Stephen Walton Photography Workshops

There are hundreds of tools, options, sliders and buttons in Photoshop – it might feel a little overwhelming. I’m a big believer in the power of Photoshop once you’ve mastered it – but it needs to be done gradually, focusing on what you need to know first.

So let’s kick off with explanations for 10 popular tools, features, actions, and shortcuts in Adobe Photoshop CC, detailing what each item does, how it operates, and when to use it:

1. Brush Tool (B key) 

The Brush Tool is used for painting or drawing on an image. It’s versatile for adding colour, shadows, highlights, or retouching.                                                                                                     

Select the Brush Tool, choose your brush settings, and start painting on the canvas. Adjust opacity and flow for control. Use for detailed retouching, digital painting, or adding localised adjustments.    

Avoid when working with precise geometric shapes or when other tools like the Pen Tool may be more suitable.       

2. Layers Panel

The Layers Panel allows you to organize and manage different elements or adjustments within your project. Create, arrange, and group layers to control the stacking order of elements. 

Use to organise and manage different parts of your design or photo composition. Not essential for simple edits; may not be as critical when working on straightforward tasks.  

 

3. Crop Tool

The Crop Tool is used to crop or straighten the canvas to the desired composition. Select the Crop Tool, drag to define the crop area, and hit Enter to apply. Use the Straighten tool for leveling horizons.            

Use when refining the composition, removing unwanted areas, or adjusting aspect ratios.          

Avoid when the original composition is crucial, or when cropping may lead to loss of essential details.       

4. Magic Wand Tool (W key)

The Magic Wand selects areas with similar colours. It’s great for making quick selections based on colour and tone.    

Click on a colour in the image, and the Magic Wand will select adjacent areas with similar tones. Adjust tolerance for selection accuracy. 

Use for quick selections of contiguous areas with similar colours. Avoid when dealing with complex selections or images with subtle colour variations. 

5. Clone Stamp Tool (S key)

The Clone Stamp Tool duplicates one part of an image and replicates it in another area. It’s useful for retouching and removing unwanted elements.

Alt-click to sample an area, then brush over the area you want to replace. Use for retouching blemishes, removing distractions, or duplicating elements. Avoid when working on detailed areas where seamless blending is crucial, or when dealing with large areas requiring more advanced techniques.   

6. Dodge and Burn Tools

Dodge lightens and Burn darkens specific areas of an image. These tools are effective for enhancing highlights and shadows.                                                                                                         

Select the Dodge or Burn Tool. Set the brush properties. Brush over the areas to lighten (Dodge) or darken (Burn). 

Use to enhance highlights or shadows selectively, bringing attention to specific areas. Avoid when global adjustments may suffice, or when you require more advanced control using adjustment layers. 

7. Layer Masks

Layer Masks allow you to selectively reveal or hide parts of a layer without permanently altering the image.    

Add a mask to a layer, then paint with black to hide and white to reveal. Use when you want non-destructive edits, selectively revealing or hiding parts of a layer. Not essential for simple edits; more beneficial when you need reversible adjustments or complex compositing.        

8. Pen Tool (P key)

The Pen Tool creates precise paths and shapes, making it essential for detailed selections and vector graphics. Click to create anchor points and drag to create curves. Paths can be used for selections or creating shapes.                                                               

Use for creating precise selections, paths, or vector shapes. Avoid when working on free-form shapes or when quicker selection tools like the Lasso Tool may be more suitable.  

9. Eraser Tool (E key)

The Eraser Tool removes portions of a layer. It’s handy for fine-tuning masks, removing unwanted elements, or creating transparent areas.                                                                              

Select the Eraser Tool, set brush properties, and erase unwanted areas on a layer. Use for detailed erasing or refining masks and layers.

Avoid when working on intricate areas where more precise control is needed, or when using masks for non-destructive editing.  

10. Gradient Tool (G key)

The Gradient Tool creates smooth colour transitions. It’s useful for blending colours, creating gradients, or adding subtle effects.

Select the Gradient Tool, choose colours and options, and then drag across the canvas to create a gradient.