It's All About Light

Post written by Jeanette Smith, Creative Arts Instructor for Aperture Academy

We thought we’d share some of our Photoshop and image processing tips on the blog, so for this entry, I'm going to show you how to create a "Luminosity Mask" in Photoshop CS4. First, you should know what luminance is; it’s the amount of light passing through a particular area of an image. Measured in a range from zero to 255 in an 8-bit image, it is expressed as red, green and blue channels of light.

Adjusting the luminance, by taking a selection from the image itself, is great because it creates a natural gradation, based on the intrinsic brightness of the image. Why? Because every pixel is affected in exact proportion to its native brightness. This technique works nicely, for example, when the sky is overexposed or the foreground underexposed.

Load the luminosity as a selection in Photoshop CS4 in one of two ways:

• Option+Command+2, or 
• Command+Click the RGB thumbnail in the Channels palette. 

You may also inverse the selection, Select>Inverse, or type on your keyboard, Command+Shift+I, to apply an adjustment to the opposite areas of the image. Then travel to the Layers Palette and apply a Levels or Curves Adjustment Layer to the layer that needs correcting.

You can use this technique for color adjustments, too. Load the luminosity as a selection and copy the selection to a new layer in the Layers Palette, Layer>New Layer via Copy, or type on your keyboard Command+J. Then apply a Blend Mode, like Overlay or Multiply, to the new layer and adjust the opacity if necessary. Don't forget to name your layers and keep things organized.

Give this a try and make your images really POP! To learn more creative techniques in Photoshop CS4, enroll in one of our courses or workshops at Aperture Academy, or come in for some private tutoring. Hope to see you soon!

 

The Magic of Creation

Post written by Jeanette Smith, Creative Arts Instructor for Aperture Academy

What is it that motivates us to create, to share for the pure pleasure of expression? Where does this energy come from?
 
We seek ways to express our uniqueness, connect with people who share the same excitement, and acquire knowledge so we can communicate more thoroughly. Then, one day we find ourselves in just the right place, at just the right time, and we are happy.

As a teacher of creative arts, I am lucky to witness, on a regular basis, the eagerness, that "ah-ha" moment of clarity and the ensuing satisfaction that comes with learning something new. I wish students could see themselves at that moment. See themselves gazing back at me with such wonder; confident that the knowledge they take with them will become a vehicle for a deeper channel of creativity.
 
My first classroom experience at Aperture Academy, the Photoshop® for Photographers class, awakened this magic.

"I loved the class, it was just what I needed for a boost to help my picture-taking."  - Brenda Bresnahan

My advice to students learning Photoshop? Focus on doing one thing at a time.
 
Photoshop is a big animal, it does many things; not difficult things, but there are many, many things Photoshop can do. However, it's very methodical, and Photoshop will do exactly what you tell it to do. By defining one task at a time, and achieving just that, you will enjoy a powerful feeling of accomplishment.

In my class, our goal is to teach you to leverage the power of Photoshop as a modern day darkroom. Our on-site workshops blend perfectly with this digital classroom experience...at Aperture Academy, we provide a whole soup-to-nuts package for the digital photographer, no matter what experience or skill level.
 
When you join us in our workshops, you will shoot at beautiful locations, with the lighting at your back and a fantastic view in front of you...then come into my classroom and watch your images come to life!
 
Please visit our Website, sign up to come with us and join the fun!
 

Grand Opening Gala on Dec. 5th, 6-10pm -- You are cordially invited...

Grand Opening Celebration!

On December 5th, from 6pm to 10pm, the Aperture Academy will hold a grand opening event. We invite you to come tour the gallery, enjoy food and wine, win prizes and meet Stephen Oachs, the Aperture Academy staff, and our guest speaker from the Snow Leopard Trust.

Please bring a friend...or all your friends...to the Pruneyard Shopping Center in Campbell, CA, and enjoy:

• live music by wonderful guitarist, Jerry Snyder;
• hourly prize drawings for $5,000 worth of merchandise and classes;
• refreshing appetizers and drinks;
• a fun preview of our Photoshop® & Lightroom® classes;
• meet Aperture Academy founder, Stephen Oachs, and the Academy staff;
• guest speaker from the Snow Leopard Trust;
• and the special unveiling of Stephen's latest fine art print!

Join us for a fun evening of great art, good food, fine music and stimulating conversation...and help us celebrate the opening of The Aperture Academy in style!