrast
Black & white conversion - different methods (gradient map, bw adjustment layer, calculations, channels)
Dodging & burning - either straight on to the image (a duplicate background!!!) or using adjustment layers & masks etc
HDR - but manually, as in processing a raw file twice and using the highlight detail in the darker one with masks

Whaddya think? Have I missed anything really important?

RAW.... ACR/Lightroom and are you going to do the exposure correction, curves, shadow/highlight there or in PS, thats the first thing I would be thinking of.

as for PS I bought Scott Kelbys Seven Point System for PS book and his premise is that the bits photographers need to know are

Raw processing
Curves
Shadow/Highlight
Painting with Light
Channels Adjustments
Layer Blend Modes & Layer Masks
Sharpening Techniques

5uspect

Histograms! After than curves levels etc should make a lot more sense.
After that channels, masks and selections.

Zillah

elven wrote: »

Levels - how to use them and what to watch out for - this would
Sharpening - USM and high pass techniques, remembering to apply to a duplicate background layer

These two need to be numbers 1 and 2 respectively.