Use Custom Shapes To Mask Adjustment Layers
To create an adjustment layer using a Shape Mask (as opposed to a pixel-based mask), try this. Add a custom shape layer to your document.
Go under Layer. Change Layer Content and pick the adjustment...
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Find the Center
To find the center of the contents of a layer, choose View>Show Rulers and then call up Free transform by hitting Command-T.
While the Free Transfoprm rectangle is visible, you can drag guides out of the rulers and they will...
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Get Rid of Fringe Pixels
Sometimes when you combine multiple images for a collage, you see a slight fringe around the edges of layers that are copied from other images.
In many cases you can remove that fringe by going to Layers> Matting>...
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Accessing Grayed out Areas in CMYK
If you’re working in CMYK mode, you’ll notice that many of the filters are "grayed out" in the filter menu, so you cannot access them. Rather than converting to RGB, which could affect...
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Use the Extract Command to Create Border Effects
To create an unusual border effect, open the Extract command (Filter>Extract) and use the edge highlighter tool to paint some edges.
To get straight lines, click once, hold down shift key and...
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Edit the Shape of Letters
If you need to alter the shape of some text, try this: from the Layer menu, go to Type>Create Work path.
This will put a path around your type as if you drew it with the Pen tool. Then either hide or delete the type...
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Step-and-Repeat
Photoshop’s Edit>Free Transform command (Command-T) offers some additional keyboard shortcuts for "step-and-repeat" functions that can be very useful:
To make the same transformation again, for an additive...
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Working with Guides
Hold Option to change the direction of the guide (horizontal/vertical), hold Shift to snap it to the tick marks of your ruler, and hold Command to move a guide when using a tool other than the move tool.
Hold the Control...
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Reset the Preferences as You Launch
You’ve probably heard the best way to fix many common problems in Photoshop is to delete the Preferences.
Rather than struggling to find the preference file and delete it, instead, quit Photoshop and...
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Maximize File Browser
Give yourself the maximum viewing area for the File Browser by viewing it in Full Screen Mode, with all palettes hidden.
To do this, hold the Command key and then click on the File Browser button in the options bar and...
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