Affinity Photo 2: Solid Foundations

Name: Affinity Photo 2: Solid Foundations
Rating: 4.5 (464 reviews)

Learn the best way to use Affinity Photo 2 from a 35+ year designer

Created bySimon Foster

Last updated 9/2023

English

What you'll learn

Use Affinity Photo 2 to enhance images using proven techniques
Know why they are doing things a certain way
Be aware of the various 'gotchas' and problems that may arise
Use the right tool for the right job

Course content

6 sections • 78 lectures • 14h 55m total length

Hi and Welcome!6:34
Explore the Affinity Photo interface and master its five main areas: photo, liquify, develop, tone mapping, and export personas. Use layers, histogram, navigator, brushes, and raw workflows to improve images.
Jump Right in! Edit a Photo, Part 115:54
Jump Right in! Edit a Photo, Part 29:20
Practice non-destructive editing in affinity photo with layers, noise reduction, and luminance adjustments, using the history panel. Save as a photo to preserve layers, then export jpeg files with names.

Cropping, Part 18:16
Learn to crop and rotate with the crop tool, maintain original ratios, and use straighten to fix tilts. Discover non-destructive editing, rule of thirds, and storytelling through framing.
Cropping, Part 2 - why Crop at all?8:18
Cropping, Part 3 - Your Turn!11:35
Crop images with the crop tool, assess original ratio versus 4:3 and 3:2, and move subjects onto rule of thirds to reduce distractions and emphasize the focal point.
Cropping, Part 4 - The Nuts & Bolts11:44
Master the crop tool by exploring presets, custom ratios, and resizing techniques to maintain aspect while composing with overlays like rule of thirds and the golden spiral.
Get the Dark & Light Right, Part 1 - Levels and the Histogram19:44
Learn to use levels and the histogram in Affinity Photo 2 to non-destructively adjust exposure, contrast, and color with adjustment layers.
Get the Dark & Light Right, Part 2 - Shadow and Highlight9:23
Explore targeting shadows and highlights in Affinity Photo 2 using live filter layers over adjustment layers, and learn to adjust range sliders to preserve natural light and 3D texture.
Get the Dark & Light Right, Part 3 - Dehaze (and Vibrance/Saturation)6:41
Get the Dark & Light Right, Part 4 - Curves13:14
Learn to master curves in Affinity Photo 2 to control the darks and lights, using the histogram, anchor points, and presets to boost contrast and tonal range.
White Balance, Part 1 - White Balance & the Lens Filter11:28
Explore how color temperature shapes photos using the Kelvin scale, adjust white balance and lens filter warmth, and fine-tune shadows and highlights with curves.
White Balance, Part 2 - Correcting Color Casts8:19
Color Balance19:54
Explore color balance in Affinity Photo 2, using white balance, the color wheel, and adjustments to fix color casts and perform creative color grading across shadows, midtones, and highlights.
Color Balance using Curves9:11
Explore curves to balance color in Affinity Photo 2, adjusting master and per-channel curves (red, green, blue) and white balance for a natural, well-saturated image.
Dealing with Digital Noise10:08
Balance noise reduction and sharpening in Affinity Photo by using the denoise live filter to tackle luminance and color noise while preserving fine detail and avoiding a plasticky look.
Your Turn! Deal with Some Noise - and say Hello! To the Clarity Filter10:58
Crop to 16:9, adjust curves for dark and light, and balance color; apply denoise and clarity in the correct order to control midtone contrast and noise.
Sharpen your Image, Part 1 - Unsharp Mask11:37
Sharpen your image with unsharp mask and clarity, learning to target foreground edges while keeping the background blurred, and control threshold, radius, and factor for precise results.
Sharpen your Image, Part 2 - The High Pass Filter7:50
Discover sharpening strategies in Affinity Photo 2, prioritizing noise reduction before sharpening, then using high pass and blend modes (overlay, linear light) to refine edges and avoid banding.
The Healing Tools14:06
Learn non-destructive blemish removal in Affinity Photo by using the inpainting, healing, and patch tools and sampling from current layer and below.
Layer Masks16:46
Explore layer masks in Affinity Photo 2: reveal or hide areas with black and white, use adjustment layer masks, and refine with grayscale, opacity, and color balance.
Frequency Separation12:55
Merge visible, then apply frequency separation in Affinity Photo 2 to create high and low frequency layers that non-destructively smooth pores while preserving fine detail.
The Clone Brush9:37
Demonstrate removing spider silk with the clone brush in Affinity Photo on a non-destructive new layer, using source point and brush size, with optional layer mask for precision.
Red Eye Removal and Defringing3:55
Practice the 5 Steps! Project 111:59
Practice the five steps with five pictures to master essential photo editing in affinity photo. Apply crop, levels, vibrance, color balance, white balance, shadows, highlights, noise reduction, and unsharp mask.
Practice the 5 Steps! Project 212:53
Practice five steps to enhance an underwater shark photo: crop the frame, adjust curves and color balance, reduce noise, and remove reflections with the inpainting brush.
Practice the 5 Steps! Project 311:51
Apply affinity photo 2 steps to a London photo: crop and straighten, adjust curves and color balance, reduce noise, and sharpen with high-pass while removing distractions by inpainting and cloning.
Practice the 5 Steps! Project 48:50
Crop to a 16:9 landscape and place the subject on the rule of thirds. Adjust gamma and levels, refine shadows, and apply selective color grading with warm and cool tones.
Practice the 5 Steps! Project 510:03
Practice the five steps to a stylized look using layer blend modes, curves, color balance, and masks, then crop to 1:1 and apply sharpening.
Resize your Images, and a bit of a Rant About Dots Per Inch...15:31
Learn to resize images for screen and print with document resize, preserving aspect ratio and exporting effectively. Understand dpi myths and resampling options such as bilinear and bicubic Lanczos three.
Export your Work, Part 111:26
Export your affinity photo projects using the export dialog, choosing web-friendly JPEGs with balanced quality and file size, or PNG for transparency, while considering color profiles like sRGB.
Export your Work, Part 2 - the Export Persona7:18
Explore the export persona to export slices, toggle layer visibility, and adjust colors with an hsl layer, producing png or jpeg exports in multiple sizes with continuous updates.
Export your Work, Part 3 - Output for Print19:09
Calibrate your monitor, manage print output with soft proof and printer profiles, and choose a rendering intent to predict how RGB converts to CMYK on different papers.

Starting Simple...8:46
Learn to select image regions with marquee tools and auto-detect borders, then apply non-destructive color and tone adjustments on separate layers in Affinity Photo 2.
Modifying Simple Selections10:31
Explore how to create and modify selections in Affinity Photo 2 using rectangular and elliptical marquee tools, including add, subtract, intersect, invert, feathering, anti-alias, and grow/shrink options.
Drawing Selections9:52
Master selection techniques in Affinity Photo using rectangular, elliptical, column, and row marquees, plus freehand and polygonal tools for precise edge control and color adjustments.
Select by Hue. Or Tone. Or Color...14:03
Explore selecting colors and tones in Affinity Photo 2 using hue-saturation-luminosity adjustments, color range, tonal range, and live mask layers for precise, layered edits.
Live Mask Layers11:54
Apply live mask layers in Affinity Photo 2, using luminosity range, layer bandpass, and hue range masks to control visibility and edge transitions with non-destructive recolor adjustments.
Layer Blend Ranges10:40
Explore layer blend ranges in affinity photo to selectively affect shadows and highlights with recolor adjustments, blend modes, and underlying composition ranges for non-destructive color grading.
The Selection Brush and Refine Selection13:20
Learn to create precise selections with flood select and selection brush, refine hair borders using the refine brush, and finalize with a layer mask and overlay or black-and-white previews.
Practice Time! And Place Image! And Compound Masks!15:24
Place and resize an image in Affinity Photo, learn embedded versus linked placement, and refine selections using compound masks for precise hair edges.
Save, Mix and Match Selections13:34
Save, mix, and manage multiple selections in Affinity Photo 2 using spare channels to save time, load pixel selections, and apply coordinated edits without edge fringing.

So... What is a RAW File Anyway?5:51
The RAW Editing Process17:18
Explore the raw editing process in Affinity Photo, applying cropping, exposure, white balance, saturation, noise reduction, and sharpening within the develop persona while managing clipping and overlays.
Back to the Photo Persona (& a little bit more about RAW...)14:01
Explore Affinity Photo's develop and photo persona workflows, choosing raw layer embedded or linked, and refine raw adjustments with lens profiles, high-pass sharpening, and post-crop techniques.
Your Turn and the Great RAW vs jpeg Debate Answered - Pretty Definitively...8:35
Explore the raw vs. jpeg debate by showing how raw preserves shadow detail and color, while jpeg loses nuance. Learn how exposure, white balance, and noise reduction affect edits.
The Tonemapping Persona15:26
Explore tone mapping in affinity photo 2 by merging three exposure bracketed images to capture detail from shadows and highlights. Align images, remove ghosts, and adjust local contrast with presets.

Layer Blend Modes15:11
Learn how layer blend modes in Affinity Photo 2 reshape image brightness using groups like darken, lighten, contrast, and component modes, with tips on passthrough.
Layer Blend Mode Uses6:56
Master practical uses of layer blend modes to fix brightness and contrast in photos. Use multiply, overlay, screen, and color blend modes, plus stacking and opacity for flexible results.
Dodge and Burn Techniques12:34
learn non-destructive portrait editing by using curves with layer masks to boost highlights and shadows, avoiding dodge, burn, and sponge tools while embracing frequency separation.
Perspective Projection7:55
Learn perspective projection to place Anna on the submarine side using layer live projection, displace and ripple filters, and color matching for authentic photo composition.
Perspective, Warping & Compositing your Images17:13
Match perspective, apply mesh warp, and composite images in Affinity Photo 2 by painting Anna onto the submarine hull with layer masks and targeted adjustments (hsl, curves, color balance).
Equirectangular Projection, Part 115:51
Explore editing 360-degree photos with layer live projection in equirectangular mode, using the clone brush and inpainting tools for local edits while tuning global adjustments like saturation and tone mapping.
Equirectangular Projection, Part 2 - Adding a Gradient7:02
Enhance an equirectangular projection by adding a gradient sky with the gradient tool. Adjust colors, bias, and noise for realism and fix seams using the inpainting brush.
Focus Merging12:36
Learn focus merging and stacking in Affinity Photo to combine sharpest regions from multiple images into a single macro image, using the sources panel, toggle preview, and manual touch-ups.
Liquify your Images10:54
Learn to liquify images in Affinity Photo 2, using the liquify persona and live filter layer, while duplicating layers, masking, and undoing edits.
Filters and how to Maximise their Potential13:04
Explore maximizing filter effects in Affinity Photo 2 by duplicating layers, applying gaussian blur and other filters, and using blend modes, opacity, masks, and adjustment layers.
Creating Lookup Tables11:10
Explore creating and applying lookup tables (LUTs) to color grade photos, exportable as cube files, and learn their limitations with gradients and global adjustments.
The History Panel8:43
Master the history panel in Affinity Photo to undo edits and compare change cycles. Explore curves, color balance, black-and-white, cycle future, and snapshots to manage versions.
Snapshots6:34
Explore how to use snapshots to manage multiple edit variants in Affinity Photo, saving and recalling layer states, color adjustments, blur, noise, and black-and-white effects for rapid comparison.
The Undo Brush6:53
Master the undo brush in Affinity Photo 2 to revert to different history points. Paint with the history-based mask, set source points, and adjust curves and color balance on shadows.
Macros19:15
Learn how to create and apply macros in Affinity Photo to batch edit photos with variable lighting, recording steps, and using curves, levels, white balance, noise reduction, and sharpening.
Batch Processing4:59
Batch process multiple files in Affinity Photo by applying a prebuilt macro, saving results to the post-process folder, and exporting resized options (jpeg or native format) as a time-saving workflow.
A Bit More About Adjustment Layers9:57
Master common adjustment layers in Affinity Photo 2, including black and white and recolor. Learn how to use posterize, threshold, channel mixer, and split toning, presets and window studio reset.

Vector Shapes, Part 112:47
Discover vector shapes in Affinity Photo, create and style rectangles and stars with fill and stroke, and compare snapping, transform origins, and scalable vector edges with pixel textures.
Start Working with Vector Shapes18:15
Explore creating vector shapes in Affinity Photo by converting shapes to curves, editing nodes for irregular edges, and applying gradients to achieve a hand-drawn look on a mug.
Vectors, Part 3 - Have a Heart!10:44
Draw hand-drawn hearts on the mug by varying stroke width with pressure, using points to create irregular outlines, and clip them to the mug body for edge control.
Say Hello to Linked Layers7:05
Explore duplicate linked layers to create multiple hearts tied to the body, then adjust miter, vector curves, scale, and blend modes while keeping changes synchronized.
The Pen Tool9:43
Master vector shapes with the pen tool, refine curves using the node tool, and control stroke, fill, and gradient while layering elements for the mug scene.
Vectors, Part 4 - Layer Effects10:41
Text, Part 114:22
Learn to use text in Affinity Designer and Affinity Publisher, distinguishing frame text from artistic text, testing fonts like Baskerville and Arial, and applying readable body copy.
Text, Part 2- The Paragraph, Character and Glyph Panels16:24
Explore the character and paragraph panels to manage text alignment, indentation, and spacing, including justified text. Learn tracking, kerning, baseline shift, glyphs, and converting text to curves for vector shaping.
Working with Palettes9:48
Learn to build and manage color palettes in Affinity Photo, using swatches, Pantone references, and palette types (document, application, system), with complementary colors and tints, shades, and tones for printing.
The Basics of Affinity Photo Brushes7:06
The Brush Properties Panel10:08
Painting with Affinity Photo, Part 114:00
Learn digital painting in Affinity Photo by sketching on a separate layer, inking with textured brushes, and blocking color on new layers, then refine with liquify and flood fill.
Painting with Affinity Photo, Part 215:17
Affinity Photo 2.2 has landed! Here are the highlights...6:49
Affinity Photo 2.2 introduces handy tweaks: dynamic brush hardness with shift plus brackets, temporary erase with the E key, and enhanced shape and guide workflows for faster editing.

Requirements

No experience of image editing is needed
A working copy or demo of Affinity Photo for a Mac/Windows

Description

'I've done some Affinity Photo tutorials on YouTube, but they just cover one tool or technique. How do I actually enhance a photo, start to finish?'

'There are so many tools in Affinity Photo! So many things to remember! As a beginner what do I need to know and what do I not need to know?'

Enrol on this course and get the answers to these questions from someone with 35+ years in the business.

Affinity Photo is the hottest image editing program for the Mac and Windows, & now it's at version 2. It has many powerful tools for making your photos stand out. But you need to know how to use it, and how to get the best out of it. It's not enough to just learn what a few sliders do. You need to know how a professional sets about developing photos - where they start, what steps they take, which tools they use and most importantly - why.

The course starts with a thorough grounding in the five steps you need to consider taking when you enhance a photo. These steps are so fundamental that I make sure that they are covered properly and in detail. Practically every image you see is available as a download and every step has practice videos. Not a multi choice quiz where you just have to remember the name of a tool. That's not enough - you need practical exercises for a program like Affinity Photo and I give you exactly that in a unique way.

Your practical exercises are consistent. I'll give you a picture and tell you what I want you to do with it. Then you have a choice. You can listen to the advice I give you about how to do the job, or you can skip the advice and try doing the exercise - crop a picture, deal with the color balance, erase some blemishes and so on. Then come back to the video and I'll show you how I did it. I'll also give you some valuable tips about tools, techniques and workflow along the way. Then at the end of the first section you take five photos and do all five steps on them. I don't know of a better way for you to really nail down the fundamental concepts and be ready to move on to more advanced subjects.

Did you notice I said 'fundamental' twice instead of 'basic'? There's a reason for that. This course is aimed at beginners and existing users who want to round out their knowledge but that doesn't mean it's over simplified. Heck, no! You will learn the same tools and techniques that are used in professional studios everywhere. I've been in quite a few and - just between you and me - there's things on this course that I've had to explain to people who use image editors on a daily basis. That's something I can do for you too. As well as being a designer for decades I also spent some time as a teacher and my university degree is all about how people learn. And it is my firm belief that the right way to learn something like Affinity Photo is not to just learn the tools. The right way is to learn the right workflow. You learn the right workflow by using the right tools for the job, and the best way to use them.

Affinity Photo 2: Solid Foundations takes you from complete beginner through to accomplished user. I'll take you through the steps you need to take when developing an image. I use the most important tools for the task in hand and show you the best practices with each. The right way to use a tool, why you are using it, when to use it and cover some mistakes people make with those tools.

I assume no knowledge on your part. All you need is a willingness to learn plus a demo or copy of Affinity Photo 2 for the desktop. I'll take you though all the basics like getting the color and tone sorted. rotating and cropping, sharpening and reducing noise, selections, layer masks etc. Then we'll go on to more advanced topics like layer blend modes, vector art, text and painting. By the end of the course you will know how, when and why to enhance your photos, and really make them shine.

Who this course is for:

People who want their images to look better
People who feel intimidated by the power of Affinity Photo
Beginners
Slightly more experienced folk who want a handle on this great software

Affinity Photo 2: Solid Foundations

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

First Things First...3 lectures • 32min

The 5 Step Method30 lectures • 5hr 45min

Time to get Picky! Selections Explained9 lectures • 1hr 48min

RAW Editing with Affinity Photo5 lectures • 1hr 1min

Round out your Knowledge Right Here...17 lectures • 3hr 7min

Getting Creative with Shapes, Text and Brushes14 lectures • 2hr 43min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: