Photoshop 101

As a self taught photoshopper, I don't claim to be an expert. Most of what I know has come from years of practice and trial and error. And since I get asked so much "how do you do that?!" I thought I would throw together a quick Photoshop guide.

Emily's 7 Photoshop Portrait Rules...

1. Less is more. The best advice I got from art school is to crop out what you don't need. The less objects in a photo, the better. Obviously there are times when you need more to tell a story, but for portraits, the less clutter and distraction you have the better. You want the viewer to be pulled into the subject, not trying to figure out what is going on in the background. Don't be afraid to get up close and personal! 

2. Eyes are the gateway to the soul, so sharpen them! If your subjects eyes are out of focus, the photo almost always seems off or poorly taken. To make a portrait look professional, focus in on the eyes. And sharpen them! Just be sure not to over do it...

3. Photoshop should be used like makeup. It is all about balance. Too much and you look like you are joining the circus, and not enough looks lazy. Photoshopping out blemishes is completely fine. Do you really want to see that pimple on your face in 10 years? My rule of thumb, if I could cover it with makeup, I can cover it in Photoshop. While there is a blemish tool, I tend to clone stamp to remove unwanted items. 

4. Soften skin. There are many ways to do this. My favorite function is to create a copy of my portrait, blur it up, and then use layer masking to only keep the softened parts of the skin. There are a ton of guides on the internet to learn how to do this.

5. Filters are the most amazing tool ever! Filters can make a rainy day look like a beautiful and sunny afternoon. I tend to shoot cool, so warming filters have become my best friend! 

6. Play with your levels to make things pop! By adjusting your levels, you can make a photo go from average to campaign ready! 

7. Remember you and your subjects are human. You are not walking, talking, perfect barbies. Don't pretend to be. There is nothing wrong with retouching...but just remember that you are beautiful without it!