CS3 help for Brial Album

[jennifer_brown4]

I am not sure if I am posting this in the right place, and I appoligize if it

has been answered before....I didn't see it anywhere.

 

 

I just downloaded the 30 day free trial of CS3 to see if I like it. It's

costly so I wanted to check it out first.

 

I was going to see how well it does when making album pages for the popular,

modern day wedding album/coffee table style book.

For example:

The background photo will be blurred then there will be some smaller ones on

top.

 

Another example:

One large picture, not blurred kind of offset, then smaller ones to either

side, the background of the smaller ones, where there is negeative space would

be black or another color.

 

I can't seem to figure it out. Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

[buckry]

Wow, it sounds like you just jumped right into album design with both feet. You really need to get a feel for the software starting at square one. I don't know if learning the most basic aspects of the software is possible online. I learned by pressing every button and watching what it did. I'd suggest the same thing. In your two examples above there are probably a dozen different ways to achieve each effect. I'd just get in there play with it, and if you have a specific question about something come back and ask that question.

[john at storybook pages]

In designing album layouts using Photoshop, you've got to really know both sides...

1. A sense of design style...what looks good vs what looks cheezy or 'slam/bam'.

2. The photoshop techniques to create that design style.

 

For number 1...that takes some talent to start with and lots of practice to perfect.

For number 2...as Ryan says, you've got to dive into PS and learn the Photoshop basics. We design albums for wedding photographers and I'd recommend you start by learning:

- Layers and layer styles

- Color adjustment

- Cropping and Selecting

- Use of Brushes

- Feathering and gradients...

 

Those are some things I'd focus on if I were inexperienced and just starting out to learn album page design.

 

Contact us if we can help with tips, techniques or advice. www.storybookpages.com

[ronald_moravec1]

Open all the photos at one time. Use the move tool to stack the other photos on top the bottom one. As long as layers are intact, you can move the upper photos at will.

 

I get a bit fuzzy here as I don`t do this sort of thing, but if you hold down the shift key, the secondary ones will move as a group.

Also if you move it in as a smart object, you can resize it at will.

 

If you want the bottom layer blurred, make a dup layer. Ctrl J or Apple J on a MAc will give a dup of the active layer so highlight the background first. Now go to filter-blur-gausian blurr and add the blur. Adjust the opacity of the blur layer to fine tune the amount of blur.

 

Burn-Dodge Set up your blurred secondary layer. Hit key D to make foreground and background colors black and white. With the blur layer selected, go the layer at the top, new layer, now select blending mode overlay, check the box that appears fill with 50% grey.

 

Now there is a grey layer over the blur. Select the brush tool-key B. Adjust the size up and down with [ and ] bracket keys. Adjust the opacity of the brush on top, 5-10 % is fine. Black darkens the the blur layer with the opacity selected. Multiple passes may be made for more effect.

 

X key reverses the black white and white lightens the area. White paint lightens, black darkens

 

Soft focus is done with the blur layer. Erase tool the areas you want less blurr like eyes and lips and clothing. Opacity again will make the tool less or more responsive. Brackets will size it.

 

Ctrl Z or Apple z on a Mac will erase the last step if you go too far. You need the history pallet to erase more than one step.

 

You can do all this with Photoshop Elements except the smart object so you have to make it the proper size to start. There are other anoying things missing, but most is there. There is always a work around except for layer masking and there is a partial for that.

 

With CS3 you will also get In Design, Illustrator, Bridge, and something else.

 

Call Adobe and ask if the Elements cost can be applied to the cost of CS3. I think it can be, but they will ask you to distroy Elements as with all upgrades. Elements will get you going for $100.

 

Study fast. 30 days is a short time to learn this.

[grphotos]

There are many ways you can make pages and I'm sure everyone has their own way.

 

I bought some great templates from GraphicAuthority.com (because they are more creative than I) and then went to PhotoshopKitchen.com where you can watch free videos where they show you how to use the templates. Great info there even if you don't have templates.

 

I also took a Photoshop class at the local college. If you sign up for a class you can use your student ID to get a discount on CS3 (and other software). I think CampusTech.com has CS3 for under $300. I bought my copy of Lightroom for under $100 there. There are other academic sites as well.

 

Hope this helps. I think Photoshop is an essential tool and part of the wedding business.

-greg

 

PS

I can email a specific step-by-step that I use, if you like. Just email me.

[jennifer_brown4]

Thank you Ronald and Greg. Your info is very helpful. I do know Photoshop, but CS3 was new to me. Thanks again!

[toddcwilson]

Also learn layer mask, the gradient tool, clipping mask and the application in shapes. All of this is in the PS CS3 help file in detail. Make sure you start out on the right size to begin with as well - for example AsukaBook has layout templates with gutter guides on their site for their respective size books. Their site can also give you a little better understanding to help get your head around this.