4 Photoshop & Lightroom Secrets You NEED to Know (VIDEO)

Photoshop and Lightroom are so complex, you’ll probably never use most of the stuff this high-powered software does. But there are quite a few small but helpful “secret” tools and tricks in these photo editors you really should know because they’ll make your life so much easier.

Photographer Daniel Inskeep of Mango Street shares four of his favorite photo editing secrets in Photoshop and Lightroom you probably don’t know but should in the video below. Watch as Inskeep shares these secrets and then explains how they work through his clear and concise demonstrations.

#1 Adobe Super Resolution

“If you ever find yourself working with photos that don’t have enough resolution for your purposes, I’ve found a pretty good solution," Inskeep says. "With your image open in Lightroom, all you have to do is right click and select Enhance. Then make sure Super Resolution is check and it’ll start working.”

#2 Subtract Mask

“In October of 2021, Adobe finally gave Lightroom a much-needed improvement to its masking features, most notably, the select subject feature. This is a one-click mask that works really nicely. You now have the option to subtract from your masking using any of these masking tools.”

#3 Smart Sharpen

“Start by duplicating the layer, then convert the new layer to a smart object. This way the sharpening will be applied as a smart filter, which keeps the settings editable. Then filters > sharpen > smart sharpen.”

#4 Select Subject/Refine Edge

“If you want to cut your subject out from the background, it’s literally never been easier. First, press W to select the magic wand tool. Then at the top, click select subject. Then click on select and mask. If you have any overly sharp edges, use the refine edge tool and paint along any edges you want to blend better.”

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