The image-editing needs of less-experienced photographers often enable them to side-step complicated tools and techniques. Other times there are seemly seemingly advanced tools than can make a big difference in an edit, and these can be greatly simplified for Photoshop novices so that everyone on can get in on the action.

Instructor Barry Beckham specializes in demystifying important editing techniques and puts it like this: “You can’t become in accomplished photographer without image-editing skills, but we can make it easier and a lot more fun to develop those skills.” This  quick episode is a prime example.

Today’s topic is Photoshop’s Content Aware Fill capabilities that Beckham defines like this: “As the name suggests, it will fill in parts of the image using other parts as a reference.” His  demonstration shot is one you may recall from an earlier lesson on adjusting vertical and horizontal lines. And it’s a perfect example for what you’ll learn how to do today.

For this episode Beckham took his previous geometric adjustments to the extreme, and you’ll see that by doing so the upper and lower right corners of the photo are now devoid of content—making the repair a perfect job for Content Aware fill. Beckham starts by giving Photoshop “some guidance on what we want to repair.”

To do that he uses Photoshop’s Polygonal Lasso tool to make a quick selection of the empty upper-right area of the image. He then clicks on Edit atop the workspace and selects Content Aware Fill from a dropdown menu that appears. As you can see, the screen splits in half, with the left side showing an area in green where the repair is drawn from.

The right side of the screen displays a preview of the fix that’s being done. Without any input on your part the settings are set to Auto, and in this instance the repair already looks perfect. So as Beckham says, “If it ain’t broken, let’s not fix it.” He also demonstrates a few ways to output the repair, depending upon how you want to proceed.

Like other Photoshop tools, Content Aware Fill doesn’t always nail the job to perfection automatically, especially when working on more complex images. And that’s when it’s time to make a few simple refinements to complete the transformation

During the remainder of this lesson Beckham walks you through such scenarios and quickly demonstrates the simple steps required with each of his examples. He also provides several helpful keyboard shortcuts for accelerating the process.  After watching the video pay a visit to Beckham’s instructional YouTube channel, where you’ll find more helpful episodes designed for beginners.

We also recommend watching the earlier tutorial we posted in which another expert explains how to achieve clean and smooth edges with Photoshop’s powerful Select and Mask tools.

We’re all taught to avoid shooting outdoor portraits in direct sunlight, and some photographers shy away from using flash to fill in shadows and balance the tones. In this quick video you’ll learn how to capture beautiful portraits in “bad” light” without supplemental light.

Instructor Marco Castro is a Miami-based pro who definitely has the technique down. You’ll follow him in this behind-the-scenes lesson as he captures beauty portraits of a pretty model with available light. You’ll pick up several powerful techniques as he shoots at the beach, on the street, and at other outdoor locations that each require a slightly different approach.

The lesson begins with a discussion of wardrobe and styling for the session, carefully matching attire and accessories to each destination. His model is experienced and he relies upon her input for this as well as later in the shoot when posing and composition come into play. Castro always treats models with respect, which is why he brings a “dressing tube” so they have privacy while changing clothes.

Now it’s time to address the light, and Castro demonstrates a variety of possibilities as his model poses against a tree while directly facing the camera. Another way he collaborates with the model is showing her the photos he captures to determine which shots she prefers—an effective way to gain trust and keep a subject comfortable throughout the shoot.

Castro also reveals the gear he prefers for this type of portraiture and you’ll find a complete list of his equipment in the description beneath the video. You’ll also see how he often reshoots an image with a light tweak or two after hearing what the model has to say.

The shoot then moves on to other locations as Castro switches up his vantage point, camera settings, and employs a variety of other poses that work really well for his style of environmental portraiture. Sometimes all it takes to get a great shot is to have the model recline or sit on the ground. Other times including a found object or interesting foliage in the background can greatly heighten interest and help tell a story.

Another way to capture compelling portraits in bright light is to use a longer lens or move in closer for a much tighter framing. The approach requires a different types of poses, and the position of a subject’s hands and her facial expressions can be extremely important.

After taking a short walk and trying a few other locations, different clothing, and appropriate techniques, the session concludes on the beach where he shoots several images with an enticing swimwear look. You can find more videos like this one by visiting Castro’s popular YouTube channel.

We also strongly suggest watching the related tutorial we posted earlier that illustrates 50 quick poses for shooting alluring female portrait photographs. This one will be a big help when photographing inexperienced subjects.