A far cry from the conventional perception of photography, the modern-world usage of photographs ranges from the classic diorama to the more forward calendars, virtual cards and even the occasional business presentation. To add to the impact using photography in spheres that are far detached and removed from their more traditional stance, a well-worded caption or even a tagline work like no other, especially when they augment the theme you aim to create by using these images. Many conservative photographers and image editors had hitherto shunned this approach on account of the patchwork effect that was created by former versions of image editing software. However, this is one of the avenues Photoshop has broken new ground in, allowing a dizzying array of features that don't just present the caption in a palatable format, but also allow you to use text with an image to enhance the overall effect you're looking to create.
With Photoshop, captioning your images is no longer restricted to plastering a few lines of text across them. Instead, you can blend the text in and have it merge with the image, so that what you have as a final product is a harmonious confluence of text and image, and not two separate entities. Photoshop uses a ground-breaking technique called Anti-Aliasing, to attain this effect. Anti-Aliasing works with the pixels of the text you type in, partially filling in the edges to keep them from standing out. You can also choose how sharp or smooth your image appears, by selecting the most appropriate alternative from the array that Photoshop allows you. 'Strong', for instance would make the text appear heavier than the rest of the image while 'Sharp' would define the edges, while also making sure that they are in-sync with the background.
When working with text that is very small in size and falls under the threshold of 10 or 12 points, it is advisable that you refrain from using Anti-Aliasing, as this may modify your text in an inconsistent manner. The same applies to images that are not of a very high resolution which may lead to the text being blurred at certain points. To smoothen or sharpen the text, you can choose the similarly labeled alternatives while the 'Crisp' option lets you meander midway, with the text preserving its conspicuousness and yet not standing out too blatantly from the rest of the image. To use Anti-Aliasing on your image, go into the 'Type' layer in the 'Layer Palette' which brings you to the Anti-Aliasing menu. It is from this menu, which you will find in the 'Options' bar or in the 'Character Palette' that you can select the most viable alternative to apply to your frame.
To work with the 'Type' tool, you first need to bring it to the 'Options' bar. You can do this by hitting the letter 'T' and then choose the options as per the effect you are looking to create. Of all the options that the bar offers, the first two are to create a Type Mask or a Type Layer. You can base your preference on what you are more comfortable working with. For large bodies of text which may be difficult to fit in at the first instance, you can create a Type Layer, click and size a rectangular or square box and create a text column, which you can fit into the portion of the segment you want to feature the text in. when typing directly on the image, watch out for the I-beam on the image, the small horizontal line across which is the baseline for your text. Paying attention to this baseline allows you more precision even as you work on the image, thus saving a lot of time and effort on resizing after the damage has been done!
With Photoshop, you always have the option of previewing your text to check for font and style compatibility, even before you actually begin to type in the content. However, if you think you need to see the final effect to make your decision, you also have the alternative of typing your text in, highlighting it and then modifying the finer nuances. Coloring your text is another ballgame altogether. With Photoshop, you can not only fine-tune your color choice with every individual character, but also multi-hue your text while using only a single layer. While the Color-Picker is bound to spoil you for choice, you can also pick colors off your image by moving your cursor to the color you want to emulate, while keeping the Color Picker window open.
After you're through with working on your image and are ready to showcase it in all its creative glory, you can exit the 'Type' mode with the 'Enter' key on the Numeric keypad. Other ways to move out would be by clicking on any other tool in the toolbox, or the checkmark in the Options bar. For any oversights you want to correct, there is always the 'T' icon in the thumbnail section of the Layer's Palette, double-clicking on which, you can go back to the 'Editing' mode once again. An easy way to resize or reposition the text is to simply click and drag it as per your preference while holding down the 'Shift' key. This prevents your text from getting distorted in relation to the proportions you set out with and if you aren't too particular about the same, you can also stretch your text out, or flatten it by not using the 'Shift' key.
Photoshop has endless avenues for both amateur enthusiasts and professionals to explore. Although the learning curve can be steep and hard to grapple with, take your time with the software and be as creative as you can when using it. With a little practice and loads of determination, turning everyday plain-Jane images to digital masterpieces will be a forte you have firmly etched out for yourself!
With Photoshop, captioning your images is no longer restricted to plastering a few lines of text across them. Instead, you can blend the text in and have it merge with the image, so that what you have as a final product is a harmonious confluence of text and image, and not two separate entities. Photoshop uses a ground-breaking technique called Anti-Aliasing, to attain this effect. Anti-Aliasing works with the pixels of the text you type in, partially filling in the edges to keep them from standing out. You can also choose how sharp or smooth your image appears, by selecting the most appropriate alternative from the array that Photoshop allows you. 'Strong', for instance would make the text appear heavier than the rest of the image while 'Sharp' would define the edges, while also making sure that they are in-sync with the background.
When working with text that is very small in size and falls under the threshold of 10 or 12 points, it is advisable that you refrain from using Anti-Aliasing, as this may modify your text in an inconsistent manner. The same applies to images that are not of a very high resolution which may lead to the text being blurred at certain points. To smoothen or sharpen the text, you can choose the similarly labeled alternatives while the 'Crisp' option lets you meander midway, with the text preserving its conspicuousness and yet not standing out too blatantly from the rest of the image. To use Anti-Aliasing on your image, go into the 'Type' layer in the 'Layer Palette' which brings you to the Anti-Aliasing menu. It is from this menu, which you will find in the 'Options' bar or in the 'Character Palette' that you can select the most viable alternative to apply to your frame.
To work with the 'Type' tool, you first need to bring it to the 'Options' bar. You can do this by hitting the letter 'T' and then choose the options as per the effect you are looking to create. Of all the options that the bar offers, the first two are to create a Type Mask or a Type Layer. You can base your preference on what you are more comfortable working with. For large bodies of text which may be difficult to fit in at the first instance, you can create a Type Layer, click and size a rectangular or square box and create a text column, which you can fit into the portion of the segment you want to feature the text in. when typing directly on the image, watch out for the I-beam on the image, the small horizontal line across which is the baseline for your text. Paying attention to this baseline allows you more precision even as you work on the image, thus saving a lot of time and effort on resizing after the damage has been done!
With Photoshop, you always have the option of previewing your text to check for font and style compatibility, even before you actually begin to type in the content. However, if you think you need to see the final effect to make your decision, you also have the alternative of typing your text in, highlighting it and then modifying the finer nuances. Coloring your text is another ballgame altogether. With Photoshop, you can not only fine-tune your color choice with every individual character, but also multi-hue your text while using only a single layer. While the Color-Picker is bound to spoil you for choice, you can also pick colors off your image by moving your cursor to the color you want to emulate, while keeping the Color Picker window open.
After you're through with working on your image and are ready to showcase it in all its creative glory, you can exit the 'Type' mode with the 'Enter' key on the Numeric keypad. Other ways to move out would be by clicking on any other tool in the toolbox, or the checkmark in the Options bar. For any oversights you want to correct, there is always the 'T' icon in the thumbnail section of the Layer's Palette, double-clicking on which, you can go back to the 'Editing' mode once again. An easy way to resize or reposition the text is to simply click and drag it as per your preference while holding down the 'Shift' key. This prevents your text from getting distorted in relation to the proportions you set out with and if you aren't too particular about the same, you can also stretch your text out, or flatten it by not using the 'Shift' key.
Photoshop has endless avenues for both amateur enthusiasts and professionals to explore. Although the learning curve can be steep and hard to grapple with, take your time with the software and be as creative as you can when using it. With a little practice and loads of determination, turning everyday plain-Jane images to digital masterpieces will be a forte you have firmly etched out for yourself!
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