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If you’ve avoided Photoshop’s powerful Blend modes because you thought the technique was too complex for your post-processing skills, this quick tutorial from the Adobe Live Community will correct that misconception and get you started today.

Today’s episode is crash course with instructor and compositing expert Jesus Ramirez. In barely seven minutes he demonstrates how to seamlessly blend layers for achieing stunning visual effects that will take your post-processing results to the next level. As you’ll see, it’s much easier than you think—even if you’re an inexperienced Photoshop user.

Ramirez begins this confidence-boosting lesson with a straightforward explanation: “Blending modes combine the pixels of one layer with those of another based upon brightness, color, or contrast.” Doing so enables you to create a wide range of interesting and natural-looking effects.

There are a wide range of available options in an unlabeled dropdown in the Photoshop’s Layers panel. The trick is understanding which one to use when, and the most effective method for putting it to use. As you’ll see, you can also find these Blending modes within other Photoshop tools, and the same principles will apply.

Ramirez discusses basic terminology before jumping into specifics—making what follows very easy to understand. He also explains that “when you choose a particular blending mode Photoshop applies it to the entire layer but works on a pixel-by-pixel basis. This means that each pixel affects the one directly below it regardless of what’s around it.”

Put simply, there are three basic terms to remember: Base, Blend, and Result. As Ramirez says, “Base refer to the original color of the layer underneath, Blend is the color from the layer you’re applying the Blending mode to, and the Result is the outcome of how the Blend and Base colors mix depending upon the specific mode you chose.”

As you’ll see, each Blending mode create a different effect. Instead of trying to remember all seven options, Ramirez suggests focusing the six categories that he explains. There’s Normal, Darken, Lighten, Contrast, and Component—each of which offer subcategories from which to choose.

So what does all the foregoing mean in practical terms? That’s what the remainder of the video is all about. By the time the video concludes you’ll no longer be intimidated by this transformative approach to editing your image for maximum impact.

There’s a wide variety of pot-processing tutorial on the popular Adobe Live Community YouTube channel, so make it a point to visit often. We also recommend watching a tutorial we featured with another image-editing expert who demonstrates how to use Photoshop’s Levels and Curves masks to add or enhance light in your outdoor photographs.

This eye-opening tutorial from photographer Fil Nenna begins with a statement that you likely haven’t heard in the past: “You won’t get the sharpest photographs without this quick lens test.” And just like that he grabbed our attention.

Nenna posts weekly tutorials with quirky insights and unfamiliar techniques that can make a big difference in the quality of whatever types of images you shoot most. His point today is that the aperture you choose is more than a depth-of-field decision because it also plays a role in how sharp your photos appear.

The big reveal in this five-minute episode is that each lens you own has one aperture that’s sharper than the others, and this “optimum” f/stop varies from one lens to another. Hence, the importance of understanding the sharpness characteristics of every lens in your bag.

So how to you make this critical determination? Just follow Nenna’s simple instructions for testing your most-used lenses (you only have to do this once), and you’ll gain invaluable insight that will improve your photographs forever.

There’s no fancy testing equipment required, and all you’ll need is a tripod to make a reliable evaluation. Depending upon the scene you’re shooting in the field it’s not always possible to shoot at the sharpest aperture, but at least you’ll know what to expect if your’e forced to open up or stop down.

Nenna explains the step-by-step details of this important experiment, but here’s a quick summary. First mount your camera on a tripod with the lens point down on a table with your target, making sure that everything is absolutely flat and aligned. A simple bubble level makes this easy to do.

The target you use can be as simple as a few fine lines on a piece of paper, and then it’s easy to ascertain the sharpness of these lines at various aperture settings. Keep in mind that while you’ll find one optimum aperture you may discover others that are acceptably sharp in a pinch.

There’s a bit more to this test than the foregoing, and Nenna describes everything you need to know for getting the job done with absolute precision, so give it a try and you may never be disappointed by soft photos again.

There’s plenty more to learn on Nenna’s interesting YouTube channel so be sure to take a look. And on a relate note, we suggest watching a tutorial we featured earlier with another accomplished pro who demonstrates five common reasons for unsharp photographs with solutions when shooting with DSLRs and mirrorless cameras.