Category: Expert Review

Capturing all the nuances of a scene with your camera can be challenging. Thanks to techniques like HDR (High Dynamic Range), we can make our photography show details in both shadows and highlights. And if your camera gets a bit stuck, we can use Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom to achieve that perfect balance.

What is HDR?

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, or Alto Rango Dinámico in Spanish. It is a photographic technique that aims to capture a wider range of lights and shadows than what a camera can normally record in a single shot. This is achieved through the “merging” of different photos with different exposures of the same scene.

Thanks to HDR technique, we will have correctly exposed photographs in both light and darkness. For example, imagine a place with a very bright sky and a foreground in shadow. If you expose for the sky, the ground will be very dark, but if you expose for the ground, the sky will be blown out. HDR solves this by combining different exposures to create a more balanced photograph.

Prepare your HDR photos in Adobe Lightroom

Before getting into stronger adjustments, Lightroom is the ideal starting point to organize and edit your HDR photos. To do this, we first need to open Lightroom and add our captures from the camera:

• Connect your camera or your card to the computer. Then, select the Add Photos option that you will find in the upper left corner next to the “+” symbol. You can also click on File > Add Photos… If you want to open photos that you already have on your PC, the procedure you will need to follow is the same.

• Once you have selected them, click on Review for Import. Doing so will show you a preview of the chosen photographs. To import them to Lightroom make sure they are selected and that the blue checkmark symbol appears in the upper left corner. Finally, click on Add (…) Photos.

When adding photos, Lightroom is capable of detecting duplicates if there are any. On the Import screen, you will see a warning with the text Previously Added over the thumbnails of the images you have already added. Remember to import your images in RAW format for easier editing.

The photos are already added, now it’s time to get to work. To achieve the HDR effect correctly, you need to have at least three photographs with the same framing and different exposures. Lightroom has the Merge to HDR option, which combines several photos to create one in HDR and also allows us to edit them:

• First, we will activate HDR Output. We will need to select Develop > Basics > HDR. If you want it to be active by default, click on Edit > Preferences > Presets.

Perfect your HDR photographs in Photoshop

After merging our photos to create the HDR image, it’s time to continue refining details in Photoshop.

• From Lightroom, select your finished HDR image and right-click to choose Edit in Photoshop. Next, you will see a box where Lightroom will inform you that you should keep the program open while editing in Photoshop. Finally, you will need to close the photo in Photoshop for the changes to update in Lightroom.

One of the great advantages of Photoshop is that it allows you to work in layers. This means you can alter the image without needing to change the original. You can, for example, add adjustment layers to modify exposure, curves, hue, or saturation.

• To add an adjustment layer in Photoshop, go to the Layers panel and click on the symbol that resembles a crescent moon, as shown in the image.

By doing so, you will see a large list of adjustments. In case we wanted to change the colors, for example, we would click on Color Balance. For brightness and contrast, it would be Brightness/Contrast. Get creative and experiment.

When you finish doing it, click on File > Save. Go back to Lightroom; here you will see your photograph with the changes made in Photoshop if you select All Photos and click on the most recent one.

Here we have only shown you the basic process, but the combination of Photoshop and Lightroom can lead to spectacular photography. Try switching between the two to give a different touch to your captures.

Creating beautiful graphics within Adobe Premiere Pro may seem like a titanic task from the outside, especially if you don’t have enough experience. However, it’s not as difficult as you think; especially if you already know how to handle design programs like Adobe Photoshop.

Adobe has a great advantage over other design programs: its ecosystem. This allows us to easily switch between programs and, as in this case, create professional graphics.

Photoshop and Premiere Pro, an ideal couple

Indeed, they are made for each other. Photoshop is not just for photo retouching or poster design: its tools can help us create visual elements that we can then take to Premiere Pro.

However, having a good command of Photoshop is key, at least to bring your ideas to life just as you have them in mind. At Softonic, we have several tutorials in case you need to know how to perform certain editing tasks, so feel free to check them out if you’re interested.

Preparing Graphics in Photoshop

First of all, we need to make sure that we prepare our designs correctly in Photoshop. To do this, you have to keep in mind some key points such as:

• Create your canvas with the right dimensions: In Premiere Pro, you work with very specific resolutions, such as Full HD or 4K. If we work with a canvas that does not have those dimensions, our design will not fit correctly. For example, if the video you are creating is Full HD, make the canvas size 1920 x 1080 pixels and 72 ppi resolution.

• Organize the layers well in Photoshop: Each layer you want to animate should be separated and clearly named to avoid confusion. While it’s not mandatory, it will make things much easier for you. In fact, think of each layer as if it were a piece that you can later move in Premiere.
• Do not flatten the file: Save the project in .PSD format to be able to edit it again at any time and keep the layers.

Import and Animate Graphics in Premiere Pro

Once you have your .PSD file ready, open your project in Premiere Pro and go to File > Import… Now, select the file and when the options box appears, choose Import As > Individual Layers. This way, Premiere will keep all the layers as separate clips. Here you can choose which layers to keep from the document to import into Premiere. Click OK and you will have finished.

Now it’s time to give “life” to our motion graphics:

• From the Effects Control panel, you can animate and change the position, scale, rotation, or opacity of the graphics.
• Activate the timer next to the property you want to animate and move the time head to define the action.
• You can modify the transition speed of the keyframes from Effects Control. If you wish, combine your animated layers with others from the Effects panel to achieve more eye-catching transitions or effects.

After giving it movement, it’s now time to fine-tune and sync with the music or the sound effects of your video (if you decide to add them).

Export your video

When you finish editing your graphics, it will be time to export the project to video. Do a final check to see that everything is ready and start the export:

• Premiere will export what is in the workspace (what occupies the gray bar). Keep this in mind if you want to export the entire video or just a piece.
• With the sequence already selected, go to File > Export > Media. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + M on Windows or cmd + M on MacOS.
• Now it’s time to choose the format. You will see that you have many options to choose from, but the most versatile codec is H.264. This is ideal for videos that will be viewed on YouTube or social media.

• From the preset list, you will find optimized options according to the platform where they will be viewed. Select one of these options if you want to ensure that the resolution and compression fit well.
• Choose what to name the video and where it will be saved on your PC. Very important: do not forget to check the boxes for Video and Audio so that everything is saved correctly.
• To export your video, you have two options, choosing between exporting from Premiere Pro or from Adobe Media Encoder. The main difference is that one allows you to edit while exporting the video in the background (Adobe Media Encoder) and the other option does not (Premiere Pro).

If you want to export your video from Premiere, simply choose Export. Otherwise, click on Send to Media Encoder. Once the process is complete, check that your video has been exported correctly, and if not, make the necessary adjustments and repeat the process.

If you look at what is behind every audiovisual super production, there is a constant that keeps repeating: they all have a great team of professionals. However, even the most professional can encounter problems with organization, or rather the lack of it. Within cinema or television, many creative decisions need to be made in real time, and for that, their tools must also be up to the task, as is the case with Adobe Premiere Pro.

In addition to being one of the best editing programs at the moment, it also has features that facilitate team editing without complications or time loss. Below, we will explain what they consist of and how you can use them in your projects.

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Create team projects within Adobe Premiere Pro

The function of Team Projects remains the center of collaborative work in Premiere Pro. By using it, we can edit simultaneously in the same project stored in the cloud, with automatic updates and integrated version control.

• As soon as you open Adobe Premiere Pro, click below on New Team Project. You can also click on File > New > Team Project.

• Assign a name to the project and select collaborators from your Creative Cloud account. To do this, you will need to click on Edit and add the emails of your collaborators. You will also be able to configure some video options, color, and more before starting.
• Once created, all members will be able to import material, edit sequences, and save changes without interfering with each other.
• Auto-save will be enabled by default, so every change you make will be saved in the cloud. You can revert to previous versions of your project by clicking on the name that appears above and selecting Version History.

Sharing media with Adobe Frame.io

Frame.io is a video collaboration platform developed by Adobe that is fully integrated within Premiere Pro and After Effects. Essentially, it is an ideal program for teams that edit video remotely.

What makes it so ideal? Basically, any team editor can directly upload their sequences from the timeline to Frame.io and the rest can leave comments anchored to specific moments of the project. This makes reviews much faster and more agile.

If you want to try it, you will have to do the following:

• Select Window > Workspaces > Review.
• Log in to your Frame.io account from the Frame.io: Comments panel. Frame.io is already included in your Creative Cloud subscription.
• To share the timeline on Frame.io, select Export & Share. Name it and check that the settings are correct. When you’re done, click on Export.

From now on, you will receive notifications within Premiere when there are new comments from project collaborators.

How to invite other users to collaborate in Adobe Premiere

From Frame.io you can add new collaborators without too much hassle. Here’s how to do it:

• Log in with your Adobe account on the Frame.io page.
• Click on your project. Once inside, select the user icon that you will find right next to the Share button.

• Enter the email of the user you want to invite to your project. You will be able to manage that user’s permissions from the dropdown on the right, where you will need to choose whether they can edit, comment, or have full access to the project.

Other tools that will help you: this is how Media Intelligence works

Editing together with your team will be much easier if you can also quickly access clips or other materials. Thanks to artificial intelligence, Adobe analyzes your resources so you can search for any image, conversation, or written content without wasting much time in the process.

• Import your resources.
• Let Premiere analyze the contents. Depending on the volume, it will take more or less time to process. You can check the progress from Window > Progress.
• Select the magnifying glass icon, which is located at the top right of Premiere. This will open the Search panel.
• Type what you want to search for. Visual search will yield better results the more specific you are in your description.

Here we emphasize again how important it is to be specific in your search. This will help you find what you’re looking for faster without having to try several different searches.

That said, you need to keep in mind an important limitation: for now, visual searches are only compatible with English. A small drawback that, most likely, Adobe will resolve in the not-too-distant future.

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If you are creative and work with Adobe, you already know: Illustrator and Photoshop do not compete, they complement each other. Today we propose a practical journey for you to start working with both and combine the best of both worlds.

But before we start…

If you want to combine both programs to get the most out of them, there are some aspects you should keep in mind, such as compatibility. From Photoshop, go to Preferences > File Handling and look for the section Maximize PSD and PSB File Compatibility. Choose the Ask option so that Photoshop allows you to decide whether or not to enhance the compatibility of the files when they are saved. This way, you can decide based on the situation.

Also use the same color settings in both Photoshop and Illustrator to avoid surprises with the appearance of your projects.

How to open Photoshop files in Illustrator

Opening a PSD file in Illustrator is a much simpler process than you think. With this method we will teach you now, you will be able to convert the layers of Photoshop into Illustrator objects.

• Open Adobe Illustrator and go to File > Open.
• Search your computer for the .PSD file and click Open.
• Next, you will see the Photoshop Import Options dialog box. Once here, you can choose from these options:
  • Convert Layers to Objects: Recommended if you want to edit your PSD. It preserves masks, blending modes, and transparency; when possible, it allows you to edit the texts. Keep in mind that it DOES NOT support adjustment layers or layer styles: those parts will be merged/rasterized to maintain the appearance.
  • Flatten Layers to a Single Image: This will be useful if you only need the image to be flat. Everything will be in a rasterized layer and disables layer editing.
  • Further down, you will find the options for Import Hidden Layers and Import Slices. These will only be active if your PSD has hidden layers or slices. You can select them if you deem it necessary.
• Accept to start working. The Photoshop layers will appear as sub-layers in the Layers panel of Illustrator.

This is how you can place a Photoshop image in your Illustrator project

If you work with Photoshop and Illustrator at the same time, inserting your Photoshop images directly into your Illustrator project can save you a lot of time. For example, you can choose to place the PSD file as linked or embedded:

Place a PSD as linked

When you place a PSD as linked, any changes you make in Photoshop will automatically update in Illustrator. It’s a very convenient way to work, as everything you do in Photoshop will be instantly reflected without having to re-import that file again. To insert a PSD as linked within your Illustrator project, follow these steps:

• Open your Illustrator file within Illustrator and click on File > Place.
• Select the PSD you want to link, check the Link box, and press the Place button.
• Place it on the canvas. You will see the link icon from the Links panel. If you don’t see it, go to Window > Links. From now on, updating the PSD in Photoshop will update the link in Illustrator.

This is how an embedded PSD works

The main advantage of embedding a PSD within an Illustrator project is that it does not depend on the original file or its location. This way, you also avoid annoying messages like Missing Link and ensure that the PSD in question does not change when moving the Illustrator file around. Here’s how you can embed a PSD:

• Go to File > Place and choose the PSD to place. Here, make sure to uncheck the Link option and check Show Import Options. Then, click on Place.
• Within the Photoshop Import Options box, choose how you want your PSD to be imported.

Move a path created in Photoshop to Illustrator

The most experienced with Photoshop know well that the use of vectors is not something exclusive to Illustrator. And if you have ever wondered if it is possible to transfer a vector drawing made in Photoshop to Illustrator, the answer is yes, it is possible:

• Within Photoshop, select the layer that contains the path. Then go to File > Export > Path to Illustrator.
• You can also copy the path itself from the Paths panel. If you don’t see it, click on Window > Paths.
• Now, the path will be saved as a new file with the .ai extension.

You have already seen how both programs can help you work on the same canvas without suffering along the way. Use the best of Photoshop and Illustrator to apply it to your designs and give them a more professional touch.

A PDF can be much more than just a static document: with Adobe Acrobat you can add buttons, links, drop-down menus, or even form fields to make it more dynamic and useful. This type of interactive PDFs will come in handy for presentations, catalogs, portfolios, and much more.

As you can imagine, there are many ways to create an interactive PDF. Among all the paths you can take, today we are going to suggest one for you to start shaping your ideas in a relatively easy way.

Prepare the content before starting

Before you start creating anything in Acrobat, it is advisable to create the visual part in another program such as, for example, Adobe Illustrator. From here you can create high-quality vector graphics and illustrations that, when exported to PDF, will look sharp on any screen.

Imagine you are creating a catalog. If you want to make it more attractive, you can start with a cover and then add graphics inside. On the other hand, you can also design buttons to integrate them later into your PDF. And of course, don’t forget to gather all the content you might need later (texts, images, etc.)

Why we should use Adobe Illustrator for our PDFs

Adobe Illustrator is an ideal program for designing buttons, icons, and visuals because it works with vector graphics. This means you can adapt your creations to any size and without losing quality. As you can see, it is especially useful if we are creating PDFs, whether to be viewed on screen or for printing.

At Softonic, we have several tutorials that will help you make the most of Adobe Illustrator, whether you are a beginner or already know a bit about the program.

Import your Illustrator creations to Acrobat Pro

If you have set up your entire document in Illustrator, now it’s time to prepare the file for export as a PDF. Before you start, organize your document into well-defined layers (illustrations, texts, etc.), as this will make any type of editing easier later on.

• Don’t forget to check the color mode of the document. If the intention is for it to be displayed on screens, use RGB. If you need to print it, then use CMYK. To change this, you can go to File > Document Color Mode.
• After these checks, click on File > Export > Export As.. and select PDF. You can also save the file as a PDF directly from File > Save As…

Everything described above will help you save any project you have laid out or designed entirely from Illustrator as a PDF. If you have the desktop application of Adobe Acrobat, you can also create a PDF from scratch there.

• Adobe Acrobat is compatible with many types of Adobe files, such as those belonging to Photoshop (.psd), Illustrator (.ai, .eps), or InDesign (.indd, .indb).
• Open Adobe Acrobat and click on the Create tab.
• Drag the file you want to convert to PDF into the program. It will open, and you can save it as a PDF from File > Save As…
• Select where you want to save the future PDF and make sure that Format is set to Adobe PDF Files. Finally, click on Save.

How to add buttons and links

Although you may think otherwise, creating interactive content in Adobe Acrobat is easier than you think. One type of structure that will help make your PDF more enjoyable to consult is to integrate an interactive table of contents.

This allows any user to quickly navigate between sections of a PDF without getting lost. If you want to create one, do the following:

• With the document already open in Adobe Acrobat, go to All Tools > Add search index.
• Click on Manage embedded index and then, on Embed Index.
• To confirm, press OK.

You can include hyperlinks in your documents that lead to other websites, YouTube videos, or any social media. Add them like this:

• Go back to All Tools and click on Edit a PDF.
• Select the text or image you want to add a link to.
• Right-click on the item in question and click on Create Link.
• Select what you want it to do: go to a specific page in the PDF, open a file… when you’re ready, click on Next and follow the instructions on the screen.

To add buttons to your PDF that further facilitate navigation, follow these simple steps:

• When you have the document open in Acrobat, click on Edit and go to the Add content section. Below you will see a long list of options that can be expanded further by selecting More. Look for Button and click on it.
• Select the area of the document where you want to place the button and define its size.
• Finally, right-click on the newly created button. To customize the design and configure what it can do, select All Properties. You will see sections like Appearance, Position, and more. Feel free to change whatever you want.

The era of boring PDFs is over

The combination of Adobe Acrobat and Illustrator can make a simple PDF much more eye-catching and also easier to consult. With Illustrator, we can add a distinctive visual touch while Acrobat makes it more interactive. Feel free to combine both programs to make your documents more interesting.