5 Hidden Gems in Photoshop - Feels Like Cheating!

[@f64Academy]

What is your favorite hidden gem in Photoshop?

[@scotty4418]

Use a number of hot keys, just makes the workflow that bit smoother

[@joshmcdzz6925]

Love the blend mode and fill concept... thanks Blake

[@mahmoudali6205]

Hold Alt+left click layer thumbnail to zoom the layer to fit screen

[@brianbochicchio7729]

I don't know if it works on Windows, but using the Option (ALT) key with the scroll wheel to zoom in and out is a huge time saver. Once zoomed in holding the space bar to navigate makes up close work really easy.

[@MichalJanata]

@@brianbochicchio7729 CTRL+spacebar+left mouse button (or pen) is much faster and also you dont have to navigate with spacebar after zooming, because you simply start zooming where you want to be after

[@drferry]

Another huge use for Stamp Visible Layers is to create a final single layer to copy and paste into a new document to export as a JPEG or whatever to move into Premiere or send to someone via email and preserve the original multilayer PSD file for further tweaking.

[@f64Academy]

For sure! You can also save a copy of the PSD as a JPEG. That ensures you don't accidentally flatten anything in the PSD file.

[@steve-4045]

The most useful thing for me for the Stamp Visible layer is to produce a sharpening layer for inkjet printing. Sometimes for redundancy sake, I’ll copy that layer and use the copy to produce the sharpening layer. The layer gets a certain amount of Unsharp Mask and then a two pixel high pass filter, and the layer looks mostly gray. Then I change it to Overlay mode, I think it is, and use Blend If to keep it from affecting the lightest and darkest pixels. It takes les time to do that it did for me to write this. But I use the same settings enough that I probably should just record the whole thing into an action.

[@seabreezeof]

Always enjoy your tips, Thank you Blake. Three from me 1) when you have curve or level open in properties, alt click on auto and it brings up auto color correction options 2) up in menus under Image scroll down to adjustments , then scroll down to match color to neutralize image to remove any color cast, ND filters etc. 3) In LR use shift key and double click mouse on lights or darks to set point instead of alt and move slider to set points

[@margarettaylor7811]

Thanks. These are very helpful and very clearly explained.

[@rolsonn]

Awesome! Loved the Actions discussion. Looking forward to seeing the finished image. Thanks

[@f64Academy]

You and me both! I'll get around to it after all this other work!

[@waynelytton7517]

I have been using and studying Photoshop since version 3.0, and am convinced that there is no one person who knows everything that Photoshop can do. That's the reason I keep studying, it's ever changing and evolving.

[@f64Academy]

I can agree with that 100!

[@RoyBlackwell]

Terrific tips! I have been a f64 Elite member for a while and it is a great learning resource.

[@f64Academy]

:) So glad to hear that Roy!

[@brianbochicchio7729]

Even as an Elite member, I always learn something new here on the channel. I've only used ALT in the layer stack to move masks. Pretty neat you can duplicate stuff. BTW, the Landscape cheat code action rocks 🎸🔥

[@f64Academy]

Awesome! Glad you like that action ;)

[@shlomoeshet8525]

Thank you Blake for this video and all the others. As a frequent user of Stamp Visible Layers I keep asking myself why on earth does Adobe hide this gem in the first place?😒

[@f64Academy]

haha! I know right ?!?

[@rolandrick]

Good question. Can’t understand it either. It’s also nowhere in the menu or right click on a layer or left click the pizza box pile in the layer panel.

[@mad_cat]

Navigate Window is my favorite hidden gem. I consider it hidden as it is the most useful for multiple displays. I have 3 for my setup. On my largest display, I enlarge navigate on there so I can make the most use of it. One as a navigation tool to quickly jump to any part of my photo, and second, to see the zoomed out look at the whole picture. The navigate window only takes up half of my screen, but it is still larger than the zoomed out view on my main display. There is a third thing I do as well, as my large display is actually a TV and not a monitor, it has different settings to make watching movies or streaming services more enjoyable but not ideal for doing graphic design. So, I get to see an alternative look at the image, that can help me notice problem areas that I can miss.

[@mad_cat]

Point #2 - What's even crazier about that, is if you go to Edit->Keyboard Shortcuts and Menu, there is no listing for "Merge a copy of all visible layers". If you try to assign the shortcut to a difference command, it will state it is in use and will be removed if accepted, and that you cannot assign a different shortcut to "Merge a copy of all visible layers". Which would be nice if you could.

[@rlfisher]

Great hidden gems, Blake! Thanks for getting me started with Blend If awhile ago - it's very powerful. I use Stamp Visible at the end of my workflow, before I ship the image over to Topaz products. And who can forget the tool shortcut keys (Z-Zoom, B-Brush, C-Crop, etc.).

[@carlosread5887]

I stamp visible layers in a different way. I am not saying it is an easier way, but this is how I have been doing it since I can remember (maybe since Photoshop 5.5) First, I create a new blank layer, by clicking the folded page icon in the layers pallet. Then I click and hold control + option. Then I click the "hamburger" menu, and scroll down (in that menu) to "stamp visible" without releasing the mouse button nor the Control + Option keys. As a last step, I release the mouse button when I am certain the mouse is on the "Stamp Visible" option. Like I said, It is not an easier option, but it is like muscle memory for me. Thanks for this video!

[@f64Academy]

Just a different way. No issues there. The keyboard shortcut is slightly faster, however.

[@zoeclarke7567]

You can also Stamp Visible Layers if you hold down the Alt key while you click on the Merge Layers option in either the Layers menu or the context menu in the layers panel. I find this easier than pressing four keys at the same time.

[@georgeargentinos7281]

Great and highly informative video. The landcape action is it somewhere availale to buy?

[@f64Academy]

Its offered only to my f.64 Elite members. You can learn more about f.64 elite here: f64.co/elite

[@bySterling]

Stamped layers!! I’ll def use this frequently, thanks Blake for all the tips

[@JimSewell]

Blake, instead of the claw maneuver to stamp all visible you can just go to the layer menu (hamburger) and hold the ALT/Option and click Merge Visible - there's no indicator it will do what you want but it will. You can't be on a hidden layer to choose that option in the menu though. Why it's a secret I'll never understand - it's like Adobe wants it to be the most widely known Easter Egg in history or something.

[@f64Academy]

True, but that requires a click, hover over a menu item, then a hotkey. The claw was built for speed and efficiency 🤣

Hi Blake, You forgot to mention about extremely hidden gem which is clone layer and duplicate transform as one (Ctrl + Shift + Alt + T). It requires using mouse to click "check" icon first - "enter" doesn't work. If we want to eg. rotate layer and duplicate its content, we have to move pivot point to the preferred center of transformation, rotate source layer by drag it eg 15 degrees and next click "check" icon. After these steps, our layer will be duplicated and rotated by 15 degrees each time we press mentioned shortcut. I could call this gem as super pro hidden 😁

[@cnicolo]

Lovely recap.. is always useful thank you Blake …

[@f64Academy]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@cnicolo]

Always

[@DeMorcan]

I use the stamp layer and a lot either often to process with multiple adjustments or in an externatl program (or ACR) and then use a blend mode with blend if to get the with fill and opacity to get an effect I cannot easily get with nodestructive adjustment layers. I have had to redo some of my actions as the new Photoshop removed my type selection from the action. Or go to an older version to use those actions. I have one that has the 3D lighting I can still use those actions.the limitations of actions is that new version may change your action. Which is frustrating after years of actions I have made.

[@stantonkramer2986]

Stamp is a great shortcut. Why hasn't Adobe just made a shortcut or menu command into an option? A slower way to do that is too select all the layers and create a group. Then duplicate the group and merge the images within the duplicated group. But there are lot of steps. Thanks for the tip.

[@johnnysparkleface3096]

There are so many photography contests, but post-processing contests are almost non existent. (Such as everybody starts with the same raw file) Blake, what's your guess as to why that is? Post processing skills are at least as hard to acquire as photography skills, and being a skilled post processor out to have it's rewards too.

[@f64Academy]

I don't know. I think post production is more important, actually, but all parts of a photo lead to one overarching goal. The achieved vision. Maybe there aren't any post production contests because connecting with someone's photo just isn't the same as taking it and making it the whole way through. I used to offer "HDR Concerts" it was a segment I did on my old blog, EverydayHDR where I would give the Raw files and everyone would process them and I'd showcase them on my site. Gosh, I haven't done that in nearly 8 years! But, it was fun and very eye opening!

[@regmikewall]

Thanks, a great recap of most of what I have learned thru f64 Elite. The "Alt" hot key is a great one, thanks, Question, you did a whole course on "linear Light" blend mode, why did you use "hard mix" blend move in your "landscape Cheat Code" action?

[@f64Academy]

It depends on the effect. I explain it in the video on f.64 Elite. Hard Mix will give you a contrast boost along with a color boost. Linear Light will be more like a Dodge and Burn with color that will, in a way, protect luminance from becoming overly contrasty. This effect, with Hard Mix, gives your image more pop and punch. But you can switch them to see which you prefer depending on the image and how much contrast is already there.

[@regmikewall]

@@f64Academy Blake thank you, appreciate it

[@coelho2825]

When duplicating a layer via "Alt", all you need to do is press Alt + drag down the layer. No need to wait for the blue warning. That's very usefull when creating light rays, for example: Alt/drag down/position or transform...usually some 5 or 6 times. Also when using Alt to click&drag a mask on to another layer, if you Alt+Shift drag, you will copy an inverted version of that mask. Usefull when color grading highlights and shadows; since you are creating a 2nd mask that affects the areas not affected previously.

[@f64Academy]

For sure! The blue line is just a visual cue.

[@learningmadefun8246]

Good Job. Where did you been hidden ? I watch your video and you get a new subscription.

[@f64Academy]

Thanks for the sub! I have been here since 2010 ;) No hiding here!

[@learningmadefun8246]

@@f64Academy I missed a lot of your great tutorial. I will wach all of them. Thanks 👍

[@mleslie1080]

Is not the Stamp Visable Layes under the Layers in the Toolbar/Menus

[@BillRocklin]

I learned the stamp layer hotkey many years ago as Cmd-Alt-Shift-N-E ... Guess they decided the "N" wasn't needed. 🤷

[@f64Academy]

Lol, or the n was and... Like learning the alphabet. I always thought it was Y-N-Z... Nope, just something not saying and, or saying and where it didn't need to be 🤣

[@apeel2008]

I always found it strange that Adobe has never added Stamp Visible Layer in the Layers menu. I always have difficulty remembering the rather complicated 4 -key short cut.

[@f64Academy]

lol, I know. It's a strange one!

[@phozel]

It is interesting merge visible hotkey is not in PS anymore. I knew it for decades😅 and still using without knowing that there is not 😂 thank you I have learned it 😂😇

[@f64Academy]

🤣 I know right! Been using that one forever!

[@billsaffin5239]

I'm not sure where I first heard it, but I have known about this keyboard shortcut for a few years.

[@brettwooderson7442]

great tips thanks

[@f64Academy]

Glad it was helpful!

[@LucasPitcher13]

Ah, Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E... known to the cognoscenti as "The Claw!" ;-)

[@f64Academy]

Lol, the claw!

[@yarrokon]

Hot Keys? Oh, you mean Keyboard Shortcuts and Key Modifiers... Aren't all of these in the manual?

[@f64Academy]

hot keys are the same thing as keyboard shortcuts. What manual, lol

[@apeel2008]

Oh. So I could add an Action that does a Stamp Visible Layer so I don’t have to remember the 4-key short cut.

[@erik1836]

Thank you.

[@mahmoudali6205]

You are giving valuable content but please try to adjust the sound It makes like robotic. Reduce the sound effects please

[@f64Academy]

I'm not sure I follow that. What sounds like robotics?

[@mahmoudali6205]

@@f64Academy sorry dear the voice problem was on my device. You are fine. ❤️

[@f64Academy]

@@mahmoudali6205 ah! Okay, thanks!

[@AdminSmithee]

You can also duplicate layer styles with alt-drag. If you hold shift ps creates a straight lines between your last position and current position.

[@gadgetphotos2567]

Sorry this is all old hat

[@f64Academy]

For some, yes, but for others it's new 😉

[@Kresho.]

👍

[@ag-rl6ov]

great tips thanks

[@f64Academy]

Glad it was helpful!