Faster Pc for You

Photoshop Tips - Adobe Photoshop and Text

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.

When working with the ‘Type’ options, you first need to activate the ‘Type’ tool with the letter ‘T’. This will bring all the Type Tool alternatives into the Options bar, all of which can be used to add or modify the text that you add to your image. Of the various tools that you find on the Options bar, the first two let you choose between a Type Layer and a Type Mask to work on your image with. If you are looking to add a relatively large piece of text to your image, you can also consider creating a Type Layer, on which you can click and create a rectangle or square to make a text column. You can then work this column to the relevant section of the image, to ensure more accuracy. And if you choose to type directly on the layer, you must remember to pay attention to the ‘I beam’ on the image, which has a small horizontal line across it, to denote the baseline. Adhering to the baseline will further augment the accuracy with which you position your text, saving you a lot of valuable time and effort in the entire process.

If you aren’t very certain about the font you want to use for your image, you can simply type it up and then highlight the text to switch between fonts and styles. To format individual segments of the text, you can drag them to the preview section and adjust the style and font until you arrive at an alternative that suits your image perfectly. Photoshop also allows you to vary the color of your text on a per character basis and even apply multiple colors to your text with the use of a single layer. You can either choose from the vast array of colors that the Color-Picker has to offer, or even pick one off the image itself! To do the latter, you can leave the color-picker window open and then move your cursor to the part of the image which has the color you are looking for.

Once you added your text and granted it all the enhancements you could think of, you may want to take a minute to gloat over your accomplishment. To do this, exit the type mode with the ‘Enter’ key on the ‘Numeric Keypad’. You can also exit the ‘Typing mode’ by selecting any other tool in the toolbox or clicking on the checkmark in the Options bar. And if you still aren’t satisfied with the text you’ve added, you can re-enter the Editing mode by double-clicking on the ‘T’ icon in the thumbnail area of the Layers Palette. For a quick-fix job where you just want to resize the text or move it around, remember to hold down the ‘Shift’ key while dragging the text to adhere to the proportions. Not doing so will lead to your text becoming taller or wider than it originally was and if that’s what you’re looking for, proceed the same way you would with the exception of holding down the ‘Shift’ key.

As Photoshop continues to advance and develop, it also expands in the opportunities it offers photography enthusiasts of every level of skill from beginners who are exploring new avenues to experts who seek challenge to rein their creativity. Learning your way about this software can seem an uphill task, in view of the expansive features that it boasts of, and all the possibilities it opens new doors to. If you haven’t begun already, master Photoshop today and let your ingenuity startle you with the heights it soars to!