Adobe Photoshop for Photographers

Competition editing in Photoshop, done properly
Every judge I have sat beside can spot an over-processed print from the back of the hall. Not one of them has ever seen a layer stack. What they judge is the result, and the result depends on decisions made long before the file is sized for projection.
 
Adobe Photoshop for Photographers is a free 103-page illustrated PDF manual on the way I edit competition work in Photoshop. It runs from the first layer to the final file, non-destructively and in the order I actually apply each technique to an entry.
 
I wrote it for camera club members and experienced hobbyists who already edit in Photoshop and want to move beyond the basics. It does not explain what a layer is. It explains why a Curves layer belongs in Luminosity mode, why frequency separation needs different settings for 8-bit and 16-bit files, and why a sharpened file loses that sharpening when it is resized for projection.
 
What the manual covers
A non-destructive structure built on Smart Objects, masks, adjustment layers and blend modes, with a working template
Ethical retouching, where the line falls in each category, and a seven-step retouching routine
Dodging and burning with the 50% grey and Curves methods, for portraits and landscapes
Colour and tonal control with Curves, Hue/Saturation, Color Balance, Selective Color and Vibrance
Selections and masking with Select and Mask, channels, Color Range and luminosity masks
Frequency separation for 8-bit and 16-bit files, and Smart Sharpen with settings for each output
Time blending, perspective correction with Camera Raw Geometry and Adaptive Wide Angle, and gradient maps
Nik Collection 9 as Smart Filters, including Silver Efex, Color Efex, Viveza and Sharpener
A complete competition workflow with three worked examples
Projected and print sizing, colour conversion, resampling and JPEG settings
Content Credentials, submitting entries, and the PAGB, FIAP, PSA, RPS and BPE rules on manipulation and AI
A printable Quick Reference and a one-page Competition Entry Check to run before every submission
 
Every figure in the manual is made with my own photographs. The cover came from the photography holiday I tutored in Puglia this September, a row of vases on the steps that needed almost nothing doing to them.
 
Vases on the steps, Puglia, September 2026
 
Download it free, print the checklist, and keep it beside the computer for your next entry.