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luke_9950
Participant
February 5, 2025
Question

Photoshop Ecosystem: Tips, Tools, and Best Practices

  • February 5, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 356 views

Hey everyone,

 

I have recently taken a deep dive into the Photoshop ecosystem and am curious as to how some of you utilize different tools and plugins to leapfrog their workflow.

 

Topics Up for Discussion:

 

1. Favorite Plugins & Extensions – If there are a few extensions that you just could not live without, please tell us.

 

 

2. Cloud and Mobile Sync – Do you regularly use Photoshop on iPad/Adobe Cloud to sync projects?

 

 

3. AI Features – Have you used Generative Fill, Neural Filters, or AI-assisted selections? What is your experience with them in your workflow?

 

 

4. Performance Tuning – What adjustments are made on Photoshop for maximum efficiency in high-resolution projects?

 

 

5. Best Brushes and Textures – Free or premium brushes you really swear by? 

 

I look forward to hearing from you! Let's swap tips and workarounds that allow us to make the most out of Photoshop.

2 replies

Trevor.Dennis
Community Expert
Trevor.DennisCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 7, 2025

Luke, we had a similar thread a few weeks ago.

I didn't list plugins there, but this is my list.  The one that is impressing me the most is Topaz Photo Ai.  It does amazing noise reduction, and does it very quickly.  Other noise reduction plugins I've tried took forever.  It does excellent Ai enhanced sharpening, and can upscale 4 X with out loosing quality.  Ones I rarely use are the Boris Optics nd Painter Particleshop. Of the flaming pear plugins, I only really use Flood 2.

 

I like to minimise key presess, and you can get an idea how I go about that in this thread.

 

Having said all that, I believe a lot of Photoshop advice is partly meaningless without context.  How do you use Photoshop?  Are you are photographer (I believe that Photoshop is wasted on photographers)?

Are you into digital art, illustration?  Image manipulation?  It makes a difference.  I have none of the portrait retouching plugins, for instance.

    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 6, 2025

    1) I prefer to rely largely on Photoshop default functionality and Scripts. 

    Nik Collection is useful at times, though. 

     

    2) No. 

     

    3) Those features are useful; but the masks usually need considerable amendations and with Generative Fill one does well to keep the 1024px x 1024px limit in mind. 

     

    4) I personally consider the default History States excessive. 

     

    5) Kyle T Webster’s brushes are nice, but for the editing of photographic images (as opposed to full-blown illustrating) they are hardly useful/necessary. 

    I have several custom Patterns that I have been using for years and years to emulate grain/noise; some images require individual custom Patterns. 

     

    Aside from all that my »main recommensations« for working in Photoshop are 

    • Smart Objects 

    • Smart Objects 

    • Smart Objects 

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