Rangefinder Magazine
January 2006

Click Here for printable version of this article.

First Exposure Jack & Sue Drafahl
Software Cinemas's Adobe Photoshop CS2
With Julieanne Kost

EVERYONE WAS THRILLED when Adobe announced Photoshop CS2 because it offered exciting new tools to help with editing problems. The downside was that these new complex tools could be somewhat overwhelming, especially to newer image editors. Not to worry though as Software Cinema has the solution with its visual training DVDs from Photoshop Evangelist Julieanne Kost.

This computer-driven course spans a three-DVD set and covers both fundamental and advanced techniques of Adobe Photoshop CS2. The “Fundamental Techniques” DVD features 30 lessons to help you build essential imaging skills for efficient workflow. The Advanced Techniques DVD has 27 lessons to help you master the tools and take your editing skills to a new level.

The two DVDs combined provide a wide range of topics that include: Adobe Bridge, color management, working with layers, masking tips, dodging and burning, Camera RAW, plug-ins, actions, sharpening, retouching, smart objects, tonal corrections, pen tool, history palette, art history brush, printing, and much more. As if that weren’t already enough, the third disk features extra lessons that didn’t fit into the first two DVDs.

Two full chapters are devoted to recording, modifying, and applying actions to single and batch images. Julieanne includes a special action she uses to create a proof sheet of nine different variations of a single shot—a useful action for wedding photographers.	One of the more complex chapters on layers and masks takes you through the process of creating background, patterns, layer styles, and how to use a clipping mask to make it all fit together.

One of the coolest chapters is with the clipping mask of a magnifying glass that looks through a positive layer and sees the negative layer of the same image.	In addition to all the standard colorcorrection tools in CS2, Julieanne gives you a great insight on how to make manual color corrections of images that have color shifts. This exercise works with both the levels and curves editor	A creative look at color objects on black-and-white backgrounds is in a chapter that shows you how to use the saturation adjustment layer and an adjoining mask.

The program is very easy to use and sure beats reading the manual! Just put one of the three DVDs in your computer, run the “program” file and a DVD menu appears. The lessons are listed on the left, and feature a short description of their contents. Before beginning any of the lessons, locate the “sessions” folder, and make it one of your favorites for easy access. Project files are provided so you can work along with Julieanne. It is simple to use, just maximize Adobe Photoshop CS2 to full screen, select one of the sessions, press the play button when the QuickTime movie screen appears, and begin your lesson.

Another chapter devotes itself to the advanced plug-in filters used in CS2. In this case Julieanne shows the viewer how the extraction tools are used to select the edge of the cat, fill the selection, change the background, and add additional objects to the image.	In this exercise you are shown how you can take the same subject, photographed with three different types of lighting, and combine the different shots into one impossible image.	One of the more advanced lessons shows you how to extract extremely fine detail and combine it with a new background.

For portrait photographers having trouble shooting glasses, this lesson is perfect. Using two shots, Julieanne shows you how you can layer the images with masks and use the brush to remove the reflection on the glasses.	A new feature in CS2 is the High Dynamic Range function. This lesson shows you how you can combine several bracket images into one image that has an extreme exposure range.	A layers exercise from her CS tutorial is repeated in this lesson, but it has been updated with the new features of CS2. This is a complex lesson that when completed correctly will give you a good understanding of layers.

An entire lesson is devoted to the restoration of older images. It shows how you can use healing brushes, the clone tool and the history brush to make fast and accurate corrections to an image.	Another lesson on layers shows you how to use layers, masks and selection tools to make a composite image from two images of the same watch in different lighting.	A special test chart is included with the lessons to help you create your own printing profile.

As you go through each lesson, Julieanne will open files and apply techniques related to each lesson’s topic. You can pause the video anytime and open the sample file she is using in the lesson to try and duplicate her techniques. Work your way through the lessons, switching from the video to Photoshop and back again. If you miss something or have trouble understanding a technique, just click back on the movie screen, and move the slider to a previous section for further review. Julieanne’s voice is easy to understand, and she moves at a pace that is comfortable to follow. We felt the lessons were very realistic. Julieanne made some mistakes while giving the lessons but then showed us how to step backwards and correct the mistakes. It does take some time to go through the 26.4 hours of lessons, so you’ll have to spread the lessons out. Later on, if you find that you can’t remember a specific technique, just check the table on contents on the DVD, and go back to that lesson for a refresher.

In addition to the many corrective lessons, several are dedicated to the more creative aspects of CS2. In this case you learn how to take a digital image and make it look like it was taken with Polaroid film.	The lesson on variables shows you how you can take a database of names, pictures and text and apply it to the same template with the variables command.

The disc is compatible with computers using MAC OS X or Windows 2000 and XP. Costs for either the Fundamental Techniques or Advanced Techniques DVD is $159 each, the Bonus Extras disc for $49 or buy the entire set of three DVDs for $299. Go to www.software-cinema.com to place your order or for more information on additional training programs from Software Cinema.