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Retouch and Composite Like a Pro in Photoshop

Master frequency separation, precision masking, and multi-layer compositing from scratch — no prior retouching experience required.

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Beginner9 hrSelf PacedRegistered

Course Overview

What this course is designed to develop

This course walks beginners through every stage of professional photo retouching and compositing in Photoshop. You will learn how frequency separation isolates texture from tone, how to use Curves, Dodge & Burn, and Clone Stamp without destroying original data, and how to combine multiple images into believable composites using layer masks and blend modes. Each lesson uses real portrait and landscape examples with concrete numeric settings so you can reproduce results immediately.

Learning Outcomes

What the learner should be able to understand, build, or execute.

01

Apply frequency separation to retouch skin tone and texture independently without degrading detail

02

Build fully non-destructive retouching stacks using adjustment layers and smart objects

03

Create precise subject selections with Select & Mask, Pen Tool, and luminosity-based techniques

04

Composite multiple images into a unified scene by matching light direction, colour temperature, and perspective

05

Use Dodge & Burn on a 50% grey overlay layer to sculpt three-dimensional form

06

Deliver colour-accurate exports calibrated for print (CMYK 300 dpi) and web (sRGB 72 dpi) simultaneously

Curriculum Preview

Inside the curriculum: a structured path from fundamentals to execution.

Preview the course structure, see how the modules build on one another, and understand the path this program is designed to take you through.

Module 1

Module 1: Non-Destructive Foundations & Raw Processing

Establish a rock-solid non-destructive file structure and process raw files correctly before any retouching begins. Getting these fundamentals right saves hours of rework downstream.

3 lessons
Anatomy of a Non-Destructive Photoshop FileContent · 45 min
Preview Enabled
Camera Raw & Lightroom as Smart FiltersContent · 45 min
LMS Access
Colour Calibration and Soft-ProofingContent · 45 min
LMS Access
Module 2

Module 2: Skin Retouching: Healing, Cloning & Frequency Separation

Learn the full professional skin retouching pipeline — from quick blemish removal with the Healing Brush to the industry-standard frequency separation technique that preserves natural skin texture.

3 lessons
Spot Healing, Healing Brush & Clone StampContent · 45 min
LMS Access
Frequency Separation: The Complete MethodContent · 45 min
LMS Access
Dodge & Burn for Three-Dimensional SkinContent · 45 min
LMS Access
Module 3

Module 3: Precise Selection & Masking

Build accurate masks for every type of subject — hair, glass, smoke, and hard-edged objects — using Photoshop's selection and masking tools systematically.

3 lessons
Select & Mask: Hair and Fur ExtractionContent · 45 min
LMS Access
Pen Tool Paths for Hard-Edged ObjectsContent · 45 min
LMS Access
Luminosity Masking for Skies and GradientsContent · 45 min
LMS Access
Module 4

Module 4: Multi-Layer Compositing & Final Delivery

Assemble multiple images into a believable composite by matching light, colour, and perspective — then export deliverables correctly for every output medium.

3 lessons
Light Matching and Shadow IntegrationContent · 45 min
LMS Access
Blend Modes, Clipping Masks & Colour GradingContent · 45 min
LMS Access
Sharpening, Output Preparation & Final DeliveryContent · 45 min
LMS Access

Built for Application

A complete learning path, not a one-off inspiration hit.

This program is designed around progression: focused lessons, structured modules, applied resources, assessments, and a course rhythm that turns information into usable capability.

photoshopretouchingcompositingfrequency separationmaskingdodge and burnportraitnon-destructive editing