Photoshop Tricks for Beginners

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One of the things that make German photographer/digital artist Calvin Hollywood so unique is his approach to Photoshop – one that comes from hours upon hours spent exploring every facet of the program in order to develop a style that is instantly recognizable and completely his own. In Photoshop Tricks for Beginners, Calvin gives you a string of quick Photoshop tips that will instantly improve your own techniques in Photoshop CS5 and earlier versions. NOTE: Giving a class a skill level is always subjective. To some, this class may seem more advanced. We categorized this class for “beginners” because Calvin takes the time to explain the choices he makes, what tools he uses, and/or the functionality of certain features in order to give you a better understanding of how his effects are achieved and how you can utilize these tips in other situations. In addition, you’ll find some more advanced tricks and tips for achieving his effects. The result: a thorough arsenal of Photoshop tricks that has something for everyone! PC USERS: Calvin uses a Mac in this class, but you can easily integrate every shortcut he shows by substituting the “Ctrl” button for the “Command” button.

Introduction (01:23) Calvin introduces himself and talks about what he will cover during the course
Brightening Eyes (06:15) Calvin makes the iris pop with the exposure adjustment layer.
Add a Glow to an Image (06:26) Add an ethereal glow to a portrait. Great for wedding photos or anytime you want to convey a soft, beautiful light.
Change the Light with a Vignette (04:11) Calvin shows you two different ways he uses a vignette to change light - something he uses in 99% of his signature work.
Learn Quick Mask and Brighten Teeth (04:28) The purpose of this class is to learn quick masks but Calvin gives it a practical spin by showing you how to make teeth whiter too.
Create a Color Cast (05:11) By using a selective color adjustment layer, you can add to or change the "mood" of a photo.
Luminosity Mask (03:39) A basic technique that Calvin has discovered that most retouchers don't know or remember to use.
Painting with Color and Brightness (03:52) Use the blend mode to add color and brightness to hair.
Highlight Commands (04:29) Calvin shows you how to make certain commands easier to find in the command menus.
Changing Color and Brightness (03:15) Use adjustment layers, blend modes, and the color sliders to change color and brightness without making difficult selections.
Add Dimension Without Liquify (03:53) This trick is a great non-destructive alternative to using the Liquify tool to add dimension and keep the subject original.
Contrast and Saturation (04:22) Calvin shows you a few different tricks to make a photo pop more. Choose the one you like best.
Painting with Color and Contrast (05:16) Use a soft light blend mode to add contrast.
Double RAW Conversion (04:31) Calvin shows you a way to do more RAW conversions with one shot, along with a slightly more advanced technique.
Light Background, Dark Hair (02:44) Learn a neat trick to change a background and not have to deal with selecting around flyaway hair.
Dark Background, Light Hair (02:08) Same conceptâ€¦ slightly different approach.
Dark Background, Dark Hair (03:04) Another great compositing tip that works with a textured background.
Body Shaping (03:36) Body contouring using the Pinch tool.
Contrast and Colorize (02:52) Colorize an adjustment layer for saturated and desaturated contrast
Fashion Look (03:16) A "pastel" technique Calvin uses often in his fashion photos, hence the name
Elongating Legs (02:29) Using Free Transform, Calvin slightly changes the model's leg length. Use sparingly!
Conclusion (00:54) Some final bits of advice from Calvin. Thanks for watching!

Course Time: 01 Hours 22 Minutes

J. Robinson

Mar 19 2013

Excellent course. Loved the instructor's style- so clear, so thorough, so friendly! Eager for more by him.
D. Sala

Mar 3 2013

Awesome, awesome, awesome, thank you for the techniques.
J. Hoffman

Feb 18 2013

Calvin Hollywood is simply amazing! His techniques are simple and they must be as I can follow them, yet so powerful. He brings out the Oliver Twist in me, you know the line, don't make me say it.
T. Swart

Feb 12 2013

Enjoyed watching this class all afternoon, while doing other things, but it's at hand to watch over and over. Some great techniques and really simple once you know how it's done.
S. Hoyle

Feb 11 2013

Excellent tutorial, really learned a lot. Thanks
T. Feazel

Feb 8 2013

Great beginner course. I had given up on cracking Photoshop until I viewed this course! Great job! Great instructor! I understood him perfectly! Now I can begin to use Photoshop!
C. Mazza

Feb 6 2013

Wow! Simple and easy techniques. Each lesson was short and sweet. My brain doesn't feel like it's going to explode. AND I feel like I learned a good range of skills that can be put to use immediately. I really enjoyed this course and Hollywood's humor.
S. Griffin

Jan 22 2013

Great class! I learned a lot of things that will save time. Will definitely watch courses taught by this teacher again. ---- No, I'd keep it between us
J. Washer

Jan 15 2013

Calvin Hollywood is AWESOME! He goes at a perfect pace and explains everything in a very easy to understand and entertaining way. More courses from Calvin would be great.
G. Schrader

Jan 14 2013

Mr. Hollywood, has a lecture style that draws me into his art. His easy manner and simple style makes the learning process fun along with stimulating. He often lectures in such a simple manner that I think I should of come up with his techniques on my own. Then out of the blue he performs a task that causes me to pause, rewind the tape over and over to re-establish my grip on the subject. Very sneaky intellectual person Mr. Hollywood.
A. Van Liessum

Jan 4 2013

This is a excellent course! Really picked up a lot of useful techniques.
S. Pellerine

Dec 19 2012

I am not a beginner to photoshop, or so I thought. This was such a great video on easy to use photoshop edits that it has saved time and gave inspiration for new "ways" to approach my editing. Love to learn from others about photo-editing, but this gem is packed with ideas - thanks KH.
R. Pollock

Nov 25 2012

That was like a cool glass of water...it hit the spot on what I needed.
S. Schnur

Nov 17 2012

so clear to understand and follow , thank you , learned a ton . want to see more please .
K. Addie

Nov 1 2012

Excellent info for beginners! Can't wait to try many of these techniques!
F. Scozzarella

Oct 16 2012

Thank You Kelby for choosing this great instructor. Hi Calvin You great. Ciao
A. Scott

Sep 11 2012

Beyond Incredible! You my friend are a "Beast!" Anthony Scott
S. Mader

Sep 8 2012

Loved it! Soo many ah ha the way i was doing it takes soo long and is soo painful. Very excited to try some of these techniques out :)
C. Riley

Aug 30 2012

Wunderbar
N. Brown

Aug 18 2012

I love, love, love Calvin Hollywood. His techniques are easy to follow and very powerful. Thanks for sharing.
J. Pecan

Jul 16 2012

I really like how Calvin teaches and the quick easy way he comes up with ways to do things that would otherwise be very hard if not impossible to do..
A. Troup

Jul 16 2012

Absolutely fantastic tips, one of the best videos on Kelby Training I have seen so far!
B. Edgmon

Jun 23 2012

This is a wonderful course! I am completely new to PS and this course makes it seem so much more managable. I have this course in my favorites and have watched it multiple times and each time I gain more knowledge. I look for this author! Great job!
A. Douglas

May 21 2012

Excellent. Loads of nuggets!
P. Radigan

May 9 2012

I enjoyed Calvin's techniques very much. I learned alot from him. Thanks Calvin. Pat1151
B. Hadwick

Apr 23 2012

Excellent course, I learnt alot in a short time and the techniques used are so simple but so effective Many thanks
C. Mallari

Apr 22 2012

Thank you so much for this tutorial. I REALLY, REALLY learned a lot from this one. I am just trying out kelbytraining and a newbie at PS5 but after seeing this tutorial, you have convinced me that paying for every single cent is going to be worth it because they have instructors like you who are doing a great job at teaching people learn these techniques in a simple and straight forward manner. I am a bird photographer and hope that one day you will come up with a tutorial on how to make those feather details pop out more (provided of course that the photo is already sharp when it was taken). I have watched quite a few tutorials already and it is your way of teaching that has made this process a fun one. Thank you again so much and more power :-) ---- No, I'd keep it between us
D. Peresie

Apr 12 2012

So many good tips! Not just for beginners but also as a reminder to those of us who think we know it all.
J. Parcerisa Vilatarsana

Apr 11 2012

Calvin I have studied all your courses and I can say extraordinary, very dynamic very well explained and practical. Thank you very much to help me to improve my skills. Your friend José Parcerisa V.
K. Skeeters

Apr 7 2012

I was hesitant to view this course at first because of the title "Photoshop Tricks for Beginners". I considered myself to be more than a beginner. However, I found the information to be extremely helpful to me with the type of post processing I do. I thought the material was presented in a very user friendly and professional way. I would certainly welcome (and view) more courses from Calvin.
M. Ash

Apr 7 2012

Thanks Calvin. I learned a lot. Your English is very good (I'm 1/2 German myself). Your course is very informative and I added several of the segments to my "favorite" list.
D. Cass

Mar 17 2012

Thank you so much for this course! Calvin's explanations are thorough and easy to understand. His demonstrations show not only how to perform the techniques, but also lead to an understanding of why they work. I really liked the way the course was organized -- simply jumping from one tip to the next without feeling the need to segue between them or stick to any particular theme. This led to a variety of topics that point the beginner to many new places to explore in the software. I would love to see additional beginner courses that follow this same format. Calvin mentions in his introduction to this course that he hopes his English isn't a problem. It is not. He has an excellent command of the English language, and communicates very effectively.
J. Taylor

Mar 12 2012

A wonderful introduction to some basic Photoshop techniques. Each lesson was short, to the point, and very easy to follow. I was able to use the lessons right away, and my images look so much better! Thank you!
M. Treen

Feb 25 2012

Excellent - lots of great tips. Enjoyable
W. Hunter

Feb 23 2012

Without a doubt some of the best training I have seen. Thank you... PLEASE HAVE HIM DO MORE AND MORE TRAINING...
J. Roskowske

Feb 21 2012

Great course! I learned a lot tonight and I can't wait to go through this again as I try it for myself. Your English is fine as well!

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Your Instructor

Calvin Hollywood

Digital Artist & Photographer

Calvin Hollywood is a digital artist, photographer, Photoshop trainer and author from Germany. He's a photography based artist who focuses on getting the perfect shot with Photoshop. In addition, he...VIEW FULL BIO»

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