8 Tools in Photoshop You Can Use to Speed Up Your Editing Workflow
Adobe Photoshop is one of the most popular photo editing apps, and it provides several advanced features to help you achieve your desired look in each picture and graphic you upload. On top of that, you’ll find plenty of tools to speed up your editing workflow.
Once you’ve mastered the basics of editing in Photoshop, you’re able to up your productivity game with these tools that can reduce your edit and export times.
1. Quick Export
You can export from Photoshop in numerous formats, including JPEG, PNG, and SVG. And while you have the option to customize your export to better match your needs, it’s sometimes much easier to perform a Quick Export instead.
If you don’t need to customize your export options, go toFile>Export>Quick Export as [File Format]. You’ll then need to choose where you want to save your file.
After saving your exported file, you can use it wherever you want. We’ve got a more in-depthguide to setting up and using Photoshop’s Quick Exportif you need further information.
2. Auto Color, Tone, and Contrast
Before you export your image from Photoshop, you’ll of course need to focus on adjusting your picture’s colors—plus the brightness and other aspects. You can use severalmethods to edit colors in Photoshop, and theAuto ColorandAuto Tonefeatures are two quick options to get the look you want.
Neither of these tools is guaranteed to provide the results that you want, but you’ll often find that you’re closer to your desired end result. Meanwhile,Auto Contrastadjusts the contrast to a level that Photoshop deems is correct for your image.
You can find each of these tools by going to theImagetab in the toolbar at the top of the app. When the dropdown menu appears, click on whichever ones you need to use.
3. Presets
Many photographers associate presets with Lightroom, and there are severaltypes of Lightroom presets that you can createfor different scenarios. But if you use Photoshop, you’ll also have access to a selection that you can add to improve different aspects of your image.
You’ll find presets in Photoshop for several photography types, including landscapes and portraits. Some that you may wish to initially include areColor PopandPop. Others will give you the choice to enhance the contrast in your photo, while it’s possible to also darken or brighten your photo if needed.
To access the different presets in Photoshop:
4. Desaturate
You canchange the color of an image in Photoshopwith all the color editing tools it offers. However, the app is also a great choice if you prefer more of a monochromatic editing style. You’ll learn several tips and tricks to improve your black-and-white photography as you become more experienced, but the Desaturate tool is a useful starting point.
The Desaturate feature in Photoshop does exactly as the name suggests and removes all of the colors from your image. From there, you’ll have a base to make adjustments elsewhere—such as in the contrast, exposure, and sharpness.
To access the Photoshop Desaturate tool, go toImage>Adjustments>Desaturate.
5. Grid View
You’ve probably heard of the rule of thirds if you’ve been in the photography scene for a while.Using the rule of thirdsis one of many useful ways to elevate your photography, and you could try several other techniques to do the same.
Having a grid for taking your photos is incredibly handy for many photographers, and this simple tool allows you to frame your subjects better. But what happens when you want to crop your pictures in post-production? Well, the Grid View tool in Photoshop can help you.
Go toView>Show>Gridto set the feature.
6. Straighten
Whether you shoot handheld or with a tripod, you’re not always going to get your pictures perfectly straight. If you notice that your image doesn’t look as it should, Photoshop has a handy tool called Straighten to ensure that your picture has the correct angle.
After clicking on the Straighten tool, you’ll draw a horizontal or vertical line to adjust the angle of your photo. Your image will then automatically adjust.
To access the Straighten tool:
7. Clone Stamp
Sometimes, you may wish to clone one part of your picture to another. When using Photoshop, doing this is incredibly simple thanks to the Clone Stamp solution.
After clicking on the Clone Stamp tool, you can customize your stamp size and the opacity—plus numerous other options—in the toolbar at the top of your screen.
Here’s how to use it:
8. Crop Ratio
Every social media platform has different image dimensions, and you’ll need to resize your pictures depending on where you plan to use them. If you work with clients, you should also provide the option for them to use their images across different platforms.
You can use the Crop Ratio feature in Photoshop to easily customize your images in this respect.
You canlearn more about aspect ratios in photographyif all of the numbers seem confusing to you at first glance.
Use These Tools to Speed Up Your Workflow in Photoshop
Photoshop has a broad range of tools that can help you speed up aspects of your photo editing workflow. You can easily crop your images without needing to rely on doing so freehand, and the app has various presets for editing different parts of your pictures.
You can also automatically adjust the contrast and tone, along with straightening your angles and much more. Refer back to this guide every time you need a way to speed up your workflow.
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