Overview

Adobe Photoshop is an industry standard image editing program used to create and edit graphics and digital photos. It is primarily used as a pixel-based, raster graphics editor, but also supports basic vector-based editing. Photoshop Extended Edition also includes advanced video, 3D, and motion editing capabilities. Photoshop's native .PSD format document supports multiple layers and color modes and allows users to apply nondestructive effects and adjustments to the image. Photoshop can also import and export a wide variety of other image formats.

User Interface

The Photoshop user interface combines the menu bar, editing palettes, and tool panels into a single workspace. Users customize the display and location of workspace items by clicking and dragging tool panels to different parts of the screen. Custom keyboard shortcuts can also be applied to menu options to increase efficiency and productivity. Custom workspace layouts can be saved and loaded for different image editing needs.

Capabilities

One of the most powerful and useful features in Photoshop is Layers. Each Photoshop document may include multiple layers, which are isolated groupings of graphics and their properties. Each layer can be edited independently of other layers and image adjustments can be made to one layer at a time. Layers may be visible or hidden and can also have a custom opacity (opaqueness) setting. Recent versions of Photoshop also support adjustment layers, which can be used to apply nondestructive adjustments to one or more layers at a time.

Photoshop allows users to install plug-ins, which give the program additional capabilities. Plug-ins may add support for extra file types, provide additional selection tools, or may add digital image effects (also called "filters"). For example, a charcoal filter applies a grayscale effect that makes an image look as if it were drawn with a piece of charcoal. The glass filter gives the selected image a reflective glassy look. Plug-ins can be developed using a Photoshop Software Development Kit (SDK) and may be freely distributed or sold commercially. Several standard plugins are included with the Photoshop application.

User Community

Photoshop is used by a wide range of commercial professionals, including photographers, graphic designers, and Web designers. Photographers often use Photoshop's color adjustment and touch-up tools to edit digital photos before final publishing. Graphic designers may use Photoshop to create images from scratch or modify existing images using filters or image distortion tools. Web designers can create optimized Web graphics with Photoshop using the "Save for Web" feature. Many other professionals also leverage Photoshop's advanced capabilities, including users in video production, 3D motion, manufacturing, architecture, and science research industries.

Screenshots:

New Document	Layers	Save for Web
Camera RAW	Batch Processing	Filters
Open File Types	Save File Types	Preferences

Features:

• Flexible and customizable work environment
• Nondestructive, layer-based editing
• Support for free and commercial plugins
• Professional color and tone control
• Can import and export hundreds of file formats
• Automated production through event-based or batch scripts
• Advanced video, 3D model, and motion editing

System Requirements:

Mac OS

• Mac OS X v10.5.7 or later
• Multicore Intel processor
• 1GB RAM
• 2GB free disk space
• 1024x768 display with OpenGL graphics card, 16-bit color, and 256MB VRAM
• DVD-ROM drive
• QuickTime 7.6.2 or later for multimedia features
• Broadband Internet connection for online services
• May require graphics support for Shader Model 3 and OpenGL 2

Windows

• Windows XP w/ SP3, Vista, or 7
• Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 processor
• 1GB RAM
• 1GB free disk space
• 1024x768 display with OpenGL graphics card, 16-bit color, and 256MB VRAM
• DVD-ROM drive
• QuickTime 7.6.2 or later for multimedia features
• Broadband Internet connection for online services
• May require graphics support for Shader Model 3 and OpenGL 2