Fundamental Photoshop Skills: Layers, Selections, and Image Adjustments (Exploring AI selection features)

1 Why These Skills Matter

Whether you’re restoring an old photo, mocking up a brand‑new interface, or compositing fantasy artwork, layers, selections, and image adjustments form the backbone of every Photoshop workflow. Mastering them early will make every other tool in the program feel intuitive.

2  Layers – Your Non‑Destructive Safety Net

Layers behave like transparent acetate sheets that you can stack, hide, reorder, or blend. Because each element lives on its own layer, you can edit without harming anything underneath.

	Essential Layer Actions
Create	Ctrl/Cmd + J (duplicate) or the New Layer icon
Rename	Double‑click the layer name—your future self will thank you
Group	Ctrl/Cmd + G to keep complex files tidy
Mask	Add a white (reveal‑all) or black (hide‑all) mask for non‑destructive erasing
Smart Object	Convert layers to scale or warp without losing quality

Tip – Think “top‑down”: Photoshop renders from the bottom of the panel upward. Place background imagery at the bottom and text or effects layers on top.

A. Layers panel menu, B. Layer filters; C. Layer group; D. Expand, collapse layer effects; E. Layer effects

Image by Adobe

3  Selections – Telling Photoshop Where to Work

3.1 Manual Selection Tools

Tool	Best For	Shortcut
Marquee (Rectangular/Elliptical)	Geometric areas—buttons, badges	M
Lasso / Polygonal Lasso	Freehand or straight‑edge shapes	L
Magic Wand	Large zones of solid colour	W
Quick Selection	Subjects with clear edges; “paint‑to‑select” feel	W (hold Shift to cycle)

3.2 AI‑Powered Selection Tools

Photoshop’s Sensei AI radically reduces the drudge work:

AI Tool	What It Does	Practical Example
Select Subject	One‑click subject isolation powered by machine learning.	Instantly cut out a portrait for a profile picture.
Object Selection	Drag a loose rectangle, Photoshop predicts the object inside.	Separate multiple products in an e‑commerce photo.
Remove Background (Properties → Quick Actions)	Auto‑creates a masked layer from the dominant subject.	Social media stickers or mock‑ups.

After any AI selection, open Select & Mask (Ctrl/Cmd + Alt/Opt + R) to refine hair, fur, or complex edges. Use:

• Radius Slider – auto‑detect soft/hard transitions.

• Refine Edge Brush – manually paint wispy areas.

• Decontaminate Colors – removes colour fringing on cut‑outs.

4  Image Adjustments – Crafting the Final Look

4.1 Direct vs. Adjustment Layers

• Image → Adjustments applies edits permanently to the active layer.

• Adjustment Layers sit above your artwork and affect every layer below—fully reversible.

4.2 Core Adjustment Types

Adjustment	Use It To	Pro Tip
Brightness/Contrast	Quick global tweaks	Subtlety (±20) prevents clipping
Levels	Correct mid‑tones, recover highlights/shadows	Hold Alt/Opt while dragging the black/white sliders to see clipping
Curves	Precise tone shaping; create S‑curves for punchy contrast	Add 3‑point anchor nodes (shadows, mid‑tones, highlights)
Hue/Saturation	Shift colours or desaturate backgrounds	Target a single color channel via the drop‑down
Color Balance	Fix colour casts	Toggle Preserve Luminosity to avoid brightness shifts

AI‑Powered Boost: The Neural Filters panel (Window → Neural Filters) offers one‑click Colorize, Tone, and Photo Restoration—handy starting points you can refine manually.

5  Quick Workflow Example

1. Import your base photo (drag into Photoshop).

2. Duplicate the Background layer (Ctrl/Cmd + J).

3. Click Remove Background in Properties. Photoshop creates a masked subject layer.

4. Add a Gradient Layer beneath for a custom backdrop.

5. Use Curves Adjustment Layer above everything; tweak an S‑curve for contrast.

6. Double‑click the mask thumbnail to re‑enter Select & Mask and refine any stray hairs.

7. Group layers (Ctrl/Cmd + G), name it “Hero Shot”, and save as PSD to preserve editability.

6  Best Practices Cheat‑Sheet

• Name, colour‑code, and group layers as projects grow.

• Keep original pixels safe—mask or convert to Smart Objects instead of erasing.

• Zoom in to 100 % when judging edge quality.

• Use Adjustment Layers with masks to target only the selected area.

• Blend If sliders (Layer Style → Blending Options) are a hidden gem for seamless compositing.

7  Key Takeaways

• Layers = non‑destructive control over every element.

• Selections (especially AI‑assisted) = surgical precision in where edits happen.

• Image Adjustments = tone, colour, and mood mastery.

Invest time in these fundamentals and the rest of Photoshop—filters, text effects, even generative AI tools—will feel like natural extensions of skills you already own.