Cropping for the Subject in Post

We also have cropping for other things, like cropping for the specific subject matter. So these are instances where you have your camera, you're all set up. This is a perfect one in Chicago. My buddy and I, we had just gotten done eating dinner, we were waiting for the sunset, waiting out the sunset, and it was one of those just pay the check and get out of there because we've got a beautiful sunset coming in. And this, I put on a telephoto lens and I shot specifically for the church. But when I shot for the church, I had to get some of that building in on the outside. Now, I could have just moved my camera over and gotten more of the other side of the image. But there's nothing really there that was really that important for me to get into the image. So I had to make the conscious decision to just cut a little bit into this building because what was the left of it wasn't all sky. It was a bunch of other buildings and such. So, this is where we're specifically cropping, not necessarily...

for composition, but we've made a decision in camera that we now need to correct for in post-production. So, if I click here from my crop tool, cycle for my rule of thirds, I can go ahead and press and hold Shift and keep it within the constraints of that image. Now I say press and hold Shift while you do that because I want to maintain that aspect ratio. I want to maintain the same ratio that I had when I shot the image, so that if I press and hold Shift it automatically makes sure that that happens. Press Enter and now that's what I would say is a much better crop than what we had before. You definitely don't need to see that building there and even losing some of the bottom of the church is fine. I just feel like we're a little higher up now. Here's another example of that. The palm tree, it doesn't feel like it's alone in it's beautiful environment like we would typically want to see a palm tree because we've got all of this clutter of the human world that comes into this that doesn't make it necessarily as attractive. It gives us too much of a time and place. So if I'm cropping this specifically for the subject, I'll just come in and I'll just crop that out. And then maybe move this around, get that rule of thirds and boom, I'm done. So, the idea is not to necessarily just shoot because of the sake of when we photograph that image, it's got to have everything in there. You can shoot whatever it is that you shoot and then come in later and just crop it in post. There's nothing holding you back from cropping it in post and still making a good image. Don't sacrifice a good shot for the fact that you just don't feel like there's something there. Take the shot, more than likely, there's a reason why you're snapping that image and your brain sees it and it's telling you that there's a reason why you're doing this and you don't really know. And you get back to your computer and you're like, "Well, why did I shoot that?" And then it clicks and it triggers. So this is one of those instances. I didn't like all of the junk that was on the bottom. But I really did enjoy that palm tree that was in front of me. Here's nother example of cropping within a wide angle lens. It takes in everything. Cropping specifically for the subject matter, I'm just going to go ahead and crop in with the rule of thirds, press Alt while I Shift-click, get that tree trunk out of there. And get a nice composition that looks more like that timeless feel of being in the palouse with those dilapidated barns. We look at the before, pressing Command or Control Z, pressing Command or Control Z again and we see the after. It's a much better, more powerful crop.

Class Description

Adobe® Photoshop® CC® is a valuable tool for photographers, but it can also be intimidating. In this all-inclusive 20 lesson course, you’ll go from opening the program for the first time to creating images that really stand out. Join Blake Rudis, Photoshop® expert and founder of f64 Academy, as he shows you how to maximize your use of Photoshop®. Topics covered will include:

Week 1
• Class Introduction & Bridge, Adobe Camera Raw, Setup Interface, Cropping and Layers
Week 2
• Layer Tools, Masks, Selections, Clean-Up Tools and Shapes & Text
Week 3
• Smart Objects , Transforming, Actions, Filters and Editing Video
Week 4
• Custom Creative Effects, Natural Retouching, Portrait Workflow, Landscape Workflow, and Composite Workflow

Don’t let the many aspects of Photoshop® prevent you from maximizing your use of this amazing app. Blake will help you develop the confidence to use your imagination and create the images that you will be proud to share with your clients.

Software Used: Adobe® Photoshop® CC® 2018

Lessons

1Bootcamp Introduction
2The Bridge Interface
3Setting up Bridge
4Overview of Bridge
5Practical Application of Bridge
6Introduction to Raw Editing
7Setting up ACR Preferences & Interface
8Global Tools Part 1
9Global Tools Part 2
10Local Tools
11Introduction to the Photoshop Interface
12Toolbars, Menus and Windows
13Setup and Interface
14Adobe Libraries
15Saving Files
16Introduction to Cropping
17Cropping for Composition in ACR
18Cropping for Composition in Photoshop
19Cropping for the Subject in Post
20Cropping for Print
21Perspective Cropping in Photoshop
22Introduction to Layers
23Vector & Raster Layers Basics
24Adjustment Layers in Photoshop
25Organizing and Managing Layers
26Introduction to Layer Tools and Blend Modes
27Screen and Multiply and Overlay
28Soft Light Blend Mode
29Color and Luminosity Blend Modes
30Color Burn and Color Dodge Blend Modes
31Introduction to Layer Styles
32Practical Application: Layer Tools
33Introduction to Masks and Brushes
34Brush Basics
35Custom Brushes
36Brush Mask: Vignettes
37Brush Mask: Curves Dodge & Burn
38Brush Mask: Hue & Saturation
39Mask Groups
40Clipping Masks
41Masking in Adobe Camera Raw
42Practical Applications: Masks
43Introduction to Selections
44Basic Selection Tools
45The Pen Tool
46Masks from Selections
47Selecting Subjects and Masking
48Color Range Mask
49Luminosity Masks Basics
50Introduction to Cleanup Tools
51Adobe Camera Raw
52Healing and Spot Healing Brush
53The Clone Stamp Tool
54The Patch Tool
55Content Aware Move Tool
56Content Aware Fill
57Custom Cleanup Selections
58Introduction to Shapes and Text
59Text Basics
60Shape Basics
61Adding Text to Pictures
62Custom Water Marks
63Introduction to Smart Objects
64Smart Object Basics
65Smart Objects and Filters
66Smart Objects and Image Transformation
67Smart Objects and Album Layouts
68Smart Objects and Composites
69Introduction to Image Transforming
70ACR and Lens Correction
71Photoshop and Lens Correction
72The Warp Tool
73Perspective Transformations
74Introduction to Actions in Photoshop
75Introduction to the Actions Panel Interface
76Making Your First Action
77Modifying Actions After You Record Them
78Adding Stops to Actions
79Conditional Actions
80Actions that Communicate
81Introduction to Filters
82ACR as a Filter
83Helpful Artistic Filters
84Helpful Practical Filters
85Sharpening with Filters
86Rendering Trees
87The Oil Paint and Add Noise Filters
88Introduction to Editing Video
89Timeline for Video
90Cropping Video
91Adjustment Layers and Video
92Building Lookup Tables
93Layers, Masking Video & Working with Type
94ACR to Edit Video
95Animated Gifs
96Introduction to Creative Effects
97Black, White, and Monochrome
98Matte and Cinematic Effects
99Gradient Maps and Solid Color Grades
100Gradients
101Glow and Haze
102Introduction to Natural Retouching
103Brightening Teeth
104Clean Up with the Clone Stamp Tool
105Cleaning and Brightening Eyes
106Advanced Clean Up Techniques
107Introduction to Portrait Workflow & Bridge Organization
108ACR for Portraits Pre-Edits
109Portrait Workflow Techniques
110Introduction to Landscape Workflow & Bridge Organization
111Landscape Workflow Techniques
112Introduction to Compositing & Bridge
113Composite Workflow Techniques
114Landscape Composite Projects
115Bonus: Rothko and Workspace
116Bonus: Adding Textures to Photos
117Bonus: The Mask (Extras)
118Bonus: The Color Range Mask in ACR

FOR ON-DEMAND ACCESS

Buy

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Amazing course, but don't be fooled into thinking this is a beginner's course for photographers. The problem isn't Blake's explanations; they're top. The problem is the vast scope of this course and the order in which the topics are presented. Take layers for example. When I was first learning Photoshop (back when we learned from books), I found I learned little or nothing from, for example, books that covered layers before they covered how to improve/process photographs. These books taught me how to organize, move, and link layers before they showed me what a layer was actually for. Those books tended to teach me everything there is to know about layers (types of layers, how to organize them, how to move them, how to move them two at a time, how to move them two at a time even if there are other layers between the two you're interested in, useful troubleshooting tips, etc. ) all before I even know (from a photographer's point of view) what it is the things actually do. The examples of organizing, linking, and moving mean everything for graphic designers from Day One, but for photographers not so much. Blake does the same thing as those books. Topics he covers extremely early demand a lot of theoretical imagination for a photographer who doesn't already know quite a bit about what he is talking about. Learning about abstract things first and concrete things later only makes PS that much harder to understand. If you AREN'T a beginner, however, this course is amazing. I thought it would be like an Army Bootcamp, taking you from zero and building you into a fit, competent Photoshop grunt. Now I think it's more like Army Bootcamp for high school varsity jocks. It isn't going to take you from the beginning, but the amount you'll get out of it is nonetheless more than your brain can imagine. I've been using PS for years to improve my photographs, and even to create the odd artistic composite or two. The amount I've learned in the first week is amazing, and every day I learn something -- more like many things -- which I immediately implement to improve my productivity and/or widen the horizons of what I can achieve. If you ARE a photographer who's a Photoshop beginner, I'd take very seriously the advice Blake gives in the introduction: Watch one lesson, and practice the skills and principles you learn in that one lesson for two weeks. THEN watch the next lesson. You can't do that of course without buying the course, so it's up to you to decide whether you'd like to learn Photoshop and master Photoshop all from the same course. Learning it first and mastering it later will cost more money, but I think you'll understand everything better and have a much more enjoyable ride in the process. As for me? I'm going to have to find the money to buy this course. There is simply way too much content in each lesson for me to try to take on all at once, but on the other hand I don't want to miss anything at all that he has to share.

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WOW!!! I've been purchasing CL classes for several years now and have watched HOURS of "How-To Photoshop" classes, but this is the first one I've actually purchased because of the AWESOME BONUS content!!! SERIOUSLY??!!?!? A PLUG-IN??? But not only that, Blake is SO easy to understand, and he breaks down concepts in different ways to connect with different people's learning styles. I REALLY appreciated this approach because I am a LEFT-BRAINED creative that has an engineering background, so I really connected to what Blake was saying. THANK YOU FOR THAT! There are TONS of Photoshop courses out there, but I found this one to be the most helpful in they way Blake teaches concepts so that you know WHY you're doing what your doing. I feel like he taught me how to fish with Photoshop to feed me for a lifetime instead of just giving me a fish to feed me for one day. This is the BEST overall PS course out there!!! Thank you!!!!

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I'm been using Bridge, Adobe Raw and Photoshop for 12 years. I thought I knew those programs until I started to follow Blake and do this Photoshop CC Bootcamp. This course is AMAZING. I love the way Blake teach, brakes down concepts and tools... excellent teaching qualities! I'm half way in this course and I change all my workflow already. Much better results and better use of what Adobe offer me. This course is an investment! When I will be done, I will listen it again. Great job and congratulations on your success Blake!