Master Adobe CC updates
James Paterson gets to grips with the updates in the June 2020 releases and learns how to craft a stunning portrait effect
Get to grips with the new CC features
We’re used to seeing Adobe roll out updates to Photoshop and Lightroom, and this summer they’ve come up with the goods again. Those with an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription can take advantage of a range of excellent new features.
The real showstopper here is Select Subject. First introduced in 2018, the command uses AI to isolate your subject with an auto selection. It’s always been impressive, but the latest updates take it to a new level, because now it can cut out hair.
The results are great, even on windswept hair like the above. With a single click, we can now make a complex cut-out and isolate a subject from the background. This will save time for those who know how to cut out hair using Select and Mask, but it’s perhaps more useful for those who don’t know. Within seconds, even a novice can make a precise cut-out.
Camera Raw has also been given a new look that brings it in line with Lightroom. What’s more, both Lightroom and Camera Raw now offer localized hue adjustments. So, after making a local adjustment with the Adjustment Brush, Graduated Filter or Radial Filter, you can now change the colours in the affected area with ease.
In this tutorial, we’ll explain how to craft a portrait effect like the above. Along the way we’ll encounter the key new features and enhanced tools, from new cropping aids and local hue edits in Camera Raw to automated portrait selections and clever curves adjustments.
Better Camera Raw cropping
Open the image into Camera Raw. The toolbar is now on the right edge, grab the Crop tool. You can right-click to choose from a range of new crop overlays to aid your cropping. When rotating, the image now rotates rather than the crop box, making it easier to judge.
New colour-changing controls
We can use the local hue adjustment control in Camera Raw and Lightroom to tweak colours. Get the Adjustment Brush and paint the clothes (check Auto-mask in the brush settings to lock on to the colours). Go to the Hue box, then tweak them by lowering Saturation.
Fine hue adjustments
Hue commands can also be useful for colour tweaks like shifting skin tones. Click New and paint over the face, then use Range Mask: Color to make it more precise. Go to the Hue control, this time check ‘Use Fine Adjustment’, then drag right to add warmth to the face.
Enhanced auto selections
The enhanced Select Subject command automatically isolates a person for us, including flyaway hairs. Open the image into Photoshop and go to Select>subject. Click the Add Layer Mask icon to convert the selection into a mask.
Create a new backdrop
Import the star image and make two copies; drag one layer below the portrait and the other above. Set both layers to the Screen blend mode, add a new bottom layer and colourize it with a white to light blue circular gradient. Mask the top layer and use a soft black brush to hide parts as desired.
Use revamped Curves
Merge a new layer with Cmd/ctrl+shift+ Alt+e. Go to Filter>camera Raw filter. Click Curves, select the blue channel and adjust the line as shown, using the handy new colour gradient overlay. Finally, rightclick, select Copy Channel Settings and paste this onto the green channel.