Page 61 - Photoshop User March 2017

sets: one for fine details that you’ll use with the mid peak method above, and one for shaping to be used with this luminosity/negative helper.
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To use this set of helper layers, first select both of them in the Layers panel, group them together (Command­G [PC: Ctrl­G]), and name the group “D&B Helper.” Then, toggle the group on/off every few strokes while mak­ ing your corrections. Generally, work with just the Luminosity layer, and use the Negative layer now and then to help spot problem areas or over­correction. The goal is to keep from creating harsh transitions or pushing a bit too far.
You can also toggle the Solar layer on and off while the D&B helper group is active. The result is insanely contrasty! Those barely shaded areas and hidden edges will suddenly pop out. If you toggle all the helper layers on and off, you’ll get a really good idea of how subtle shading can affect body shapes and smoothness. And, be sure to toggle the Dodge & Burn groups on and off to see your progress.
These helper layers can bring out stuff you’ve never noticed in your images, giving you more power and control over your retouching. To make the best use of them, here are some general tips:
• Keep your helper layers in a single group so you can combine them and more easily see a before/after by turning them on and off together.
• When working at close detail, be sure to zoom out every few minutes to keep perspective. The Bird’s Eye view is one way to do this (press­and­hold the letter H on your keyboard and then click­and­hold in your image), or open your image in a second window using Window>Arrange>New Window for [name of file].
• Tweakthevarioussettingsoneachlayertogetthemost out of it. The whole point is to give you a different view of your image to pick out areas that need correction.
Remember that
these are “helpers,”
so only use them
when they make
sense. Don’t feel
obligated to add
them to every proj­
ect, but do get used
to how they func­
tion. And, of course,
see if you can come
up with other types
of helper layers to
make your retouch­
ing job easier, such
as saturation or hue
helpers. If you find something useful in your explorations, share it online with us! n
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