5 Neat Photoshop Tricks Even a Novice Can Do

Photoshop has been the standard for graphic design and photo editing software since it was first released 30 years ago.

For beginners, Photoshop can be intimidating to use because it’s such a powerful program. There is a lot to learn, and it can be frustrating for novices.

You can get over your intimidation in just a couple of minutes. Read on to learn the top Photoshop tricks that will make your images shine.

1. Learning About Layers

A layer is going to be your best buddy as you learn to use Photoshop.

A layer is simply an overlay sheet that lets you expose and adjust different parts of an image. You can also use layers to stack photos on top of each other.

Have you ever seen one of those stunning star trails images?

There are several tricks that photographers use to create that. They may take a long-exposure photo to capture the movement of the stars.

A common approach is to take dozens of images over a period of time. When these images are layered on top of each other, they create a star trail.

2. Play With the Background

There will be times when you need to change the background of an image. This is helpful for profile pictures and headshots because you can replace the background color to fit the occasion.

You can remove a background by using the Background Eraser tool (Shift + E). You’ll use the eraser to remove the background and create a layer with a new background.

Other tools can remove background from images in one click. They may be easier to use than Photoshop.

3. Change the Size of the Image

Did you know that you can change the size of an image or flip it in Photoshop?

Just go to Edit -> Transform to bring up this option. You can also hit Control + T as a keyboard shortcut.

Transform gives you the option to distort the image.

This Photoshop hack can give your image a strange look like a Salvador Dali painting.

4. Healing Brush

Portrait photographers are under pressure to create perfect images. Unfortunately, humans aren’t perfect. We have blemishes that the camera is sure to accentuate.

These blemishes can be easily removed with the healing brush tool.

Select the healing brush and adjust the size to match the area that you need to change. Click the site, and Photoshop automatically pulls information around that area to correct the image.

It’s not just blemishes that the tool can remove. Food photographers can remove tiny splashes and spots from images that can distract from the shot's focus.

5. Blurring the Lines

The blur tool is a simple way to remove lines from images. Portrait photographers use this to remove lines under the eyes or around the mouth.

You can also use the blur tool to blur the entire background of the image.

Photoshop Tricks Anyone Can Use

Photoshop is the most robust editing tool on the market today. However, you don’t need to be a pro to take advantage of its best features.

These Photoshop tricks show that it’s easy to learn a few tools to create incredible images. Happy editing!