The lasso tool is a great to use when you need to make selections of a particular selection. While it is just one of the selection tools Photoshop/Elements has to offer, it is my favorite.

Lassoing an area is pretty straight forward. You click the tool, then draw around the area you want selected.

What I want to share about today is function and necessity of the feather when using the lasso tool.

So, say you want to select a person’s face so you can brighten it. Or, there is a color cast on the face/neck and you select that area. BUT, what you should be doing first is setting the feather, which blends the edit/change in with the pixels around it.

If you are not paying attention to the feather, your edited area may stand out, with a defined start and stop. Or, if your feather is too large, the edit may only be applied to a very small part of your selection and too much of it blended in.

Sorry the pictures don’t match up. There is a story there, but I am too tired to tell it.

Okay, when you go to use the lasso tool, keep the double box icon selected, because that will allow you to choose multiple areas in the image.

BEFORE you make your selection, you need to set your feather. Not sure what size feather to use? Here is a good rule of thumb:

• Big area selected = big feather (a whole body might be 80 or 100 px)
• Medium area selected = medium feather (a face might be 30 px)
• Small area selected = small feather (eyes might be 10 px)
• Smaller file size = smaller feathers (make all of the above smaller for a 72 dpi image)

Remember! You need to set your feather BEFORE you make your selection.

After you set the feather, and make your selection, then you can do your adjustment/filter. With adjustment layers, you will notice that the adjustment creates a black mask, and ONLY the area selected will show the change. However, you can utilize your brush and draw out the change in other areas if you need.

Below is a 10 minute video tutorial walking  you through using the lasso tool. Hope it helps and have fun lassoing!

Scarlett

Yes, I am shamelessly showing off my 8 year old’s photography.

These pictures, plus more that like them in different settings, were taken by Georgia with her Canon Elph 100 camera, and uploaded to my computer using her new Eye-Fi memory card. I’ve seen her pictures of her Breyer horses and knew she had a knack for creativity and composition, but when I saw these come up on my computer I was pleasantly surprised.

The pictures above and below were taken by her, all alone, with not one bit of prompting from me. The images have NOT been cropped to improve composition, although some of the top/bottom of each one was lost when I put them in the blog-it board (from The Album Cafe).

Almost all of the images were well composed, creative and in fairly good light. I’m sorry, I am just plain tickled!!

None of the images were edited or cropped. They were only resized and sharpened for the web. The Canon Elph 100 is a wonderful little camera for kids and adults alike. I’ve been very happy with the pictures produced and it has been very easy for my 8 and 11 year olds to learn to use on their own.

Now that I see she has a pretty good “eye” I am going to start giving some tips here and there. Also, I am going to print some of the images fairly large for her room, and during the summer we will make a photo book together, using only her pictures, so she has something tangible to have and share with others.

Below is the image I shared on Facebook of her camera and new Eye-Fi card. Come back later this week for a review of the card (bought by me, not anything sponsored by Eye-Fi) and a giveaway!

taken with iPhone 4 via camera+ app

 What about  you? Do you have a budding photographer at home? What age did they start and have you done anything to foster it?

Did you know I have a Bachelor’s degree in accounting? I like things simple, in order, in a row. Hopefully knowing that little tidbit about me, you understand where I’m coming from with what I am fixing to say.

If an image is supposed to be straight – make it straight!!

Yes, crooked pictures is a bit of a pet peeve of mine. I get that some images are meant to be tilted; I’m okay with that. But, if you’re not going for an all-out tilt, and there is something in the image that is “telling on you,” in other words, something that should be straight but isn’t – then straighten it! Pretty please?

How to straighten an image in Photoshop and PSE:

• Activate the straighten tool in the tool bar
• Make sure the “Grow or Shrink Canvas to Fit” option is selected in option menu
• Put your cursor to the side/top of time and drag across a line/area that should be straight

If your image gets flipped horizontal or vertical as a result of the straighten, simply rotate it by going to Image, Rotate, 90 degrees Left/Right.

Yes, it is just that simple. And, because you now know how easy it is,  you will take 30 seconds next time and straighten it before sending it into Cyberspace to drive others like me mad. Right? Nod your head yes, if just only to placate me. Thank you.

Before and after using the straighten tool

Now, I know this was a very simple concept, but sometimes it just helps to see it in action so below is a 4 minute video tutorial illustrating this tool. Enjoy!

Written by Beckie

I want to talk about a totally fun little lens! It’s called the Lensbaby Composer! This lens has a unique feature…it can bend it’s focus allowing you to control the depth of field in a very unique way!

Lensbaby offers a variety of interchangeable optics (what they call their Optic-Swap System) to create a different look in your images, but the Composer comes installed with the double-glass optic. It’s designed to help create a tack-sharp point of focus. You literally bend the lens to the desired angle and manually focus on your subject.

Everything about this lens is manual, including the aperture! You can use the included magnetic wand aperture removal tool to install one of the basic aperture discs (f/2-f/22), or you can buy a set of creative custom aperture discs, and your bokeh will take on that custom shape (or get a blank set and some craft punches and make your own custom aperture discs)!

The first weekend in June I will be in Chicago visiting a sweet friend, Carol Lea. She is a fellow photographer and longtime supporter of me and Everyday Elements. When we were discussing my visit, she graciously offered to help me find a location if I wanted to hold a workshop on Saturday. Since I have had many people from that area inquire about me coming up there, I quickly accepted.

This announcement is very late in coming, honestly because I have gone back and forth about whether to do it or not. But, I recently became 100% committed to it, and look forward to working with a small group of photography enthusiasts.

The Details:

• $200, which includes lunch, training notes and a $60 gift card to Everyday Elements
• Time is from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
• Small group, only 5 attendees, so that I can better help each person (only 3 seats still open)
• Topics covered include how to shoot in manual, getting great focus, basics of flash, workflow and editing in Lightroom and Photoshop/PSE
• Location will be around the Morris, IL area, about an 45 minutes from Chicago

I shoot both Nikon and Canon, so that I can help both “camps.” Also, I will have a variety of lenses, reflectors, flashes, custom white balance tools and more with me, for you to view and try out.

There are only five seats in this workshop, because I want to keep it small so that each person gets more personal attention. Two seats have been taken, so only three remain.

If you would like to attend, send me an email via the contact form.