Digital Photography Correction Techniques
Photo Retouching

It doesn't matter how great a photographer you are—nearly every photograph can benefit from retouching, whether it's to correct subtle color problems or make major changes to the subject or background.

In this 3-lesson course, you'll learn how to turn good photographs into showstoppers. Using Photoshop's tools and filters, you'll learn to make seamless changes, realistically enhancing your images so that no-one knows work was done.

Photographers and designers will benefit from learning systematic professional routines taught in this course. Not only will you get to work with Ken Milburn, author of The Digital Photography Bible and many other books on the subject. You'll also be challenged to tackle dozens of Photoshop correction features, turn average portraits into stunners, and boost the impact of product and scenery shots.

Ken Milburn is a professional photographer and leading expert in digital photography... get bio

Demonstrate a basic proficiency in using a range of professionally used correction tools.

Make a variety of precise and soft selections.

Apply techniques for darkening and lightening parts of an image.

Use specialized filters for extracting and modifying the subject.

Correct color and overall color balance in digital photographs.

Use tools and filters to remove skin blemishes and smooth skin tone.

Apply the sharpening routine in appropriate situations.

Retouch portrait photos using the Healing Brush, Patch Tool, and Highlight/Shadows command.

Apply techniques for enhancing the glamour of a portrait photo, with special attention to lighting, skin, lips, and eyes.

Apply changes to a subject's body shape.

Remove litter and other small items from a scene that might get in the way or distract from the subject.

Create a realistic composite photo by superimposing a subject on a background with appropriate shadows and perspective.

Outline:

LESSON 1 The Retouching Toolbox If you're comfortable with just your favorite Photoshop tools, you may be missing out on some new and enhanced ones that can make touchup work a breeze. This lesson explores the techniques behind making accurate selections, selections that produce blended results, and even selections based on custom shapes. Image editing tools for darkening, lightening, healing, and patching photos are explored, as well as the indispensable Extract and Liquify filters. In the exercise, you'll explore the full range of selection and image editing tools in restoring a problematic photograph.

LESSON 2 Retouching Portraits When you talk to someone in person, you don't always notice the little blemishes; personality, conversation, and movement distract you. But when you see a portrait photo of a person, you see it all, down to the last detail. In this lesson, you'll cover techniques for "digital dermatology," handling color and tone, trimming errant hairs, and even a little plastic surgery. Portrait retouching can, at times, be controversial, so you'll also learn when it's best to use these techniques and how far to go with them. In the exercise, you'll explore these portrait touchup issues as you turn a model shot into a dazzling cover girl (or guy).

LESSON 3 Retouching Products and Scenes If you're preparing product shots for a catalog, or a landscape for a nature magazine, you know that sometimes things get in the way and the lighting is rarely ideal. This lesson will take you through techniques for correcting a range of common issues, including changing the color of a product while still keeping it realistic. You'll wrap up with a look at the compositing process—combining multiple images into one—then create a realistic car ad by integrating a landscape photo with the automotive of your choice.