Do you want to create stunning photos?

Whether you take photos professionally or enjoy it as a hobby, you can significantly enhance your work using Photoshop tools. The software’s extensive features can bring out the best elements of your photos — from enhanced lighting to enriched colors and graphics.

But all the bells and whistles can be overwhelming.

If you’re a new photo editor or want to brush up your skills, learning some quick tips for Photoshop can save you time and frustration with the program. Here are a few Photoshop tools and tricks to take advantage of.

5 Photoshop Tips

Enhance your photo effects using these 5 Photoshop tools:

1. Overlay

Master photo lighting with the Overlay feature. Photography lighting is one of the trickiest things to get naturally right in a photo. Take advantage of the Overlay feature to improve your photo’s lighting.

This feature will allow you to lighten and darken an image. This puts a gray layer over your photo, and you can then adjust the opacity.

To use this tool, access the Layers Panel and alt-click the New Layer icon. Set the Blend Mode to Overlay.

Make a gray layer by checking the Fill With box, then use the Brush Tool to paint with white or black. Use about 10% opacity to fix the areas you’d like.

2. Match Colors

Maybe you’ve merged a couple of images together in a montage and you want the colors to be consistent with your brand designs. Photoshop tools allow you to easily match the colors of both photos to look similar.

Simply duplicate the background image’s layer. Then, click Filter > Blur > Average.

Drag the new layer above the cut-out object layer. Right-click the new layer and select Create Clipping Mask.

Then, change the layer’s Blend Mode to Overlay. Reduce the opacity until you are happy with the color combination.

3. Make Your Portraits Pop

Whether you’re capturing a DIY professional headshot or taking professional portraits is your thing, use Photoshop tools to give your portrait a striking and edgy look. For a portrait that pops, add a Black and White Adjustment Layer. Then, select the Soft Light Blend Mode.

This enhancement brings extra contrast to the photo. You can adjust the layer opacity to desaturate the colors to you like.

4. Control Color Brightness with Luminosity

Use of color can make or break a photo. Use Photoshop’s features to fine-tune the color in your images. Again, the Black and White Adjustment Layer comes in handy.

Add the Adjustment Layer to your photo. Then, change the layer’s Blend Mode to Luminosity.

From there, drag the sliders to change the brightness of the color ranges. Or you can grab the Hand Tool in the Black and White box. Drag the Hand Tool over the colors in your photo.

5. Use the Magnetic Lasso Tool

One of the best tricks in Photoshop is to create selections with the Magnetic Lasso Tool. This feature works to automatically find color boundaries as you make selections.

You can also turn the Freeform Pen tool into a magnetic feature, making it easier to draw shapes in your image. To make the Freeform Pen tool magnetic, check the Magnetic option on the toolbar when you’re actively using the feature.

Photo editing helps to enhance the strong features of a photo. These 5 Photoshop tools and tricks will help you master the lighting, color, and creativity in your photos. When you’re ready for more, take advantage of free Photoshop tutorials!