Visual Supply Co (AKA VSCO), best known for its film emulation software, has launched a new product that’s designed to reduce the time you spend post-processing your images in Adobe Lightroom. VSCO Keys is a tool that adds powerful and customizable keyboard shortcuts to Lightroom 3 and 4. You can assign keys to the various sliders in the program, allowing you to keep your hands off your mouse during photo editing.
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Using keyboard shortcuts while editing your photos can save you loads of time, and cheat sheets are a good way of learning them. If you’re too lazy to print one out or save one as an image on your computer, there’s an app called CheatSheet that’s designed just for you. It’s a free Mac App that runs silently in the background. Whenever you hold down the Command (⌘) key for ~3 seconds, it brings up a complete list of command shortcuts offered by whatever app you’re currently using. We’ve tested it and it works fine for Photoshop, though we wished that it also included non-Command key shortcuts as well.
CheatSheet (via OS X Daily via Lifehacker)
Here’s a nifty visual guide to all the keyboard shortcuts you have access to when viewing a photograph on Flickr. Don’t bother bookmarking this page though — Flickr just added these guides to every page on the site. Simply press the “?” key for the popup to appear!
(via Flickr Blog via Pixel Analogo)
You’ve probably seen the special keyboard covers for Mac keyboards that show you the Photoshop shortcut each key is used for, but what if you’re looking for something more old school (or don’t have a Mac)? These Photoshop Keyboard Stickers should do the trick. They’re individual vinyl stickers that you individually stick onto each key, allowing you to stay old school and giving your keyboard a very childish look. You can pick up a set for about $8 on Amazon.
Here’s an oldie but goodie that I’m guessing many of you haven’t seen before. It’s an episode from Deke McClelland’s video podcast dekepod in which McClelland shares 101 simple Photoshop tips at a blazing fast pace. What’s interesting is that it’s probably not as difficult to follow along as you might think, even though it averages to a tip every three seconds. This might be one of the closest things to learning like Neo does in the Matrix.
(via Photojojo)
Adding a vignette to a photograph can add depth to the composition and draw attention to interesting details.
However, a cautionary word: overdoing post-processing and editing techniques like vignetting can be at best distasteful. At worst, it might seem to over-compensate for what might simply be an otherwise uninteresting photograph.
Generally, the less editing needed on a photograph, the better the photograph. And naturally, the better the photograph, the better the photographer.
The same idea can apply to using vignettes: less is more.
Most editing programs like Photoshop and Adobe Camera Raw have a setting that adds vignettes, but I prefer the freedom of selecting my own areas and levels to add the effect.
Here’s a quick how-to guide on manually making a subtle vignette in Adobe Photoshop to complement an image:
The default shortcut key: ‘M’*
*Windows shortcuts denoted in (parenthesis) when different
Depending on the area you want to emphasize, you may want to use a shaped marquee.
In this example, I’m using a rectangular marquee because the photo has a lot of horizontal lines and I want to focus on the farmers in the general center of the photograph.
Default shortcut key: Command (Ctl) + Shift + I
Now, the area to be edited is selected.
Default shortcut key: Option (Alt) + Command (Ctl) + D
Note: If you’re using a Mac, you may need to turn off the default keystroke shortcut for toggling the Dock; the shortcut is the same.
The Feather Radius depends on the size of the original paragraph, but for most photos, it’s best to feather generously, above 60 pixels.
Note: In Photoshop CS4, the option will be listed as “Refine Edge” or a feathering option will show up on the menu bar while using the select tool. CS4′s Refine Edge mode is useful because it shows how much of the image will be selected when feathered.
By feathering, the selection will be rounded and blended more naturally with the rest of the photograph. The larger number radius, the more blended the feathered area becomes.
It’s usually a good idea to create a new layer for each type of adjustment. Once they’ve been made, they can be toggled back and forth to compare the original to the adjustments made.
To create a new adjustment layer, click the half-shaded semi-circle at the bottom of the layers window.
The layer will only affect the currently selected area.
Move the mid-tones slider towards the whites to darken the mid-tones to the desired effect. Toggle the preview button to compare.
Default shortcut key: Command (Ctl) + H
By hiding the marquee, the overall photograph is more visible and the effects of the adjustment are more apparent.
Continue to adjust the mid-tones to the desired darkness. In this case, I’ve only moved it from the normal 1.00 to 0.73 for a subtle, yet clearly present vignette effect.
Mouseover to compare to the original.
Another example of vignette editing, with the marquee drawn closer to the subject:
