Photoshop How To

Just about a year ago we reviewed a fun new software package called PortraitPro Body, designed to add curves to a slender model or make a scrawny teenager look like a weightlifter. And now, parent company Anthropics is back with the updated PortraitPro Body 2, offering a number of new features and enhanced processing speed.

Many of the image-editing tutorials we post involve working with layer masks in Photoshop. This quick video reveals 10 helpful shortcuts that enable you to speed up your workflow by using layer masks more efficiently.

The term “bokeh” is a common buzzword among photographers these days, used to describe the subjective quality of defocused areas in an scene—either behind or in front of the main subject. A popular misconception is that it’s all as simple as “a faster aperture or a longer lens gives you better bokeh.” But as you’ll see in the video below, there’s a bit more to pleasing bokeh than that.

Why do so many outdoor photographers get up early and stay out until dark? In many cases, it’s to capture the rosy tones of sunrise and the warm glow of sunset. And while it’s pretty difficult to improve on these spectacular sights, there’s a few things you can do in Photoshop or Lightroom to enhance the colors in these popular scenes.

Even so-called “purists” who avoid image editing like the plague have to occasionally crop a photo to fine-tune composition. And many photographers, particularly those specializing in landscapes, prefer to “shoot loose” for compositional flexibility when straightening skewed horizons.

Sound composition skills are important for all forms of photography, but when it come to shooting landscapes, the ability to frame a scene properly is absolutely critical. In this detailed tutorial you’ll learn one pro’s secrets to shooting and editing stunning seascape images.