Beginner Photoshop

Introductory Photoshop for Photographers. Do you ever wonder how professional photographers get all those neat effects on their photos? Want to learn how to fix the one set of blinking eyes from your otherwise perfect family portrait? Join us as we explore the basics and beyond of using Adobe Photoshop to boost the look of your photographs.

This in-depth introduction to Photoshop will teach you everything you need to start using it to improve and enhance your own work. This demonstration and lecture format class features projects designed to help you as you learn to work with and manipulate your photos. Taught by members of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, you’ll leave with the knowledge and confidence to begin using Photoshop on your own photography projects.

The emphasis is on Photoshop CS4 and CS5, but students with the latest version of Photoshop Elements will benefit also. Elements simply will not have some of the tools available.  Students should be computer familiar and know how to transfer files to folders, open files, and save files. Free 30 day trail versions are available at Adobe.com. We also highly recommend any of Scott Kelby’s books on Photoshop.

This class is lecture and demonstration and is not slow paced. We do send you home with our workbook so you’ll have everything that was covered in class and you’ll be able to recreate the projects in a step by step manner.

Topics to be covered include:

  • Basic tools in Photoshop
  • Calibrating monitors, it really helps!
  • Layers and adjustment layers
  • Optimizing your photograph
  • Working with Camera Raw
  • Portrait retouching including wrinkles, blemishes, and skin softening 
  • Tips and techniques
  • High Dynamic Range
  • Avoiding the tacky and trendy
  • Editing work flow and backing up your files
  • Getting your photos printed

Photoshop can do gazillions of things. What we cover in this brief class is what we do as photographers to make our photographs better. We describe our process from the photograph, to loading it onto our computer, processing in Camera Raw/Bridge, and how we tweak each photograph in Photoshop when needed.

Dates offered

The shopping cart/PayPal feature will be up with the first class date by Monday! You may also pay by charge card on the day of the class if you contact us first.

The instructors

This class is team taught by two professional photographers, Gene Taylor and Megan Varone. Together their passion for photography and many years of experience make this class a fun, unique experience!

With more than 30 years of experience as an award-winning photographer and 15 years with Photoshop, Gene Taylor brings passion for visual storytelling to every photography class. He has been trained by some of the leading photographers in America. Gene is a former photojournalist who currently teaches photography at a college. His professional affiliations include the Professional Photographers of America and the National Association of Photoshop Professionals.

Megan Varone is a graduate from Clemson University with a Graphic Communications degree. She’s been professionally trained in the art of photography by some of the leading photographers in the country. She is not only a wedding and portrait photographer, but works in photography and graphic design for an international company. Her love of photography is contagious and her experience with this art makes her a dynamic instructor.

The locations

We rent out the private event space there so we have plenty of room and privacy.

  • Greenville
  • Charlotte
  • Columbia
  • Atlanta

What you’ll need

You may bring your laptop for note taking, but the class isn’t structured for personalized computer help. We provide a workbook with exactly what is covered in class so you can work step by step at your own pace. This is not a hands-on Photoshop class. In our sessions we’ve learned that some people will attend who have no idea how to transfer a file from one folder to another or who don’t have software installed correctly. With a six hour class we’d get very little covered if we tutored each student.

* Child care is not provided and it is not recommended to bring children.

The cost

If you have attended one of our previous classes, the cost is $99. Otherwise it is $135 for the six hour course. This price includes handout material. Meals, drinks, or snacks are not provided. Parking is extra.

How do I sign up?

Ready to get started? Let us know by filling out our class registration form. Or if you have additional questions or you’d like to talk to the instructor directly you can contact him at 864.386.8284.

*** We reserve the right to cancel or combine scheduled class dates based on registration numbers. If you have already registered for a class that will be combined or canceled we will contact you immediately to reschedule a new class date for you to attend.