Instructional Technology Resources

Note: Photoshop is available through CLICC’s Software Shortcut service, so even if you do not own the program, you can use a CLICC copy from your computer if you have a UCLA Logon.

Crop
Tool

Using the Crop tool, select the portion of the image you wish to keep. By releasing on the Crop command or simply hitting “Enter”, you eliminate all image portions outside of the selection.  Tip:  You can rotate the crop box by holding down and moving the mouse when the double arrow appears.

Rotate
Canvas

It is easiest to rotate the canvas while cropping, but you can also rotate the canvas a degree at a time (under “Arbitrary”) to correct image alignment.

Image Size
Dialogue
Box

Under the image menu, the Image Size dialogue box allows you
to specify the exact resolution and size of your image:

Image
Resolution

First set the resolution of the image:
72 pixels or dpi is the standard screen resolution used for the web
Printing requires much higher resolution (600 dpi or more)

Image
Size

After setting the resolution, set the size of the image in inches or pixels.  Make sure “Constrain Proportions” is checked to avoid distortions.

Image
Color

For photographs, it is often helpful to apply the “Auto Color” Adjustment (color adjustment is fairly complex) to improve image color.

Image
Brightness
/Contrast

Adjusting the brightness and contrast often improves the image.  These adjustments can be done manually because you can preview the changes before you finalize them.

Image
Sharpen

Under the filter menu, use the “sharpen” filter to see if it improves the definition/crispness of the photograph.  It often does, but apply filter only once, otherwise the image will often start to look grainy and pixelated.

Image
Type

For web delivery of photographs, including photographs of art work, you will save as a JPEG file. For images with a limited color palette, such as line art drawings, cartoons, or simple icons, save as a GIF file (file extension .gif). Choose the high or maximum quality unless you are concerned about file size/memory issues.

Canvas
Size

If you would like to combine images in to a collage, banner or use some other layered effect, first increase the Canvas size under the image menu.

Layers

If you would like more control over the components of complex image, put components on separate layers because you can manipulate each layer separately (see Layers menu). Important: in order to save your image in a web friendly format (JPEG or GIF), you will need to "Flatten Layers" before saving.

Text Tool

You can put text over the image by using the text tool.  The text automatically goes on a new layer, and you can apply cool effects to the layer with the text. The Text Tool allows you to add text to images or create images of text for banners and icons. Add in text automatically creates a new layer. To add style to text, go to Layers Menu -> Layer Style and click on "Blending Options." Here you can emboss, bevel, add drop shadows and do many other effects.

 Color
Replacement

If you would like to eliminate red-eye from a photo, go to the color replacement tool.  This tool is in the same group as the healing brush tool (symbolized by the bandaid).

Blending Layers

1. Use the Polygon lasso tool to select the part that you want to keep (top layer) and choose a feather of about 10 for the blending effect.  Once you have selected what you want to keep, invert the selection (Select -> Inverse, or Shift+Ctrl+I) and delete. 
2. If you want to blend from one image to another in a collage, make sure that the images are on different layers.  Select the layer that you want to fade, hit the mask tool button on that layer (circle in rectangle). Choose the gradient tool, black to white, normal mode, opacity 100%.  Then select the edge of the fade part and draw gradient tool line across the part that you want to fade.

Final Tips

Photoshop is a very powerful program, so we recommend that you experiment with various features and browse adobe.com for more information and tips. And always save back-ups of your images at their higher resolutions in the Photoshop file format (.psd) in case you need to modify your work later.