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Doc_Pit
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‎Jul 19, 2025
08:12 PM
Thank you. I did not even know that jpeg XL existed until I finished the .psb file for this image and started to look at my other format options. Very much appreciate the clarification and advice.
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‎Jul 19, 2025
12:23 PM
Hope to get some guidance on JPEG XL Save As options. I want to save a large image (15000x15600) as a jpeg for printing. (I was surprised to find that some professional labs, like Bay Photo, include jpegs in their list of preferred file types.) Two questions: (1) I want maximum quality. In the Photoshop Save As dialogue box, under Color Compression, I can choose Lossless or Lossy. If I choose Lossy, I can set the Quality slider to 100 (Maximum, large file). My sense is that Lossless is the better choice to maximize quality. With Lossless, I have no Quality settings. Does that indicate that Lossless automatically maximizes quality? (2) If my purpose is not to re edit the file but rather to send the file to a lab for printing, my sense is that I do not need to include metadata. Is that correct?
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‎Jun 30, 2025
07:46 PM
I'm using the latest Photoshop update (automatic update) on Windows 11. Recently, I've encountered a situation where each time I close and then reopen Photoshop, I have to do a Window>Workspace>Reset Essentials maneuver. Because I use the basic workspace configuration, it's just a minor annoyance. Still, it would be nice to not have to do that. Does anyone know why this happens or how to prevent it?
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‎May 22, 2025
09:52 PM
Trevor, just to follow-up. I tried and then purchased Topaz Photo AI v4. The denoise is particularly good. Moreover, I find I can process the RAW file in Topaz, export it as a dng, do some additional processing in ACR, then bring it into Photoshop. So, there is some significant additional capability. Also, I've been impressed with the Sharpen and SuperFocus modules. I have not mastered all of the sharpening capabilities native to Photoshop; so, I can't say the Topaz product is superior to Photoshop. But, for me, there is a very short learning curve to using the Topaz product effectively. So, given my current level of competence, I can get results from the Topaz product beyond what I can get from Photoshop with respect to sharpening. Again, thanks for the tip!
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‎May 18, 2025
09:25 PM
Hi, Trevor. This post confirms my belief that an old dog (woof! woof!) can learn new tricks. One of the best things in life is to find something you love and work to get better at it. So, I'm trying. Thanks for the tip. I'm going to give it a shot.
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‎May 16, 2025
10:55 AM
My work chiefly involves compositing. One problem I encounter frequently is blurring based on depth of field. I may want to extract an element from an image in my database to incorporate into a new image. Sometimes, I'll have an element that works well except that it is slightly out of focus because of depth of field. Often, I can overcome that using various tools available in Photoshop. (I find the texture feature in Camera Raw to be particularly effective in enhancing the apparent sharpness of slightly blurred areas.) I've been seeing quite a few advertisements for AI powered sharpening plugins (e.g., from Topaz). I'm wondering if any of you has had experience with sharpening (detail extraction) software that offers any significant capability beyond Photoshop's own native capability.
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‎Apr 08, 2025
11:31 AM
I use a Wacom Cintiq 24P with Windows 11. Sometimes, I'll get a lucky stretch where there are no problems. Then, I'll get a rough patch where the pen no longer controls the cursor on the Wacom. I have to uninstall, then reinstall the Wacom driver. Sometimes that takes several tries. This will occur several times per week. Then, it's smooth sailing for another stretch. My Windows installation, my Nvidia drivers, and my Wacom drivers are all updated. Does anyone else have this problem? I understand this is a Photoshop forum, not a Wacom forum. But I usually get better information here than anywhere else.
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‎Apr 08, 2025
09:33 AM
Thank you for that clarification. My work involves blending drawing/painting elements with photographic elements to composite an image. I would like to get to the point where I'm able to objectify anything I can imagine. I've worked quite a bit with the distortion tools. Your post brings home to me that I have achieved a competence but not a mastery of those tools. So, I have some work to do. Again, thanks very much for your help. Much appreciated.
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‎Apr 07, 2025
10:29 AM
I never thought of skewing as a form of rotation, but, yes, it does give the impression of a slight rotation, which usually is all I need. I've worked with the distortion tools, but your response incentivizes me to upgrade my skills. Many thanks to you, barbara_a, and davescm for your responses. Over the years, this forum has been a gold mine for me.
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‎Apr 06, 2025
05:37 PM
The thrust of my question is this: Is there any way to rotate a pixel image in Photoshop? (By "rotate," I mean turn it at any angle, not just Image>Image Rotation.) Example: If I have a photographic image of a man facing forward, is there any way to rotate that image, e.g., 20d on the Y axis and 5d on the X axis? I know that in earlier versions of Photoshop (I believe until v18), it was possible to convert, say, 2D text to a 3D object and rotate it in the 3D module at any angle. I don't know whether the same could be done with just any photographic element. Perspective Warp can do that to some extent with geometric images (e.g., buildings), but I haven't been successful in finding a way to get a similar effect with figures (humans, animals). I'm contemplating installing the earlier v18 and experimenting. However, if I know it's simply not possible to do that, I would save myself some time. (I'm assuming the v18 3D module would even work with current hardware.) Alternatively, is there any third party software that can import a .psd file, rotate an image, then export it back to Photoshop? Please don't reply: "Take two aspirin and lie down for a while."
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‎Jan 16, 2025
02:08 PM
Trevor, thanks very much for your response. Persuant to your suggestion, I need to follow-up my original question with some questions regarding copy and paste. I made the shape and attempted to paste it into the SO Mask. Instead of pasting into the mask, it pasted the shape onto a separate layer. I looked at two tutorials (Steve Patterson https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=how+to+paste+into+a+mask+in+photoshop&mid=856CBB9A3A4A9933BC19856CBB9A3A4A9933BC19&FORM=VIRE and Julieanne Kost https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=how+to+paste+into+a+mask+in+photoshop&mid=A67B79B8CA1F1E9AD98FA67B79B8CA1F1E9AD98F&FORM=VIRE ). Both address this issue. Following their instructions, after copying the shape from its layer, I pressed the alt key (Windows) to reveal the mask; then I pasted. In each of their tutorials, this successfully pasted into the mask. In fact, I encounter the same problem even if I’m just trying to cut from one layer and paste into another w/o reference to a mask. In the image attached, I tried a simple experiment. I created a yellow rectangle on one layer and a smaller black rectangle on a second layer. I then copied the black rectangle from layer 2 and pasted into the yellow rectangle on layer 1. Instead of pasting on to layer 2, PS created a new layer, layer 3. Moreover, the black rectangle on layer 3 does not align with the source rectangle on layer 2. I also converted layer 1 into a SO, created a smart blur filter with a mask, copied the black rectangle from layer 2, pressed the alt key to view the mask, and attempted to paste into the mask. There was no result at all. Nothing was pasted into the mask. No new layer was created. Bottom line, as you suggested, I made a shape, but I was unable to paste it into the layer mask. It seems ridiculously simple. Can you see what I’m doing wrong? Also, I reset Preferences to make sure the problem is not something flaky with PS.
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‎Jan 15, 2025
10:06 PM
Hoping I can get some help with a masking problem. Picture an image that contains several ripples, like when a raindrop lands on the surface of a pond. Each ripple is essentially a series of concentric elliptical shapes emanating from the center, each ellipsis slightly irregular. To each of these ripples, I would like to apply a graduated blur, so that the ellipses closer to the center are sharper than those further from the center. One way to do that would be to convert the ripples layer to a smart object, apply a Gaussian blur, and apply a radial gradient to the blur filter’s layer mask. However, I would like to shape (i.e., transform) the gradient to the contours of each individual ripple. I understand there are ways to contour a gradient. I can, for example, create a gradient in a shape layer and transform the shape. However, I haven’t figured out how to contour a gradient within a layer mask. Does anyone know how to do this?
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‎Aug 25, 2024
03:36 PM
I usually figure out how to mask pretty much anything, but here I've hit a wall. Generally, I start with a B&W adjustment layer, using the various sliders, and combine that with other adjustments to get as close as I can to a white subject against a black background. Couldn't find any combination of options that showed any promise. Traditional tools like the magic wand, quick selection or color range are no match for the fine network of feathers against a background that, in places, is not very different in color or tone from the feathers themselves. Is this just a "punt" situation? Or is there a way to approach this?
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‎Jul 17, 2024
06:13 PM
1 Upvote
Serious as a heart attack, Trevor. I work with a Cintiq and two Dell monitors, all of which are several years old. I was surprised that I could no longer update my Dell/Xrite calibration software. I needed a monitor that I could calibrate reliably. So, I mortgaged my house and purchased an Eizo CG 2700S because it has a self-calibration feature that does hardware calibration. I don't have enough money left for beer, which is another positive.
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‎Jul 16, 2024
07:51 AM
1 Upvote
Thanks for the tip about the light application interface. I'll need to try that.
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‎Jul 15, 2024
03:34 PM
I was reading some material from Eizo that advised trying to keep the ambient light in the work area as close as possible to the brightness and color temperature of the monitor. If I tried to install a florescent light to replace the overhead ceiling light in the room, it would reflect on the monitor surface as a hot spot. My only solution would be some high intensity floor lamps that can take 6500K bulbs and bounce light off the ceiling. I'm wondering how others might have addressed the relation between monitor brightness/color and ambient brightness/color in the workspace. Or, is it a real problem at all?
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‎Jul 08, 2024
12:53 PM
1 Upvote
Response much appreciated. Thanks.
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‎Jul 08, 2024
07:39 AM
I think I might have done a poor job describing my issue. Let me reframe this. I read quite a few online articles that suggest I should always edit in ProPhoto, where I have the greatest range of colors, then convert to sRGB when I want to distribute images that would be viewed on the web or with non-color-managed applications. Regarding: " If you can't get it to work in sRGB..." My point is that I CAN get it to work in sRGB. I have never felt constrained by the relatively smaller color range of sRGB. So, I have been editing in sRGB on this premise: If I edit in ProPhoto, then convert to sRGB for distribution, some external process decides how colors from ProPhoto outside the sRGB range are brought into the sRGB space. If I edit in sRGB, there are no surprises. I see all the colors that will appear in the final image. Is that valid logic? Thanks for the responses.
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‎Jul 07, 2024
07:55 PM
Recently, I’ve been editing in sRGB for several reasons: (1) If I want to distribute my images electronically, people will view those images mostly in sRGB or in whatever color space is set in their monitor. In most cases, that is likely to be something closer to sRGB than to any other color space. (2) I never have felt that there were colors I wanted but couldn’t get working in sRGB. And modifying colors using simple hue and saturation adjustments and the like is not problematic. Given that I work often with nature scenes that include very gradual transitions (mists and the like), I do sometimes encounter banding. Using 16 bits with a narrower color range (sRGB) tends to minimize that problem. Does that make sense?
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‎Jul 01, 2024
07:09 AM
1 Upvote
Thanks very much for all the responses. I turn-off Maximise PSD and PSB Compatibility, but I have not been using compression because my files are often huge and complex (many layers). Saving with compression takes close to the duration of my expected remaining life span. I hate merging layers beyond what I have to because, sadly, I often think I have "finished" an image, only to decide at a later date that there are things I want to change. Being able to go back to earlier versions with editable layers facilitates that. But your comments help me to organize my thoughts regarding options. I have depended on this forum for years, and I have always felt it is a gold mine. Much appreciated.
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‎Jun 30, 2024
10:10 AM
1 Upvote
Once I complete an image, I will save several earlier versions, which are useful in case, at a later date, I want to do some revisions. These version files are large and can take-up a lot of space. I can go through these files one-by-one, take steps to reduce their size (hide layers, rasterize smart objects, etc.) and resave them with compression. That's time consuming. I can use the built-in Windows zip utility to group and zip multiple files. This seems to reduce aggregate file size by about one-third. Does anyone know of a zip utility that is especially efficient when applied to Photoshop files?
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‎Jun 23, 2024
08:02 AM
Many thanks!
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‎Jun 21, 2024
10:06 AM
I'm using the most recent version of Photoshop (25.9.1). With this version, each time I use the move tool, I get a control box (as if I had hit Ctrl-T). Online tutorials correct this problem by unchecking a "Show Transform Controls" box right after the Layers drop down box on the options bar. That STC option does not appear on my options bar. Previously, if I used the move tool, it simply moved whatever I selected with my cursor, no boxes. I would like to restore that. Any suggestions. Also, curiously, in earlier versions, if I went to Help>About Photoshop, I would get version information. Now, that exercise produces no effect whatever. What???
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‎May 04, 2024
04:16 PM
1 Upvote
I know people have been posting about this for around 10 years, viz: If you inadvertently double click while pressing Alt to set the clone source, align will get checked. Have they ever come-up with a way to disable automatic alignment (i.e., align when I check the box, don't align when I don't check the box)?
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‎Apr 17, 2024
07:34 AM
In photoshop, if you inadvertently double click while pressing Alt/Option to set the clone source, align will get checked. Is there a way to prevent, i.e., set parameters so that "aligned" is only implemented when the box is manually checked?
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‎Mar 23, 2024
10:12 AM
An added note: Instead of painting a gray stripe with a hard brush, I added a gray clipping mask, so the entire body of the snake was gray. I then copied the same black mask with the same white brush stroke to that new layer. The issue with the sharp-edged/feathered edged segments disappeared. It may be that my guess was correct: In feathering the mask, I reduced the mask opacity at the edges so that the hard-edged gray stripe showed through at some points. Still doesn't explain why painting over those areas in black had no effect.
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‎Mar 23, 2024
09:07 AM
If I posted a complete shot, I would be including nothing that further clarifies the problem, and it would be impossible to read my notations, which point out where the problem lies (sharp edge vs feathered edge). The salient points are that the mask is black, the brush is white, the underlying stratum is gray, the blend mode is multiply, the brush is at 100% opacity / 100% flow / 0% smoothing, no fade. A hard brush was used to paint the gray and a soft brush was used to paint white over the mask. I sincerely appreciate your response.
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‎Mar 22, 2024
07:46 PM
4 Upvotes
Having a masking issue which I hope someone can explain to me. The image below is from a snake painting. It shows a piece of the image and the layer. I want to put a soft, feathered gray stripe along the body of the snake. I first used a hard brush to paint in a broad gray stripe. I set the blend mode to multiply. I attached a black mask. I then used a soft white brush over the black mask to reveal the stripe. I was able to use the mask properties to adjust the feathering until I had the appropriately soft edge. There are two issues that puzzle me: (1) Notice that there are certain segments that are sharp rather than feathered. One possible explanation is that I feathered the mask to a point where the opacity of the mask was insufficient to conceal the sharp edge of the original brush stroke. However, if that were the case, I would expect that condition would obtain uniformly, not in segments. (2) If, for example, I use a black brush at full opacity to clean-up the gray that spills over the snake body (image, upper left), the black brush has no effect. It does not hide the gray. Same in the lower area. A black brush will hide gray areas except where the edge is sharp. There is no layer projecting anything from higher in the layer stack. As expected, if I hide the layer, the gray disappears. If I disable the black mask, the hard gray stroke is completely revealed. I.E., everything works as expected, except for the issues I described. The problem is easy to work around. I'm just curious about what is happening here. Thanks.
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‎Jan 30, 2024
06:56 PM
1 Upvote
Thank you.
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‎Jan 30, 2024
06:56 PM
That was really helpful. Thanks for your time. Much appreciated.
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