If you want to add some text to a photograph using Photoshop then you are better off adding it as a layer. It give you more control and retains the original image should you ever change your mind.
Here you will see that layers are easy to use and adding text to them is straighforward.
Layers are a really useful feature of Photoshop, however, all too often I meet people who hear about them and then put off using Photoshop yet they are quite easy to use. Once I explain what they are for and how they work these same people then give it a go and get some great results.
Layers can be used to create composite photographs or images where layers can be added on top of each other to build up one image. I have also used layers to take someone looking the wrong way or blinking in one shot and adding to another. You can also add text, shapes and use tools like brush for drawing freehand on it. You can also add adjustment layers allowing you to change exposure, brightness, colour and other settings. The great thing about all these layers is that they do not permanently affect the original image or photograph. These layers can be turned on and off, if you don’t like them you can delete them.
Taking something like the adjustment layer you could have a layer that applied a sepia colour, another with black and white, you can then have both or turn them on and off to see what works best, great if you are trying to decide what works best or run past someone else. Why not have two different sepia layers with different levels of adjustment for comparison.
I have created a number of video tutorials but here is the first on understanding layers so you can see what they do.
I hear this all to often “I’m not getting a Mac again as I can’t use my PowerPoint presentations on a Windows PC”. Well yes you can and the same applies from Windows to a Mac.
I usually hear this because the video they have used in their PowerPoint does not play when they move it and it has nothing to do with moving from one platform to another but from one computer to another whatever it is.
It is something quite easy to resolve and personally I think this is a good idea anyway.
There are three things I feel you need to do.
1. Make sure the video is in a format that is likely to be compatible on as many different devices as possible. This is usually an MP4 file. Try the file on a Windows computer, preferably the one you will be doing your presentation on.
2. Put the presentation and any videos in the same folder before embedding or linking your video into your PowerPoint presentation.
3. Check it. That’s right. When you are done take your presentation whether it is done on Windows or a Mac and check it on another computer. Even Windows to Windows or Mac to Mac try it out. If you can try it in the computer you are doing your presentation on.
That should do the trick. This is what I do and it has worked for me.
Here is a video tutorial following these instructions.
It seems like a good idea that if you don’t have a good wifi connection your iPhone or iPad will switch to using your mobile connection whether it be 3G or 4G.
The down side to this is if it is doing it automatically you might be using your mobile data allowance when you least expect it because you thought your were on wifi. Not great if you are doing some software updates or watching videos that can use up a lot of data.
This is a feature that was introduced in iOS 9 called Wi-Fi Assist and it is on by default, I noticed that although I had this switched off when I upgraded to iOS 10 it was on again. Thankfully you can switch it off. [The wifi icon does switch to the cellular icon 3G or 4G, however, Apple should give you the option to display a popup message if it is switching to or from Wi-Fi Assist].
Before you do you should know it will not switch to Wi-fi Assist if you are on data roaming, it does not download data for something running in the background and it does not stream data for audio and video when using third-party apps or download attachments in email, again from a third-party app. It doesn’t mention if it does for one of its own apps so I would assume it might.
It also is not a feature on the iPhone 4S, iPad mini (1st generation), iPad 2 or iPad (3rd generation) with cellular option. So if you go to turn it off and it is not there you know why.
All you have to do is go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad, tap on Cellular and scroll right the way to the bottom, this could be a long list depending on the number of apps listed that could use cellular data, when you get to the boot on off the list just switch off Wi-Fi Assist.
I imagine many of us send photos using our email and I bet that is almost a daily occurrence. Whoever had the idea of putting a camera in a phone is partly to blame and also a stroke of genius.
Occasionally I find that it would be useful to highlight something in a photo, in my line of work this could be a screenshot or a button to press on a computer, camera or console. It would also be handy to take a screenshot of a map on your iPhone or iPad and indicate something in this.
[If you don’t already know you can take a screenshot you press and hold the home button and then the power button, the screen will flash and you will hear the sound of the camera, assuming the sound is on. It then places it in your Photos app in All Photos].
Ok so back to highlighting a photo you want to email. When you add a photo/image to an email you can now add text, draw on it, zoom in on a section and add a signature.
Here is a video I made to show you how to do this.
I can’t believe that at one point I would have to share files by sending floppy discs, CDs or DVDs to clients, colleagues, friends and family. Today not only can I send bigger files it is almost instant.
It seems everyday I share files and they tend to be large as they are usually videos and photographs. Dropbox has made this so much easier than ever.
One of the things that people worry about when using Dropbox is using up someone else’s allowance, a problem if their Dropbox allowance may already be at the limit or close to it. However, if you are sharing a link to a file or a folder it is not using any of their allowance, in fact they do not even use Dropbox, although I think it something one should condsider using.
The great thing about Dropbox is that you can pick it up anywhere you have an Internet connection and it works on so many devices like an iPhone, iPad and Android device as they have an app to view your files and for some files the ability to edit them too. Something that you can now do with Word and Excel to name just a couple of them.
Saving important documents to Dropbox also means I have a backup of my file so an added bonus.
Here is a video I made on how to share files and folders.
Next time you are running for that bus or train and wondering if you are going to make it you can check when it is going to arrive with the new Apple Maps in iOS 9. If it looks like a sprint and that you might just get it then you should be able to see when the next one is due which might be soon after. So rather than running you can stroll, or maybe just walk fast.
Apple Maps has been updated to show public transport information. Not just showing where train stations are or a bus stop near you but also what time they are due. When I checked it earlier it also showed delays too.
Here is a video I made to show you how it works.
I use the Notes app on my iPhone and iPad a lot. I always seem to be hitting something down and have found the app really useful. However, with the release of iOS 9 Apple have upped the ante and there are some really handy features such as creating checklists. This is one of my favourites. I also really like that you can now draw in a note.
I do also like the way I can create a note from another app and either create a new note or add it to an existing one. I can now take text from Safari, an email, another note or from other apps that are compatible and make a note from it.
It is also possible to select photos from the Photo app and add it to a note or create one and add some text to it.
What about a note from the Maps app. Well you can save a location and add some information to a note that goes one step beyond just bookmarking a location.
I mentioned that you can now draw in a note which is great for those of you who are artists but you can also sketch diagrams or write in a note.
Check out my video below to see how it works.
If you have every copied cells in a range that has some hidden rows our columns you soon discover that the hidden data gets copied too. Same applies to other features including subtotals.
What would help is a command or button that allowed you to select only the visible cells so that only those are copied. Well thankfully there is a button for it but you have to add it to your toolbar or ribbon.
You can see how to do this in the tutorial below.
Charts are a really useful way to present data and to analyse it. Aside from being good at doing calculations Excel is also good at creating charts.
There are lots of different options for creating the charts and what you can do in terms of layouts and formatting once you have created one. You might also change your mind and decide on a different chart type, if you do no problem Excel can handle that.
Here is a video tutorial I made to get you started and how to change the chart type, layouts and formatting.
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