Photoshop Friday! Photo ShaZAM.

Man, has it ever been a long time since the last Photoshop Friday or what? Hopefully today’s issue will make up for it! :D It’s one you’ll be able to use on everything, because this is the way I process many of my photos, and it’s a nearly UNIVERSAL method for improving the brightness and contrast of your pics, and helping your colors simply POP right out.

Let’s just call it PHOTO ShaZAM. I’m feeling a little retro today. :) But seriously. I took this pic of Ellliott playing in their “Sharkey Pool” today, and made it kinda sing. Like so:

AND, just to up the deliciousness factor a bit, how about we have a little giveaway? My I’m-related-to-her-I-promise relative, Natalie Putnam, is generously giving away one of her sweet handmade Camera Straps to one lucky winner! Keep readin’!

First, though, the tutorial. Learning first. Free stuff later.

Photo ShaZAM. 

My pic looks like this sooc (straight out of camera):

 

It’s ok, right? He’s a sweet fella, and this pic pretty much puts my heart in my throat. But really DECENT pics are the perfect candidates for just a little extra somethin’ somethin’ - which is why this is the ShaZAM.

Ready to see some shaZAM on your own pics?

Photoshop Friday: Photo ShaZAM

1. Okay, the first step in the Shazam is to open that pic. If you’re shooting in RAW (like I do), go ahead and correct your white balance and make the changes you need to, and then bring it in to Photoshop. If you’re shooting in JPG, just open the file. :)

It should be your background layer. Thusly:

Click for Larger 

2. Now right-click on the photo (Background) layer in the Layers palette, and choose Duplicate Layer from the flyout menu. In the little box that comes up, go ahead and rename this layer to Overlay. Click OK.

 
Click for Larger

3. And now you’ll go ahead and right-click on the Overlay layer and choose Duplicate Layer again from the flyout menu. In THIS little naming box, go ahead and rename this layer to Screen. Click OK.

Now you have a stack of three perfectly ordinary layers. And here’s where the shaZAM happens. :)

4. Click on the Screen layer in the Layers palette. In the blending mode dropdown at the top of the Layers palette, set the blending mode of the Screen layer to Screen.

5. Click on the Overlay layer in the Layers palette. In the blending mode dropdown, set the blending mode for the Overlay layer to (wait for it..) Overlay.

Here’s what I get at full strength. Whoa. Talk about overblown.

Click for Larger 

But now! Now come the subtle machinations of a true Photoshop Wizard: playing with the opacity of crazy overblown layers.

6. Play with the opacity of both of these layers until you get a flavor you really like. The interaction between these two blending modes is where the shaZAM happens. The screen layer acts as a brightening agent, and the Overlay layer boosts contrast. Depending on your particular photo and how well it’s exposed, what colors are in it, tonal range, that kind of thing, you’ll need to increase or decrease the blends for both of these.

I ended up with Screen set to 44%, and Overlay set to 65%. And it looks awesome.

Now, one thing I noticed in my particular photo, and something that you might notice in yours as well, is that Overlay tends to boost redness in skintones. So suddenly Elliott looks a bit like he’s been diving in heavily chlorinated water.

A quick fix? Take a soft-edged Eraser tool to the Overlay layer on parts that turn out too red or too contrasty (or if you’re advanced, create a layer mask and mask out these parts). This will show the original photo through.

Click for Larger

After a quick touch on my background layer with the Burn tool to darken up the edges just a hair, and a little Smart Sharpen, I came out with this:

 

ShaZAM!

This technique will improve almost any photo you work it on, which is pretty amazing, considering the variety of photos it’s possible to take. :)  So the workflow here:

1. Open the photo.
   
2. Duplicate the layer twice.
3. Set the top layer to Screen, and the second layer to Overlay.
4. Adjust the opacity of this two-layer combination.
5. Erase out any too-dark or too-red parts of the Overlay layer.
6. Burn the edges of the background layer just a titch.
7. Resize as needed, and THEN run Smart Sharpen (sharpening should always be done last, and always on the photo when it’s at its final size). I recommend a strength of 85%, and then adjust the radius to taste.

Weekend Assignment: Show me YOUR Photo ShaZAM! :D

Okay, now for your assignment, are you ready?

1. Go take a picture. Or I GUESS you could use one you already have. GOSH. (But seriously. The sun is shining. Go take some pics!)

2. Work some SHAZAM on it, as explained above.

3. Post the shazam, or a layout made with the aforementioned shazam, somewhere online, such as a your favorite gallery, your blog, mayhaps the General gallery at JessicaSprague.com? You know, anywhere. Even Photobucket. Even Flickr. Go for it! :D And mentioning where you learned about the Shazam would be really cool as well, of course.

4. Come back over here, right here to this post, and leave a comment. Perhaps even paste in the link where you posted your shazam.

And the reward! Win a new camera strap!

I’ll draw a random name at 9:00 p.m. on Monday night, July 14, at 9:00 EDT, and the winner will receive a brand-new camera strap created with love by my I’m-related-to-her-somehow relative, Ms. Natalie Putnam! How cute is this?!

 

You can pick out any of the straps in her store for your very own, IF you practice the ShaZAM, post it, and then comment RIGHT HERE before Monday (oh, and if your post # is drawn, of course).  And the relative part? Okay, we worked this out at one point. Natalie is ny brother’s wife’s sister’s mother-in-law’s daughter. Or my brother’s wife’s sister’s sister-in-law. Right? Right. And get this other craz-i-ness. Natalie is ALSO my mom’s brother’s wife’s sister-in-law’s daughter.. okay, now I’m just making this up. But I’m SERIOUS about the first part.

Okay, friends! Let’s see some ShaZAM!

Can’t wait!

p.s. I’ll only count links in the randomness, so if you have other comments/questions feel free to post ‘em!

Update on Saturday, July 12, 2008 at 01:50PM by Jessica

To answer a couple of questions:

 1. This works in every version of Photoshop, and probably any other graphics program that has layers. No special version-specific stuff here. :)

2. Scrappydeena asked:

I do have a question Jessica….would it be correct to flatten the image before applying smart sharpen or should we do smart sharpen on the background layer and then flatten?

I flattened everything onto its own layer JUST before saving it out, and then ran the Smart Sharpen. Thank you for pointing this out - I didn’t mention the flattening.

4. Several people asked how to use the Burn tool.

It’s grouped with the Dodge tool, and makes your image darker in the areas you use it. Select it, and then make sure you have a large soft brush selected in the Options Bar. I would use Midtones and about 50% opacity to start out with, and then just click and drag the brush around the edges to darken. I focused in the corners of my image, and then lightly touched along each of the sides. Because this image is so bright, I didn’t want to overdo the darkened edges.

3. J asked:

I love it! Question - I am trying to replicate exactly what you did on your photo, step by step, but no matter what I do, it doesn’t come out identical. The overall glow effect and flawless skin tone seems impossible to achieve. Is there some of fine tuning that differs from program to program that would make the same picture come out different even though I follow the same steps to a T?

I was working with straight-out-of-the camera, full-resolution files when I did this, which would make a difference because there’s more data to play with. You’re also dealing with differences in monitors, as well as which color space you’re in. But the basics of the technique wouldn’t change between programs.

Comments

[Suzy]

Wow, these layouts and photos really POP. There are some awesome ladies out there. Here is mine to add to the mix:
http://www.scrapwizard.blogspot.com/

[blemaire]

I really like this ShaZam!
The color is so much more vibrant.

I posted my ShaZam picture at Jessica's general gallery

Thanks
blemaire

[hanna]

awesome tutorial Jessica - it really rocks . . . see my little rockstar ShaZamed

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8935580@N06/2659462951/?addedcomment=1#comment72157606117176939

[Holly]

Here is mine....
http://shaneholly.blogspot.com/2008/07/shazam.html

[Michelle Anderson]

Here's hoping this works! See post here:

http://bestshotphotography.typepad.com/best_shot_photography/2008/07/a-little-shazam-lovin.html

(I so want to win...love the straps and I've been looking for something to bring personality to my otherwise boring camera). Thanks for the tutorial and the chance to win (I'm using the power of the "secret" to influence the win).

[JenGall]

Jessica, I am so loving this! I couldn't figure out how to burn the edges on the background layer (HELP!), but I did everything else just as you instructed. I am in love with how it made what I thought was a pretty nice picture into what I think is a pretty fabulous picture! Here's where it's posted...

http://self-proclaimeddiva.blogspot.com/2008/07/shazam.html

This is the first thing I've done in Photoshop ever - thank you so much for the instruction!

[Misti]

Thank you so much for the tutorial! I'd love, love, love to win the camera strap; it's so pretty!

Here's my ShaZAM! http://cropgirl.blogspot.com/2008/07/photoshop-friday-shazam.html

Thanks again!

[Erin S.]

Used a variety of techniques from the NWR class, Also Jessica's shaZAM technique on photo. Template from Designer Digitals, kit is called 100% Genuine (I think I got it at Scrap Girls). Used pin/tag from week 2 and sanded overlay(changed color and blend mode for grainy effect) from week 4. Also used Jessica's PS Friday tutorial for creating a title behind a section of photo.

http://www.jessicasprague.com/cpg/displayimage.php?pos=-17851

[DigitalDeb (Deb P.)]

OK, so I'm the mother-in-law in that relative chain. Natalie is my DIL and her sister is married to your brother. Also, my sister-in-law's husband is your Mom's brother. MAN!!! this can get so confusing!! It makes my head hurt!!! So does this mean that you and I are related in a round-about in-and-out sorta way? LOL

Anyway, thanks so much for sharing Natalie's straps on your site. She is such a sweetheart and does great work!!!! I have two of her straps and plan of getting more!!! Can never have too many, I say.

Since I have the inside track on the straps, please DON'T pick me. Let someone else have the pleasure of winning one of her straps!!!!

Thanks for the ShaZAMMM technique. I LOVE it!!!! Missing you bunches already. Waiting for a fall visit!

-Deb Putnam

[Sarah]

What a cool technique. I need all the help I can get - lol! Here's my before and after:

http://sairabee.blogspot.com/2008/07/rock-on-shazam.html

[merideth]

i did it! it was so stinkin' easy and it really looks good, too.

it's here: http://inpursuitofhermitude.blogspot.com/2008/07/photo-shazam.html, and i certainly mentioned right where i learned how. thank you!

also: pick me! pick me! :)

[Dawn]

Jessica - I was so psyched about photo ShaZAM! because that was one of the questions I had asked when you first polled us... but alas - I only have Photoshop Elements 4.0. Any suggestions about how to work it in PE4.0? Thanks very much

[Sarah]

Thanks so much for the tips. I love the Photoshop Friday tutorials.
Here is my sample. http://sarahbadatrichardson.blogspot.com/2008/07/une-nouvelle-photo-new-photo.html
Do you also play with levels when doing this? If so, would you do it before or after?
Thanks again.

[Jenny]

Love this method. I used to do another one which incorporated soft light rather than overlay, but I much prefer this way. Thank you so much for posting it. I have my before and after on my blog http://jeschi.blogspot.com/

The camera strap is beautiful, I haven't seen anything like that available here. (Australia).

[JessicaR]

This is such a great technique! Thank you so much Jessica! Here's a couple go's on my blog:

http://craftycafe.wordpress.com/2008/07/12/jessica-spragues-shazam/

Have a great day. :)

[Jaime]

Great PSF . . . love the ShaZAM! Mine is posted over in your general gallery:
http://www.jessicasprague.com/cpg/displayimage.php?pos=-17862

[Jennifer]

What fun!!! I can see using this over and over. Here is my first attempt. Need a little practice but happy with the result I got = )

http://www.designerdigitals.com/ddgallery/showphoto.php?photo=67910

[Carolyn]

Thank you Jessica, for yet another great tutorial!
My link to the before and after shazam I did is: http://www.jessicasprague.com/cpg/displayimage.php?album=2&pos=0
thanks again.

[Monica Jo Humphrey]

I have just recently stumbled across your blog...where have I been??? I am loving this. I can't wait to try it. I will be going back to your archives to see what other goodies you have. Thank you Thank you!!

[Darcy]

Jessica, thanks so MUCH! YOU ROCK! I love the control that you can get with this technique!
ShaZam!!! :D Here's my 'you saved my graduate' before and after pictures
http://jessicasprague.com/cpg/albums/userpics/11520/Shazzam%21.jpg

[Jessica H.]

OOooo I was just looking at camera straps! Love the shazam!

http://www.jessicasprague.com/cpg/displayimage.php?pos=-17868

[Susan Daly]

I just found your web site and thought I would try this.
Here is my entry.
http://www.stampndaly.com/?p=634

[Debbie Porter]

What a great tip. I have never seen such a beautiful camera strap. I sure hope I am the lucky winner!

[Becky]

Love this technique and love the name almost as much! :) I've posted my results over on my blog.

[Denine]

How easy is this? I gave it a shot:
http://denine13.blogspot.com/2008/07/photo-shazam.html

[Sheri]

My shazaam photo is in the Jessica Sprague General Gallery. Thanks for the great tips.

[Shirra VanZwieten]

Pick me Pick me! I love Photoshop Friday and Jessica Sprague tutorials! Thanks Jessica!

http://www1.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=225259499/PictureID=5193293341/a=1191129_1191129/t_=1191129 (Before)
http://www1.snapfish.com/slideshow/AlbumID=225259499/PictureID=5193293343/a=1191129_1191129/t_=1191129 (after)

(this is my first time posting!!) Woo Hoo!

[scrappydeena]

I posted my photo in the general gallery at jessicasprague.com - hope copying and pasting the URL works...
http://www.jessicasprague.com/cpg/displayimage.php?album=2&pos=0 Just in case it doesn't, the title is ShaZAM Busch Gardens. I LOVE this lesson...it was so easy to follow and use and the results are FABULOUS! Thank you SO much for sharing this....oh, and of course winning the strap would just be an extra bonus....Again, thanks for sharing your talent with us.

[Yvonne]

Hi Jess- LOVE THIS!!! My ShaZAM! is in the General Gallery.

[scrappydeena]

OK...so now I understand how the links work on your site...This is the correct link to my ShaZAM:
http://www.jessicasprague.com/cpg/displayimage.php?pos=-17872. Sorry....and Thanks again! Deena