|
CMD plus O, CMD plus +++, C, Drag Mouse, click, CMD+A, CMD+L, drag mouse, return, CMD+M, drag mouse, return, S, Option plus Mouse click, hold mouse button and move mouse, CMD plus F, CMD plus Shift plus S, add x to filename, return, return, CMD plus W.
Photoshop power users can read the above and understand my basic publish-to-web Photoshop workflow. On a fast computer, this whole process takes just about a minute.
Keyboard shortcuts are a serious time-saver when working in the digital darkroom. You may be familiar with a couple of keystroke shortcuts, such as CMD + C for Edit>Copy, and CMD + Z for Edit>Undo, but there are many more keystroke shortcuts in Photoshop that can help make you a more effective digital darkroom technician.
You can explore Photoshop's menus to see which commands have keystroke shortcuts. Also, if you float your pointer over any tool on the toolbar, a pop-up box will tell you the tool's name and key command.
Study your workflow -- which tools do you use most often? If you use the Lasso, Magic Wand, and Clone Tool often, you'll want to memorize L for lasso, W for the Wand, and S for the rubber stamp Clone Tool. Soon it will be second nature -- instead of dragging your mouse back and forth to the toolbar and drop-downs, you'll be shortcutting your way through your workflow.
Speed isn't the only benefit of using keyboard shortcuts. Your pointer doesn't move when you toggle between tools, so you can stay on the exact group of pixels you need to adjust as you switch from the airbrush to the Healing Brush, giving you much more control over your final output.
In Photoshop CS2, you can even change or make your own keyboard shortcuts by choosing Edit>Keyboard Shortcuts (Shift + Option + CMD + K) and selecting a new series of keystrokes for your favorite commands. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to read the first paragraph of this article not just as a bunch of keystrokes, but a very efficient workflow: Open image, zoom in twice, crop to screen size, select all, adjust levels, adjust curves, clone out a dust spot, apply last filter (UnSharp Mask for screen display, in this case) save as filename[ADD'X'], and close file.
See, keystroke shortcuts save time, even when just writing about them!
|
