Photoshop 02 – Working with Images

Photoshop 02 – Working with Images

July 31, 2023

Working with Images

Opening Images: To open an existing image in Photoshop, follow these steps:
- Launch Adobe Photoshop.
- Go to the “File” menu at the top-left corner of the screen.
- Select “Open” from the dropdown menu.
- Browse to the location of your image file and select it.
- Click “Open.”

Creating Images:

Photoshop allows you to create new images from scratch. Here’s how you can do it:

Go to the “File” menu.
Select “New” from the dropdown menu.
A dialog box will appear, where you can specify the dimensions, resolution, color mode, and other settings for your new image.
Once you’ve set the parameters, click “OK” to create the new blank canvas.

Saving Images:

When you’re done editing an image or creating a new one, you’ll want to save it. Here’s how:

Go to the “File” menu.
Select “Save” if you want to overwrite the existing file or “Save As” if you want to save it under a different name or format.
Choose the destination folder and enter the desired file name.
Choose the file format (we’ll cover that in the next section).
Click “Save.”

Understanding Different Image File Formats:

Photoshop supports various image file formats, each with its own characteristics. Here are some common formats:

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group):
- File Extension: .jpg or .jpeg
- Compression: Lossy compression, which reduces file size by sacrificing some image quality.
- Ideal for: Photographs and images with gradients. Suitable for web and sharing on social media due to its smaller file size.
PNG (Portable Network Graphics):
- File Extension: .png
- Compression: Lossless compression, which preserves image quality but may result in larger file sizes compared to JPEG.
- Ideal for: Images with transparency or sharp edges, logos, icons, and images that require high-quality presentation on the web.
PSD (Photoshop Document):
- File Extension: .psd
- Features: Native Photoshop file format that preserves all layers, masks, adjustment layers, and other elements used in the design.
- Ideal for: Saving your work in progress or for future editing. Not suitable for sharing on the web due to its large size and compatibility issues with other software.
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format):
- File Extension: .gif
- Features: Supports animation and transparency.
- Ideal for: Simple animations, icons, and graphics with a limited color palette.
TIFF (Tagged Image File Format):
- File Extension: .tiff or .tif
- Features: Supports high-quality and lossless images, multiple layers, and transparency.
- Ideal for: Professional printing and archival purposes, but not recommended for web use due to larger file sizes.
PDF (Portable Document Format):
- File Extension: .pdf
- Features: Primarily used for documents but can also include images.
- Ideal for: Saving images in a multipage document or for sharing high-quality images without losing quality.

Remember that the choice of file format depends on the specific requirements of your project, such as the intended use, image complexity, and desired quality. For images destined for the web, JPEG and PNG are typically the most common formats used. For professional projects and when preserving layers and high quality is crucial, PSD and TIFF are preferred.