Downloadable tutorials - with summaries

Any member can supply material to be shared by other members, subject to copyright, etc. Tutorials are listed in reverse-chronological order. "DW" = "Digital Workshop". Meeting reports are cited where relevant.

Article in "Digital Camera Essentials", by Alan Saunders

This is a 2-page article by Alan Saunders that appeared in Digital Camera Essentials; the pages are:
THE PROFESSIONAL'S KIT & HOW ALAN USES HIS KIT.

Monochrome Conversions, by Jon Allanson

This summarises techniques demonstrated at the Digital Workshop of 2 March 2010. Some of the techniques are suitable for Photoshop Elements and earlier versions of Photoshop. The techniques provide powerful artistic control of the conversion beyond that provided by single use of Hue/Saturation or Black & White adjustment layers.

The method is to use multiple adjustment layers, with lower layers made partially unconverted by painting on the layer mask. Then higher layers convert those unconverted areas using different conversion parameters.

Step-by-step processing in Photoshop, by Barry Pearson

I developed this note as a result of the Digital Workshop of 2 March 2010, but it is generally applicable. It describes the systematic approach I typically use when I open an image in Photoshop. It shows an image at various stages of processing, with screen shots to show the Photoshop techniques (especially layers and layer groups) being used.

In effect, I treat the image as a jigsaw puzzle, and make selections for the key components. Then I create layers (typically a number of them) for each component which modify it relatively independently of the rest of the components. The method ensures that just about all effects (for example, selections and adjustments) can be modified later.

Additions since the first version:
31 March: I've added a section on preventing colours bleeding from the foreground onto the background when applying certain filters, for example "lens blur", to the background. (It doesn't work for all filters).
2 April: I've added "Appendix - Step-by-step processing in Lightroom", showing how some of the effects can be achieved using just Lightroom without Photoshop.

Masking in Photoshop Elements, by Dave & Lynda Hockin

Dave and Lynda presented this at the Digital Workshop of 2 March 2010. It describes a simple but powerful technique for overcoming one of the significant limitations of Photoshop Elements. It describes (with screen shots) how to achieve the effect of attaching a layer mask to any layer, by instead grouping that layer with a "null adjustment layer" with its own layer mask. The tutorial also identifies some of the ways of viewing and exploiting layer masks in Photoshop Elements.

Handling selections and layer masks, Barry Pearson

I developed this note during the preparation for the Digital Workshop of 2 March 2010, but it is generally applicable. It takes for granted that you are able to make selections, and describes how to save selections to be used at a later date, how to combine separate selections into more complicated selections (and save those too), and (still under development) how to manipulate selections by direct editing of layer masks.

The topics covered by these notes include:

Notes for DW "Exposure & noise" of October 2009, Barry Pearson

The theme is "back to basics" for some of the main camera controls: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO (sensitivity). The "Slides" (shown at the Digital Workshop) give examples of what can be achieved by setting these controls manually, and indicate the advantages and disadvantages of large and small apertures, fast and slow shutter speeds, and high and low ISO values.

The "Photograph notes" give examples of photographs (many of which were shown at the Digital Workshop) in which various combinations of settings have been used for particular effects. Full exposure details are given for each photograph.

HDR (High Dynamic Range) with Canon EOS 40D, John Garner

This provides details of how to set this camera to take 3 images for HDR use.

Notes for DW of March 2009, Geoff Robinson

The topics covered by these notes include:

3 Projects at DW of March 2009, Roy Cheetham

These notes described how Roy handled 3 projects at this Digital Workshop:

  1. "Getting rid of the washing"
  2. "The Two masked men"
  3. "Panned Shots for CS3 and CS4 users"

Colour Management suggestions from DW of November 2008, Barry Pearson

These are brief guidelines to supplement the Digital Workshop:

Notes on Conversion to Monochrome, Contrast Manipulation and Toning, Martin Currie

Detailed notes are provided for these topics:

Using Photoshop Actions in Batches, Barry Pearson

This described how to achieve the following: