This is my detailed beginner’s guide to Photoshop highlighting 11 essential skills you need to know. 

When I started out using Photoshop over 10 years ago I had no idea how to use Photoshop but after spending countless hours through self-learning and playing around with all the tools I began to understand how to really use Photoshop. 

So I’ve created this beginner’s guide for those who are just starting out (or those who need a little refresher) like I did but saving you many many hours figuring it all out.

What is Photoshop?

Let’s start from the beginning, shall we.

Photoshop is a photo editing, image-creating graphic design software. Since its inception in 1987 and its distribution rights purchased in 1988 by Adobe. It has become a world-renowned editing software that is used by over 29 million users around the world. For more insights see this article by Stock Photo Secrets.

The possibilities are endless with what you can do and soon with the Adobe FireFly AI integration there will be so much we can do at our disposal.

Let’s get down to it and learn the basics of Photoshop!

How to Open Images in Photoshop

Opening images in Photoshop is the best place to start. There are two ways to go about it: open the image directly from Photoshop or drag and drop the image into Photoshop. 

To open your image within Photoshop. Go to File then Open or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + O for Windows or Cmd + O for a Mac. Locate your image within the file explorer/Finder on your PC or Mac. Double-click on the image or click or click Open at the bottom of your window.

To drag and drop your image into Photoshop is pretty self-explanatory. Find your file in your file explorer/Finder simply drag the image file straight into Photoshop.

How to Insert Additional Images in Photoshop

It’s very common to want multiple images inserted into one Photoshop file (PSD). To add images into one Photoshop file then you’ll want to ‘Place’ them in rather than ‘Open’. 

To do this go to File then Place Linked. This will open your file explorer/finder, select your image, click Place and your additional image will be inserted onto the canvas.

How to Create New Files in Photoshop

You’ve learnt how to open images in Photoshop now let’s create a new Photoshop file from scratch. You’ll be able to configure your file however you want to suit your image requirements.

To create a new file go to File > New or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + N for Windows or Cmd + N on a Mac. A pop-up will appear and you’ll be to configure the following:

• Set the canvas size for your workspace
• Adjust the DPI resolution 
• Canvas orientation
• Colour mode
• Background colour

There are also additional settings that can be configured but generally, the ones mentioned are the ones you’ll use most.

Get To Know Your Workspace

It goes without saying there are a multitude of different tools, buttons and options. For someone opening Photoshop for the first time, it can feel rather daunting. I’ve been using Photoshop for over 10 years now and I still don’t know what everything does.

I’ll run through the most critical areas within the various menus. If I tried to go through all the tools and different options right now, it would probably feel like reading a book by Stephen King.

How To Undo In Photoshop

Just like any other software the undo function is invaluable. Mistakes or a change of mind will mean we want to undo what we have just done. 

To undo using Photoshop couldn’t be easier to do it you can use the keyboard shortcut everyone knows Ctrl+Z on Windows or Cmd+Z on a Mac. Another way to do it is by going to Edit at the top of the screen and clicking Undo.

How To Crop in Photoshop

When you’re editing an image sometimes there is too much going on in the background that is taking the attention away from the foreground element. The best way to solve this problem is by cropping the image.

To crop an image in Photoshop click on the crop icon on the toolbar on the left-hand side of your window. You can also use the keyboard shortcut C.

Now that you have the crop tool selected a grid will appear surrounding your image with 8 different points within the crop box that you can use to drag to create a preview of the cropped image. Once you’re happy with your crop press Enter then it will apply your crop to the image.

It is worth noting that any additional layers that are visible on the canvas when you crop they will always be cropped.

Zooming In and Out of Your Workspace

Zooming in and out on Photoshop is great for allowing you to see small and minor details magnified or zooming out to see the big picture. 

To use the zoom tool click the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the toolbar on the left-hand side of the window. The zoom tool will automatically default to Zoom In but you change this to Zoom Out by selecting it at the top of your screen or by holding the Alt key.

My personal preference are using these keyboard shortcuts, which are:

• Zooming in – Ctrl+ or Cmd+
• Zooming out – Ctrl- or Cmd-

Expanding Your Canvas

When you start creating in Photoshop sometimes you have a situation where you haven’t got enough space on the canvas and need more. There are a couple of methods you can use to increase the size of your canvas.

The first method is adjusting the canvas size. To increase the canvas size go to Image at the top of the screen then Canvas Size. A pop-up will appear and you’ll have the option to increase the height and width of the canvas.

The second method is by using the crop tool. While it might sound counterintuitive you can actually use the crop tool to expand your canvas. To do this select the Crop Tool and using the crop box drag one of the points away from the canvas. Keep dragging it back until you are happy.

Smart Objects & Rasterizing Layers

When placing an image in Photoshop your image will be placed as a smart object this is because there are layers that contain data from your raster or vector image. It will mean that you won’t be able to directly edit the image.

To do this you must rasterize the layer. In order to rasterize a smart object in Photoshop, click on the image layer and go to Layer at the top of your window, halfway down the menu you’ll see Raterize then Smart Object. This will allow you to edit directly onto the image.

Scaling Images in Photoshop

Whether you want them to be big or small resizing images in Photoshop or scaling your images is a crucial skill to have. To scale your image make sure you have your image layer selected and don’t forget to have the selection controls visible.

The control box surrounding the image will have 8 points that will allow you to scale the image from any position you like. By default, Photoshop will automatically maintain the aspect ratio of the image when you resize it so prevent any overstretching.

If you want to turn this off you can do so by clicking on the chain icon at the top of the screen.

How to Adjust Brightness and Contrast in Photoshop

Everybody knows that Photoshop’s purpose is for photo editing and the basic photo editing skill you must learn is adjusting the brightness and contrast of your image.

To adjust these elements of your photo go to Image at the top then to Adjustments and Brightness/Contrast. Here a pop-up will appear with a sliding scale that will allow you to adjust both the contrast and brightness of your image. Ensure that the Preview box is ticked so you can see what changes are happening to your photo in real-time.

Should you want to turn off the brightness and/or contrast changes simply hide it in the layer menu and your image will return to its original setting.

Saving Files in Photoshop

After all that hard work you’ve put into your photo editing or graphic you don’t want to lose it. The first thing you should always do before starting a new project is to save the Photoshop file or what is known in the industry as a PSD file. 

To save your Photoshop file go to File then Save. 

To save your images as a JPG, PNG or another image format go to File then Export and it will give you a selection of file formats to choose from.

Final Thoughts

In the guide, I have covered the basics that you would need to know if you are starting out with Photoshop. When I started I learnt it through self-teaching and learning from mistakes and spending hours playing around so I wanted to create this to save you time.

Feel free to share this with anyone you know who is starting out with Photoshop if you found this helpful.

Thanks for reading!