Perfect Photoshop Elements Workflow

Thank you to Deirdre, a Digital Photography for Moms reader, who suggested that I make a permanent link to the Perfect Photoshop Elements Workflow tutorials in my sidebar.  Great idea!   

And adding the Workflow link to the sidebar also gives me the opportunity for one last post in the series.  This one is about putting the workflow all together.

First off, if you want to keep an untouched copy of your photo, start the process by saving a copy to work on.  This will leave you with an original to return to if you want (or need) to start over.

Some workflow steps work better when performed on a flattened image .  If not, that step in the workflow might only be applied to the layer immediately under it.  To flatten an image, right-click on your top layer and select Flatten.

Also, there are many possible sequences for the workflow.  These will depend on the picture and the user’s taste.  And obviously, not all steps are needed in every picture.

Following is a general workflow sequence that should work for most people.  Notes are included about situations when you might want to mix up the order a bit.

1. Reading a Histogram
2. Lighting
3. Levels  – If you plan on using an action that contains a Levels adjustment, you can skip this step.
4. Flatten
5. Defog
6. Flatten
7. Blemish Removal - Some do this step at the very beginning and have excellent results.  I like to get my lighting and colors right before I dive into the details.
8. Flatten - Most actions will only run on a flattened image.  The name of this layer should be “Background.” 
9. Run Actions in Photoshop Elements.  If you use CoffeeShop Free Actions, this can often be the last processing step of your workflow because most of the actions contain vignette and sharpen steps.
10. Vignette
11. Noise Reduction- This might be better performed at the beginning of the workflow, especially if the noise arises from taking the picture in low light.  However, heavy processing and saving JPEGs multiple times can also create noise.  This is why I include the step near the end of my workflow.
12. Sharpening
13. The Most Important Workflow Step

 So, how does my workflow compare to yours?  It seems awfully long, doesn’t it?  But usually, it doesn’t take all that much time.

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And have a great weekend!

Erin