01
Introduction
Loading Photoshop for the first time can feel overwhelming. Every great edit begins with the same fundamentals though: understanding the interface, navigating the workspace, and wielding core tools with intention. In this section you’ll learn how to create documents that match real-world specs, set up workspaces that fit your screen and your workflow, and navigate around the canvas with pixel-perfect precision. You’ll discover what each tool family is built for, what selections are and how we use them to focus edits on particular areas of your image, and how layers and blend modes become the scaffolding for future effects. Mastering these basics gives you the tools to progress, and paves the way for confident, non-destructive creativity in the weeks ahead.
chapter overview
Why is this important?
Whether you’re retouching family portraits, building social media graphics, or prepping agency ads, speed and accuracy start with understanding how Photoshop “thinks” about images, where everything lives, and how it all behaves and interacts together for best results.
Faster production: Muscle-memory shortcuts for zooming, panning, and tool cycling shave hours off large projects.
Error-proof setups: Understanding document settings and common presets prevent resolution, colour-space, and bleed-margin headaches later in the production pipeline.
Taking a non-destructive mindset: Early exposure to pivotal Photoshop features like layers, masks, and Smart Objects ensures every tweak stays reversible - which becomes vital for quick revisions and changes later on.
Video Walk-Through
Summary of this section
Chapter Wrap-Up
We’ve toured the Photoshop environment, adjusted some settings and tools, and applied some basics to our example files. From new-file presets to layer stacks, you now have the core mechanics that support every professional image manipulation workflows.
Save early, save layered:
Use PSD (or PSB for huge files) and duplicate layers before major experiments.
Workspaces are personal:
Save a custom panel layout so updates or shared computers never throw you off balance.
Selection equals control:
No active selection means global edits—keep that rule in mind to dodge accidental changes.
Let the math help:
Blend modes like Multiply and Screen do in one click what takes minutes with manual brushes.
Have a Question?
There are many online forums of Photoshop experts happy to help!
Coming up in the next section…
Now that you can steer Photoshop with confidence, we’ll put those navigation and layer skills to work on real-world photos. In “Enhancing Everyday Images” you’ll learn rapid-fire fixes – straightening crooked horizons, erasing clutter, smoothing skin, and reviving dull colour – all with reversible, non-destructive techniques. Get ready to turn ordinary snapshots into ready-to-share pieces.