Photoshop Tutorial: Am I Tilted Or Are These Glasses Drunk:

I recently took a couple of photos with my trusty Fujifilm X-E1 and 60mm f/2.4 macro lens. When I got back to the computer, I experienced what every photographer fears.  I opened the photos in Photoshop and noticed something while sipping on my subject. The two drinks I just photographed weren’t straight! Cue dramatic music.  I usually wait before consuming my subject, to check the photo on the computer. I always want to make sure that everything I saw in the small viewfinder of the camera, looks great on the larger screen.  I was so sure about this one and particularly thirsty, that I broke my routine. I always double check, but this time I didn’t and ended up paying for it later in post.  Not to worry, it’s bound to happen to anyone sooner or later. Besides, it got me thinking that straightening glasses in a Photoshop Tutorial would be great for those interested in photographing drinks.

Here is the original photo were you can see the first glass is slightly off to the left and the glass in the background is leaning to the right.

Glasses slightly tilted in different directions, lots of various spot both on the table and the glass that need retouching

At least thats what I see, maybe the photo is straight and my computer desk is tilting.  Whatever the case, this Photoshop tutorial still stands as helpful information. It has lessons that can be applied to a variety of your own photos. To start this Photoshop tutorial off, we’re going to create some layer masks to rotate those tilted glasses. Learning to use layer masks and independently change the size, shape or position of elements within your photos is essential. Your going to want to take your photography to the next level and learning how to apply layer masks is key.  Don’t just grab and go, because there are some great skills towards the end of the Photoshop tutorial you will also learn. Like some awesome retouching tools, that will allow you to remove all those unwanted pieces of dust, hairs, and defects in your glassware and food.

Here is the final image again, after I re-aligned the glasses and spent some more time retouching with the patch and clone stamp tools.  In the following weeks we will be producing a complete set of Photoshop tutorials, starting at the basics,  so those interested in learning Photoshop can bring their food photography up to the next level!