I get a lot of questions from my students about cropping images and about what size and resolution images should be to make a good print. I also get tons of questions about how to organize images onto an external hard drive or on your computer. In this video I show you an easy way to crop your images in Photoshop and Photoshop Elements and talk about image sizes and resolution. I also share with you how we organize the digital camera files at my studio. To make the video larger, click on the little square in the lower right that looks like arrows pointing out. That will make it full screen. Enjoy!
Just wanted to remind everyone that I still have some space in my upcoming Intro DSLR workshop this coming Saturday. Sign up here.
If you would like to download a 30-day free trial of Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, go check out Adobe's downloads page. If you are new to image editing on the computer I would suggest starting with Photoshop Elements and working up from there.
Just wanted to remind everyone that I still have some space in my upcoming Intro DSLR workshop this coming Saturday. Sign up here.
If you would like to download a 30-day free trial of Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, go check out Adobe's downloads page. If you are new to image editing on the computer I would suggest starting with Photoshop Elements and working up from there.
Claudia Eubanks says:
If we are sending out a picture for a canvas wrap, how much excess space around the picture do you generally need? I forgot to jot this down from our class. Thanks!!
(05.26.10 @ 04:26 PM)
Nancy Patton says:
Thank you so much for the tip on "canvas size"! Very helpful info!!!
(05.28.10 @ 12:43 PM)
Hello friends! I have been posting Monday Lessons now for a while and would love to get some feedback from you all. I want these lessons to be inspirational and helpful to you. So please, let me know what you are struggling with and what questions you have. Your feedback helps me create better lessons. Please leave your suggestions, questions and comments below in the comments section. Do you have any requests? Is there a Photoshop question that you have?
Here are some of my ideas for upcoming lessons, any of these sound more interesting than another?
Photoshop:
Creating storyboards and collages in Photoshop
Basic digital retouching in Photoshop
Cropping and image sizing in Photoshop
Shooting:
Creative framing and composition
Assignment: Scavenger Hunt
Self Portraits
Shadows and Reflections
This week I'll be on the road heading to Louisiana to teach marketing classes in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Lafayette. I'll also be shooting for next week's lesson. Thanks for visiting my blog and playing along with my lessons. Please don't be shy about commenting. I'd really like to hear what you have to say.
Lindsay Wall says:
I LOVE your Monday lessons! I've learned a lot from them and also enjoy your classes (although I've only been to one). Thank you for taking the time to post them and share your success with all of us!
(05.17.10 @ 12:40 PM)
Sendy A. says:
I loved your thursday evening classes!.. I truly learned A LOT.. Hope to take another class soon :D
(05.18.10 @ 03:36 PM)
JuliaMorgan says:
Hi Farrah! I attended your marketing class held Tuesday night for the Guild in Baton Rouge. You have more than inspired me! I have already developed my 'logo' and may I add with all of your suggestions in mind. You were absolutely, by far, the best speaker in all of the meetings I have attended! (3 years without missing too many) You were speaking my language and I was paying attention! Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful secrets and for inspiring me! Julia...P.S. I wear a size Large t-shirt!
(05.20.10 @ 10:22 AM)
Sarah Craig says:
Farrah- I love your Monday Lessons! For Photoshop, I sure would LOVE to know how to create storyboards and collages in Photoshop. I'm really getting a much better handle on PS these days, but I haven't even messed with that yet. Also, how does everyone get those curved corners in PS? As for Shooting- it's a toss up b/w Self Portraits & Shadows and Reflections- so do both! ;)
(05.20.10 @ 11:00 AM)
Farrah Braniff says:
Thanks for the comments everyone! I'm hard at work on the next lessons! :)
(05.22.10 @ 09:50 PM)
emily says:
the monday lessons are fantastic! they are a great way to get me to just take pictures and try new stuff out. the basic digital retouching in photoshop would be really helpful as well as the different shooting ideas that you have.
(05.23.10 @ 04:54 PM)
Alex Stead says:
I love your Monday lessons, they're so helpful!
I especially like the photoshop ones. Some ideas for future ones (since you asked), 1) I'd love to know how you go about choosing which photos to edit from a shoot- that's always a hard part for me. I mean, which ones do you throw away, which ones do you show the clients? Do you edit before or after showing the clients? Do you edit 30 still to only have them choose two photos to order? 2) If you went through how you edit one picture - every single step, from start to finish. I know that would definitely help me, just in my own editing at home and the studio. You ARE such an inspiration, keep up with the work :)
(05.29.10 @ 03:14 PM)
And the winner of the $40 gift card from Annie Manning is....Brittany! (the 9th commenter)
Don't forget about the coupon code too for those of you who didn't win. The code is farrahrocks and is valid until May 31st. Her online shop is here. I know I'm going to be taking advantage of it! Many thanks to everyone who visited and commented on the post. Your feedback and energy makes The Monday Lesson so much fun for me!
As always, please post your images in our Monday Lesson Flickr pool. If you have any suggestions for future lessons please let me know!
Brittany- please contact me about your prize! (farrah@farrahbraniff.com)
I am very excited to introduce you to a new photographer friend of mine. Her name is Annie Manning and her studio is called Paint The Moon Photography. She does an amazing job at incorporating texture overlays with her imagery. Last week I did a very basic demo on how to add a texture overlay. This week she is going to take it one step further and talk about how you can further manipulate the texture once it is in place.
To see Annie's work check out here on Flickr and here on her site. Annie also has a collection of textures that are available on her site here. I know I'll be picking myself up one of the texture sets and the action sets too. Annie has shared a discount code with us today that gives us 15% off anything in her store from now until May 31st! The code is farrahrocks.
Here is a video tutorial that Annie made for us, enjoy!
Her are some examples of how Annie incorporates texture into her images.
As you begin to play around with using texture overlays, you may want to create your own set of textures. It's pretty easy to do. Just take your camera and photograph walls, sidewalks, fabrics, plaster walls, stone surfaces, etc. The trick is finding textures that work well with your images. Color plays a big role too so you may have to experiment a bit until you find the ones that work best with your style of photography.
Annie was also generous enough to offer up a giveaway today! Leave Annie and I a comment in the section below and we will randomly select a winner. The lucky winner will receive a $40 gift card to her online store!
I'd love to hear more from you about how you incorporate texture into your imagery or how you find your own textures. If you have some advice for use, please share!
Terilyn Brown says:
I'm a huge fan of enhancing images with texture - I use them often when finishing out my images. Great article - thanks for sharing! And for the opportunity to win!!
(05.03.10 @ 09:45 PM)
JeneilS says:
Have always loved Annie's amazing captures, actions and textures. And to top it all off, she is also a really sweet person. I'm only now learning about textures and finding it really amazing.
(05.03.10 @ 10:48 PM)
nikki king says:
Great tutorial Annie :) So lovely of you too share, it will be so helpful to many people myself included!! LOL
(4 may 2010 @10.19pm)
(05.04.10 @ 07:19 AM)
Natalie J. says:
The tutorial is a fantastic idea. Thanks! I'm always amazed at the endless possibilities of digital photography.
(05.04.10 @ 09:32 AM)
Nancy Patton says:
Thanks for the great tutorial! Opening photoshop right now to try out your method :)
(05.04.10 @ 11:13 AM)
Jennifer Nigro says:
Wow thanks for the tutorial and the great ideas....can't wait to try it out on my newborn shoot this and next week.
(05.04.10 @ 11:19 AM)
jeannie says:
thanks so much for the tutorial! i love annie's textures so much that i'm inspired to try and make some of my own.
(05.04.10 @ 11:23 AM)
Brittany says:
Great video! Thank you!
(05.04.10 @ 11:37 AM)
JACEY CANGEMI says:
Thank you so much for all of this helpful information! I am trying to make a career out of photography because it is my passion and I can use all the tips and tricks I can get. You girls are really helpful! Thank you so much for doing what you do :)
(05.04.10 @ 11:42 AM)
Rachel Rerko says:
I love Annie's actions and textures and her work is amazing!
(05.04.10 @ 12:28 PM)
Amber Skene says:
Beautiful textures! I am such a fan of Annie and her textures, which are on my wishlist! Thank you for the great tutorial and being so generous!!
(05.04.10 @ 12:28 PM)
Sarah Goshgarian says:
I LOVE textures, but have always struggled with the tones disappearing, thank you for the video and how to's. I would love to purchase some of these textures!
(05.04.10 @ 12:44 PM)
Marie says:
I LOVE Annie's actions!! Her fave of mine right now is honey bee!! Thanks so much for the help and the chance to win!
(05.04.10 @ 03:00 PM)
Kara says:
I love Annies actions. They are awesome!
(05.04.10 @ 08:30 PM)
Amy says:
Your textures are beautiful...I am so excited to learn how to use them!
(05.04.10 @ 10:22 PM)
I know, I know, it's TUESDAY. Well, this week's lesson was challenging because I tried out something new, screencasting! Let me know what you think. This lesson is about placing a texture over your image. Next week, we'll have a guest on the bog who does amazing work with overlaying textures. She's going to do a demo and talk about her work.
This particular demo was done in Photoshop CS4. Any other recent version of Photoshop is capable of this as well. If you are wanting to try this out but you don't have a texture image to use, go photograph one. It's that easy. Look for a cement wall, roughed up wood, stones, etc.
I really want to see your experiments and how they turn out so please leave links to them in the comments below or post them to Flickr in our Monday Lesson pool. Make sure and stay tuned for next week's lesson!
Jennifer says:
Thanks for that lesson - I have tried to do texturing before and wondered how to do that mask to clean it off of the skin...
(04.27.10 @ 09:40 AM)
Cesar Vargas CPP says:
Farrah great tutorial!!! Your explanations and screens are right to the point. Keep them coming. Simple tutorial to follow but an important one to have in our bag of tricks.
First time doing this?!! I can only imaging what great info is coming in the future...
(04.27.10 @ 11:15 AM)
Sendy A. says:
Im excited to try this out!.. I actually asked my boyfriend today if he knew how to work with textures.. but of course he has no patience to teach me.. Can't wait to try this :D
(04.27.10 @ 09:16 PM)
Julie Schultz says:
Great tutorial! I can't wait to try it!
(04.27.10 @ 09:20 PM)
Farrah says:
Thanks Cesar, Jennifer, Sendy and Julie! Let me know how your experiments turn out!
(04.28.10 @ 02:52 PM)