Table of Contents
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1: Getting Started with Photoshop Elements 2022 5
Chapter 1: Getting Started with Image Editing 7
Getting Familiar with the Home Screen 7
Launching the Photo Editor 9
Making Basic Edits in Quick Mode 10
Sharing a Photo 12
Retracing Your Steps 14
Using the History panel 14
Reverting to the last save 15
Getting a Helping Hand 16
Saving Files with Purpose 17
Using the Save/Save As dialog box 17
Saving files for the web 19
Chapter 2: Basic Image-Editing Concepts 21
Grappling with the Ubiquitous Pixels 22
Understanding resolution 22
Understanding image dimensions 25
The Art of Resampling 25
Choosing a Resolution for Print or Onscreen 28
Working with File Formats 29
JPEG (*.jpg, *.jpeg, *.jpe) 29
PNG (*.png) 30
TIFF (*.tif, *.tiff) 30
Getting Familiar with Color 31
Getting Color Right 33
Color the easy way 33
Calibrating your monitor 33
Choosing a color workspace 34
Understanding how profiles work 35
Chapter 3: Exploring the Photo Editor 37
Examining the Photo Editor 37
Examining the image window 41
Uncovering the contextual menus 45
Selecting the tools 45
Selecting from the Tool Options 48
Playing with panels 48
Using the Photo Bin 51
Creating different views of an image 51
Viewing filenames 52
Using Photo Bin Actions 52
Using Some Creative Features 52
Using Guided Edits 53
Moving Objects and Moving Photos 54
Controlling the Editing Environment 55
Launching and navigating Preferences 55
Checking out all the Preferences panes 57
Perusing preset libraries 59
PART 2: MANAGING MEDIA 61
Chapter 4: Navigating the Organizer 63
Organizing Photos and Media on a Hard Drive 64
Adding Images to the Organizer 66
Adding files from folders and removable media 66
Downloading camera images with the Elements Downloader 68
Importing additional photos from folders 70
Navigating the Media Browser 71
Using a Scanner 73
Understanding image requirements 73
Using scanner plug-ins (Windows) 74
Scanning on the Mac 75
Scanning many photos at a time 76
Phoning in Your Images 77
Setting Organizer Preferences 79
Chapter 5: Organizing Your Pictures 81
Touring the Organizer 81
Organizing Groups of Images with Tags 84
Creating and viewing a tag 85
Adding icons to tags 87
Working with custom tags 88
Working with default tags 89
Working with sub-categories 90
Sorting photos according to tags 91
Auto Generating Tags 91
Working with Auto Creations 91
Adding new Events 92
Rating Images with Stars 93
Adding Images to an Album 94
Creating an album 94
Using albums for temporary work 96
Editing an album 96
Finding out more about sharing your albums 97
Adding People in the Media Browser 97
Placing Pictures on Maps 99
Working with Events 101
Chapter 6: Viewing and Finding Your Images 103
Cataloging Files 103
Using the Catalog Manager 104
Working with catalogs 105
Backing up your catalog 106
Backing up photos and files 107
Switching to a Different View 108
Viewing Photos in Memories (Slideshow) 109
Searching for Photos 111
Using Search 111
Searching for untagged items 113
Searching captions and notes 113
Searching by history 114
Searching metadata 114
Searching similarities 116
Grouping Files That Get in the Way 117
Marking files as hidden 117
Stackin’ ’em up 118
Creating versions 119
Part 3: Selecting and Correcting Photos 121
Chapter 7: Editing Camera Raw Images 123
Launching the Camera Raw Editor 124
Understanding Camera Raw 125
Learning Raw file format attributes 126
Opening images in the Camera Raw Editor 127
Getting Familiar with the Raw Editor 128
Getting Familiar with the Panels 132
Using the Basic panel 132
Sharpening and reducing noise 135
Using the Calibration panel 138
Working with Filmstrips 138
Working with Profiles 140
Looking at the Adobe Camera Raw profiles 140
Managing profiles 141
Creating a Favorites list 142
Opening Non-Raw Images in the Camera Raw Editor 143
Changing Image Defaults 143
Working with XML Files and Preferences 144
Changing program defaults 144
Using Save Options 146
Using sidecar files 146
Chapter 8: Making and Modifying Selections 149
Defining Selections 149
Creating Rectangular and Elliptical Selections 150
Perfecting squares and circles with Shift and Alt (Option on the Mac) 151
Applying Marquee options 152
Making Freeform Selections with the Lasso Tools 154
Selecting with the Lasso tool 155
Getting straight with the Polygonal Lasso tool 157
Snapping with the Magnetic Lasso tool 157
Working Wizardry with the Magic Wand 160
Talking about Tolerance 161
Wielding the Wand to select 161
Modifying Your Selections 164
Adding to, subtracting from, and intersecting a selection 164
Avoiding key collisions 165
Painting with the Selection Brush 165
Painting with the Quick Selection Tool 167
Selecting with the Auto Selection Tool 169
Selecting Your Subject 171
Fine-Tuning with the Refine Selection Brush 172
Working with the Cookie Cutter Tool 174
Eliminating with the Eraser Tools 176
The Eraser tool 176
The Background Eraser tool 177
The Magic Eraser tool 179
Using the Select Menu 179
Selecting all or nothing 179
Reselecting a selection 180
Inversing a selection 180
Feathering a selection 180
Refining the edges of a selection 181
Using the Modify commands 182
Applying the Grow and Similar commands 183
Saving and loading selections 183
Chapter 9: Working with Layers 185
Getting to Know Layers 185
Converting a background to a layer 186
Anatomy of the Layers panel 187
Using the Layer and Select menus 190
Working with Different Layer Types 192
Image layers 192
Adjustment layers 193
Fill layers 195
Shape layers 196
Type layers 197
Tackling Layer Basics 197
Creating a new layer from scratch 198
Using Layer via Copy and Layer via Cut 199
Duplicating layers 199
Dragging and dropping layers 200
Using the Paste into Selection command 201
Moving a Layer’s Content 202
Transforming Layers 203
Adding Layer Masks 204
Flattening and Merging Layers 206
Flattening layers 206
Merging layers 207
Chapter 10: Simple Image Makeovers 209
Cropping and Straightening Images 209
Cutting away with the Crop tool 210
Fixing distortion with the Perspective Crop tool 212
Cropping with a selection border 214
Straightening images 214
Recomposing Images 215
Employing One-Step Auto Fixes 218
Auto Smart Fix 218
Auto Smart Tone 218
Auto Levels 220
Auto Contrast 221
Auto Haze Removal 221
Auto Color Correction 221
Auto Shake Reduction 222
Auto Sharpen 223
Auto Red Eye Fix 223
Editing in Quick Mode 225
Fixing Small Imperfections with Tools 229
Cloning with the Clone Stamp tool 229
Retouching with the Healing Brush 231
Zeroing in with the Spot Healing Brush 234
Repositioning with the Content-Aware Move tool 236
Lightening and darkening with Dodge and Burn tools 238
Smudging away rough spots 239
Softening with the Blur tool 241
Focusing with the Sharpen tool 242
Sponging color on and off 243
Replacing one color with another 244
Chapter 11: Correcting Contrast, Color, and Clarity 247
Editing Your Photos Using a Logical Workflow 248
Adjusting Lighting 249
Fixing lighting with Shadows/Highlights 249
Using Brightness/Contrast 250
Pinpointing proper contrast with Levels 251
Adjusting Color 254
Removing color casts automatically 254
Adjusting with Hue/Saturation 255
Eliminating color with Remove Color 257
Switching colors with Replace Color 258
Correcting with Color Curves 259
Adjusting skin tones 261
Defringing layers 263
Eliminating haze 264
Adjusting color temperature with photo filters 265
Mapping your colors 266
Adjusting Clarity 267
Removing noise, artifacts, dust, and scratches 268
Blurring when you need to 269
Sharpening for better focus 272
Opening closed eyes 275
Colorizing a photo 276
Smoothing skin 277
Adjusting facial features 278
Reducing shake 279
Moving Overlays 281
Moving Photos 282
Working Intelligently with the Smart Brush Tools 283
Part 4: Exploring your Inner Artist 287
Chapter 12: Playing with Filters, Effects, Styles, and More 289
Having Fun with Filters 289
Applying filters 290
Corrective or destructive filters 291
One-step or multistep filters 291
Fading a filter 292
Selectively applying a filter 292
Working in the Filter Gallery 293
Distorting with the Liquify filter 295
Correcting Camera Distortion 297
Exploring Elements’ Unique Filters 298
Creating a comic 299
Getting graphic 300
Using the Pen and Ink filter 301
Dressing Up with Photo and Text Effects 302
Adding Shadows, Glows, and More 305
Applying styles 305
Working with styles 307
Using the Graphics panel 308
Mixing It Up with Blend Modes 309
General blend modes 309
Darken blend modes 310
Lighten blend modes 310
Lighting blend modes 312
Inverter blend modes 313
HSL blend modes 315
Using Photomerge 316
Photomerge Panorama 316
Photomerge Group Shot 319
Photomerge Scene Cleaner 320
Photomerge Exposure 322
Photomerge Compose 324
Chapter 13: Drawing and Painting 327
Choosing Color 327
Working with the Color Picker 328
Dipping into the Color Swatches panel 329
Sampling with the Eyedropper tool 331
Getting Artsy with the Pencil and Brush Tools 332
Drawing with the Pencil tool 332
Painting with the Brush tool 334
Using the Impressionist Brush 336
Creating your own brush 337
Filling and Outlining Selections 339
Fill ’er up 339
Outlining with the Stroke command 341
Splashing on Color with the Paint Bucket Tool 342
Working with Multicolored Gradients 343
Applying a preset gradient 343
Customizing gradients 345
Working with Patterns 348
Applying a preset pattern 348
Creating a new pattern 349
Creating Shapes of All Sorts 349
Drawing a shape 350
Drawing multiple shapes 352
Specifying Geometry options 352
Editing shapes 354
Chapter 14: Working with Type 355
Understanding Type Basics 355
Tools 356
Modes 357
Formats 357
Creating Point Type 358
Creating Paragraph Type 359
Creating Path Type 360
Using the Text On Selection tool 360
Using the Text On Shape tool 362
Using the Text On Custom Path tool 363
Specifying Type Options 364
Editing Text 366
Simplifying Type 367
Masking with Type 368
Stylizing and Warping Type 371
Adjusting type opacity 371
Applying filters to your type 372
Painting your type with color and gradients 373
Warping your type 374
Part 5: Printing, Creating, And Sharing 377
Chapter 15: Getting It on Paper 379
Getting Pictures Ready for Printing 380
Working with Color Printer Profiles 381
Printing a photo with the printer managing color 383
Printing a photo with Elements managing color 385
Printing a picture package or contact sheet 386
Getting Familiar with the Print Dialog Box 386
Using the Prints options 386
Creating transfers, borders, and more with More Options 388
Outsourcing Printing 389
Chapter 16: Sharing Your Work 391
Getting Familiar with the Elements Sharing Options 391
Planning ahead 392
Understanding photo sharing in Elements 393
Using the Share Panel 394
Emailing photos 395
Working with Adobe Premiere Elements 397
Sharing your photos on social networks 397
Chapter 17: Making Creations 401
Checking Out the Create Panel 401
Grasping Creation-Assembly Basics 402
Creating a Quote Graphic 406
Creating a Memories Video 408
Creating a PDF Slideshow 409
Making Additional Creations 410
Part 6: The Part of Tens 411
Chapter 18: The Ten Best Guided Edits 413
Correct Skin Tone 413
Sharpen 415
Object Removal 416
Perfect Portrait 418
Replace Background 421
Remove a Color Cast 423
Levels 424
Resize Your Photo 426
Recompose 428
Move & Scale Object 430
Chapter 19: Ten (or So) More Project Ideas 433
Screen Savers 433
Flyers, Ads, and Online Auctions 434
Clothes, Hats, and More 436
Posters 437
Household and Business Inventories 437
Project Documentation 438
School Reports and Projects 438
Blogs 438
Wait — There’s More 438
Index 439