FREE Photo Editing Class!

FREE Photo Editing Class!

Classes start on July 6, 2009. I can't wait!!! Thanks, Jessica!

Photoshop #3: It's HIP to be Square (and How to Post your LO Online)

1. Create New File. 2. Using the Marquee Tool, identify your selected image which your LO. Drag this to your New File.
3. A lot of times, your image will have to be resized. To do this, click Edit > Transform > Scale. I do hope you remember our previous lesson: hold the shift key down while pulling the corner.

Here we go:

Almost but not quite. My scanner & I are not really the best of friends so I usually just take a picture of my layout to post online. On many occasions, I would get so frustrated at the irregular corners I end up with. I never seem to get it perfect! For a band-aid solution, I would sneakily enlarge my image a tad bit just to make those "perfect" corners. I succeed in getting a square but in the process also fail miserably in giving an honest image of my layout.

Don't worry, there is way though... Hold your breath.

4. Click Edit>Transform>Warp. This will divide your image into a 3x3 grid. Now very gently (mind you, really gently) pull away at the corners until you form yourself a "perfect" square. Please try not to overdo it or you might end up with another shape.
Voila! Now isn't this much better!
This is my final image.

By the way, most online posts require a maximum file size. Either you plug in a lower resolution (say from 300 dpi to 72-90 dpi), which does not in any way change the quality of your image, or you can change the width/height dimensions of your file. Oh and do all your image adjustment/enhancements prior to resizing.

Happy posting to all!

Photshop # 2: How to Crop an Image

Zabeth Tan Gochuico, one talented scrapper, wants to know how to crop pictures in Photoshop so that the image doesn't get distorted.

Ok, let's say you want to crop your picture into a regular 4x6 size. This is what you do.

1. Open your image first. Open a new file (File > New). A dialogue box will pop-up for you to indicate the details of your file. Enter as follows: WIDTH: 6 inches, HEIGHT: 4 and make sure that the resolution is at least 300 dpi, color mode RBG,8 bit.
2. Drage your image into the new file then press Edit>Transform>Scale. It is important that you press down the Shift key as you drag the corner bounding box inward to fit. (or outward if the image is smaller)

3. Once you're satified with your cropping, just press enter.

This is also the key when you do digital scrapping. When you add an element into your "page" sometimes you have to adjust it to a smaller or bigger size. Just remember to hold the shift key down so as not to have a distorted image.

I hope this helps, Zabeth!

1st Photoshop Tip: Unsharp Mask

To blog or not to blog? While mulling over this question about 2 months back, one important consideration I had was to able to write down something that others may find useful. I didn't just want a showcase for my pictures and layouts or a medium to ventilate my mundane ideas. So I said to myself, why not write down photoshop tips!

Maybe like me, there are some there who find learning photoshop as difficult as learning a foreign language. I actually felt that way when I started in 2005. I was ready to throw in the towel, so to speak. Since I started, I've painstakingly taken notes from various tutorials, both sourced online or from books that I've plucked from a bookstore shelf and daringly released from its precious plastic packaging.

Disclaimer: Please take note that I am not an expert so please put down any raised eyebrows. I am here to share resources that I find useful. These resources shall be mentioned, if my memory does not fail me. You have the option to try out these suggestions, and if you have a better one, please share them with everyone. Let's make our photoshop life an easy walk in the park!

So without further ado, here it is! Ha-hahha... where is it you say? You'll have to catch a link somewhere down the road.

Do you know that there is a Philippine scrapbook e-zine that is absolutely fabulous? It's from Scrappin Mom's, a group of talented & totally dedicated people who looooove scrapbooking. I only have admiration for these people who have unselfishly poured their wonderful talents to help make the Philippine scrapbooking community grow. (catch their story here)

I occasionally write & contribute to the Scrapbytes E-zine and whaddya know? For this month it's a photoshop tip! If you find this tip useful, please write it down or bookmark it. Or else, you can drop by anytime & just check the archive section here. Let me know if you find it useful!

Photoshop Tip # 1 : Unsharp Mask

a. Scott Kelby (The Digital Photography Book, 2007)

For people: Amount: 150%, Radius: 1, Threshhold: 1
Cityscape: Urban photography & Travel: Amount: 65%, Radius: 3, Threshhold: 2
General Everyday Use: Amount: 85%, Radius: 1, Threshhold: 4

b. Bryan Peterson (Understanding Digital Photography, 2005)
Amount: 175%, Radius: 2, Threshhold: 4

c. Ken Rockwell (Ken Rockwell)
Amount: 10%, Radius: 30, Threshhold: 10

Scrapping Travel/Vacation Pics

Have you ever been frus-trated at how best to fit all your nice pic-tures taken during a vacation into just a single or maybe at the most, a double-page spread?

I've only dedicated a whole album to our Hongkong vacation in 2006. That seemed logical since we stayed for 4 days & 3 nights. Besides, we were in Disneyland!!! However, scrapping a whole album for an overnight stay somewhere is illogical to me. I'd end up with more number of pages than days spent in that place! Solution: multi-sized pictures using photoshop for a double-spread layout .

During the semestral break, our family hied off to Subic for some much needed R&R. We arrived there on a Saturday just after lunch. First impression: great weather, beautiful forests, fresh air, fantastic infrustructure, working traffic lights, but where was everyone? I remember it to be a bustling place about 10 years back when Mr. Gordon was still its head. Sadly, I thought it has transformed into a ghost town, with hardly any activity going around. Or maybe they were just all on their lunch breaks.

The highlight of our stay was a trip the next day to the famous Zoobic Adventures. The kids were really excited to see the animals, specially the tigers and crocodiles. Of course, I had to snap soooooo many pictures of everything. Of the gorgeous tigers who daintily picked on the raw chicken through our vehicle's caged windows. Of the regal goat named, Dony(?), who strutted around the petting zoo like he was (and he WAS!) the king of the place. Of the lithe and proud-looking Aetas who obliged us with an outstanding performance. And of course, of the magnificent crocodiles who greedily snapped up all the chicken morsels dangled to them in the air. Oh, and not to forget, pictures of my family enjoying a wonderful & unique experience.

I spent less than P65 to have these printed at 8x10 size. Of course, I chose only the best ones since it would certainly break the bank to include all the pictures. Besides, is there such a thing as a 3 or 4-page layout? I'll just cut up the pictures and lay them out across the page. Maybe tuck in hidden journalling somewhere. Hopefully, it fits.

Hmmm.... would it be tacky if I used animal prints as my patterned paper?

I Got a Visitor Today

Sometimes, our dearly departed manifest themselves as insects, particularly in the form of butterflies or moths, to gently remind those left behind that they are still very much around. At least, that's what the oldies in our family believe.

It was a timely visit to me, specially since the day for remembering our dead relatives had just passed. At first, I thought it was a piece of scrap paper on my working table. But after looking closely & realizing what it actually was, I gingerly picked it up with the nearest piece of paper within reach. That just happened to be an unfinished layout waiting on my display ledge.

Hmmm, noting the flamboyant colors and markings on the moth, I'm thinking that it's got to be my Dad. The thought gave me a nice, warm feeling.

Hope I didn't freak anyone out.