I am helping a friend learn Photoshop Elements 4.0 and I noticing a few different features. Im sure that CS2 has them, but I just switched to CS2 and I am not sure if I would find these functions under a different name, or just have to do it the good old fashioned hard way. Here is what I have some questions about:

In Elements 4.0 they have a magic extractor and defringe tool for cropping out objects. In the demo, the objects look so perfectly cropped. I can never do that. I use the magic wand tool and/or the lasso tool. However, it just doesnt ever seem to come out quite perfect. I sometimes try to feather my selection and then erase, but I dont know what I am doing wrong.

Second, they have the straighten tool that will straighten a photo by drawing a line across the photo along the horizontal or verital axis. Then the program will auto adjust it.

I know that CS2 is far more powerful than Elements (right?) so I am sure that you can do things like this, but I have been playing around and just cant figure it out quite yet.

Thanks for all your help with all my Photoshop questions. I am learning so much. Now I have to figure out what to do with all this knowledge!

I copied the background layer and then used my levels to darken the entire picture. Then I used my eraser tool set to the airbrush (so I wouldnt get any hard lines) and erased the middle of the picture.

Anyway- its just a cool litte effect that I though would look cool on some of the photos I will be taking of that old building this week. I just wanted to practice it. Any better way to apply this effect?

(I really hope this post makes sense- I’m quite sleep deprived today!)

What constitues a good photo? Are there some ‘key’ things to look for in taking a good picture? Just a little curious on what everyone thinks…

Also, what constitues a good photo layout? What do I look for? (By layout- I dont know the ‘tech’ term for it- but a photo montage- well kind of like this layout)

I am a bit intimidated because you all are so professional and know so much. Im entirely self taught in photography and Photoshop. I am currently trying to put a grunge-style/uneven border around my picture. Is there an easier way to do this? Here is what I did.

(I hope I posted that picture properly)

To do this (now don’t laugh) I created a mask. I then used a horizontal grunge brush in which I erased the edges and then applied a 1px stroke on the inside position to create the white lines. Well, since the brush was horizontal (and for the life of me I could not figure out how to turn it around) I flipped my picture on all sides until I stamped each edge. Now, that seemed like a lot of work just to get a grunged-style border around my picture. Am I missing something? (hope that all made sense!)

Also- this may open up another can of worms, but how does one make a grunge style brush such as the one I used in the picture above? (I downloaded that from Adobe Exchange)

I have so many questions (beware!) and I am excited to learn from you all.

It is 1 of 8 where I am taking a brief look at the program menus in Photoshop and introducing the menu options that are commonly used.

It is, again, very basic stuff, but it is a foundation.  The first one, “The File Menu” is posted here:

Photoshop Tutorial - Basics - The File Menu

Visit it here: Photoshop Introduction

It is very, very basic stuff, but it has to start somewhere.  More advanced tutorials will soon follow