Photoshop techniques

Polaroid
To create a polaroid style image in photoshop you start off by opening up the image in photoshop and using the crop button, crop the image to square on the part of the image you want to use. Then create a new layer, then using the gradient tool, select colours you want to use that will work best to create a polaroid effect. Then apply the gradient by dragging it across the image in the direction you want it to flow. Bring down the opacity so that both the image and the gradient colours are visible. Next is to add a border, which is done by selecting image, canvas size, and add on 5cm to the original size, then proceeding to add another 10cm to the bottom by repeating the same steps, but where the small graph is at the bottom, click the top arrows to cancel them out and only adding 10cm to the height. Once all these steps are followed you can then add text using the text tool, which results in a polaroid style photograph.

Vignette
To create a vignette open up your photograph into photoshop and select the elliptical marque tool, using this drag the shape around the image from the corner. Once you have this shape in the position you would like it to be, go to select and inverse, then select again, modify and feather. Choose the pixels and select ok, make sure your colour is on black (or the colour you want to use), press cmd and backspace on the keyboard and then change the opacity to what suits your image.
































Cyanotype
To create an cyanotype effect image simple change the image to black and white(unless it is already), add a new layer, fill with solid blue and change the opacity. This creates an image with a nice blue effect.

Old fashion/sepia

To create an old fashioned image using background layers and the sepia effect, you must have the image you want to edit, and an image of a crumpled piece of paper or anything you feel would work well with this. Open up the main photograph in photoshop then place the paper image over the top and change the blending mode and opacity on this layer so that the paper image blends in nicely with the main photograph. Too add the sepia effect select image, adjustments, photo filter which will bring up a box, choose the sepia filter and change the colour density to suit how you want it.