In a previous post, I explained how to create panels for Photoshop using Configurator. This time I want to show you a way to structure panels as something more than just a place to put the tools you use most often.

To follow along, you’ll need to download Adobe Configurator 1.0 if you’re using Photoshop CS4 or Adobe Configurator 2.0 if you’re using CS5. You can find both programs for downloading here. Panels created using Configurator 1.0 only work in Photoshop CS4 so, if you’re using CS5, you must download the new Configurator 2.0. To get started, launch Configurator and choose File > New Panel to create a new panel.

The panel I’ll show you how to create will step you through the process of enhancing midtone contrast in Photoshop that I discussed …

There are so many ways to use editing programs together. My most common method (which has become a habit) is to do general tweaking on a whole batch of photos in LR before heading over to PS to edit the final cuts one-by-one. What started as a pretty quick procedure turned into a long, drawn out night after night of editing sessions when I fell in love with certain actions and started feeling that I needed to ‘actionize’ every single image in a session.

So once in a while, I reassess the way I’m doing things to see what I can do to be more efficient. One of the things I’ve done in the past is go back to LR and harness it’s efficient, streamlined and beautiful simplicity. After all, LR was created specifically to …

In an earlier post, I showed you how to use Lightroom’s Survey View to choose one image from a selection of images. In this post I’ll show you how to use another of Lightroom’s specialty views – Compare View which has a similar purpose but which operates very differently.

Start in the Library module, select an image and then click Compare View or press C. When you do, Lightroom shows two images, the one you had selected and the one you most recently selected before this one in this same folder.

If you didn’t previously select an image, for example if you selected Compare View immediately after you selected a folder, the first image in that folder will be the only one selected so …

Lightroom’s Survey view is a tool that makes choosing one image from a group of images a simpler process. In this post I’ll show you how to use Survey View and some tricks for working with it.

Step 1

To see it at work, in the Library module, select a series of images on the filmstrip by clicking on one and Shift + Click on the last. Alternatively hold the Control key (Command on the Mac) as you click on each image that you want to make a choice from.

Step 2

To enter Survey View, choose View > Survey, click the Survey button on the toolbar or press the letter N.

Once in Survey view, you …

Most users don’t realize that you can create your own custom panels for Photoshop CS4 and for the new CS5. You do this using a free download called Adobe Configurator. In this post, I’ll show you how to get started making your first Photoshop CS4 panel using Configurator 1.0.

Step 1

To make your panel you need to make sure that you have AIR installed. If not, visit http://get.adobe.com/air/, download and install it.

Step 2

You then need to download the version of Configurator compatible with your operating system and your Photoshop version. Find your version at http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/configurator.html and install it.

Launch Configurator if it does not start automatically once installed.

Step 3

If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7 you must run the program as administrator – if you do not do so, you will have difficulty saving your panels in the correct location. So, if you are using either of these operating systems, close Configurator, return to your Programs menu, locate Configurator, right click it and choose Run as Administrator. Of course, you’ll need to be using an administrator account to do this.

Step 4

Inside Configurator, choose File > New Panel to create your new panel. The panel doesn’t have a title and it is the default size. On the right of the screen, type a title for the panel and either type a new size or alter its size by dragging on the sizing marker in the bottom right corner of the panel.