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Thread: I have to take a Photoshop skills test for a Job—has anyone done this?

  1. #1
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    I have to take a Photoshop skills test for a Job—has anyone done this?

    What do you think they will be looking to see? Or if you know what should I expect when I take the photoshop test? I will be taking the test for a retouching position. I will be working in CMYK, retouching photos that will be use by major corporations for their marketing material.

  2. #2
    Total Universe Mod jAQUAN's Avatar
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    my guess is they'll have you correcting photographs

    Hope your good with curves, levels, and stamp patterns.

  3. #3
    An Inconvenient Serving Size hurricaneone's Avatar
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    If it's anything like the job I had retouching photos, you'll know ten to twenty times more about Photoshop than the job requires.

    *yawn*

    But the test for the job will take you to the very limits of your Photoshop skills.
    Stand by for emergency synapse rerouting

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    What about the use of LAB Colors— or setting up the file to be Color Managed? — or making sure the ink densities are right.

    • Yes, I am good with using curves (you mean setting up paths with the pen tool),

    • What should I know about using levels?

    • Using the cloning tool will not be a problem.

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    I can't believe their is a job that consists of just retouching photos! Is that all you really do? How bad are the photos your retouching or are you taking out backgrounds and setting up the photos with clipping paths.

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    supervillain gerbick's Avatar
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    jaquan pretty much hit it. if anything, they'll probably pattern it slightly after the Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) tests... where they present you a bluish-tinted picture, you have to correct it with RGB color correction (curves) and/or adjustment layers (better to use adjustment layers to avoid damaging the original).

    the rest, just to show ability with the tools, I'd stay away from the filters, and above all, show any mastery of layers, channel operations (duplicate, slight blur, overlay, adjust levels/tint, layer and selection calculations)... what not.

    I did something like this earlier in the year - thinking of recertifying myself as an ACE - and the people asked me to slow down. Just show some skill, and an ability to solve whatever problem they shove at you - I swear, mostly color correction, and getting rid of noise/patterns seems to be the most common "test" - and you should be ok.

    best of luck to you mang.

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    Thanks, gerbick!!!

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    An Inconvenient Serving Size hurricaneone's Avatar
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    Originally posted by montara1
    I can't believe their is a job that consists of just retouching photos! Is that all you really do?
    Who? Me?

    Back in the late 90s, I started a photo database of global cars for the company I worked for, by manufacturer, model, trim level. The pictures were sourced from the network of researchers the company had as third-party affiliates around the world (60+ countries). The lazy bastards used to send some god-awful crap in and I had to make it decent, retouching, building backgrounds to small pictures etc (all snaps had to be 400x250). Unbelievable, how many 'computer profficient' people can't work a bloody scanner - or follow directions.

    By the time I was done, I'd amassed a collection of over 6000+ photos, all doctored by yours truly and was running a team of people doing the same thing (as well as overseeing the editorial content of an automotive news service).

    Multitasking for peanuts. Arghhh.

    Needless to say, I no longer do that.
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  9. #9
    supervillain gerbick's Avatar
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    lol, 'cane... I got a similar story. I did photo retouching for this one local studio because they had one photographer that used a camera with a slightly damaged CCD. so there'd always be a slightly yellow tint to his photos and a slight distortion in the upper right hand of all of his photos.

    instead of him getting his camera fixed, they paid me to fix his photos. and that's all I did for them for about 30 hours a week.

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  10. #10
    Total Universe Mod jAQUAN's Avatar
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    Originally posted by montara1
    What about the use of LAB Colors— or setting up the file to be Color Managed? — or making sure the ink densities are right.

    • Yes, I am good with using curves (you mean setting up paths with the pen tool),
    actually I meant color curves (ctrl+m) but like gerbs said, curves on correction layers are better. They are indespensable for getting the right density.

    As far as the LAB color goes, most color houses have their own workflow so you should at least show your trainable in that area.

    You should also be familiar with quick mask and color range selection.

  11. #11
    Originally posted by gerbick
    lol, 'cane... I got a similar story. I did photo retouching for this one local studio because they had one photographer that used a camera with a slightly damaged CCD. so there'd always be a slightly yellow tint to his photos and a slight distortion in the upper right hand of all of his photos.

    instead of him getting his camera fixed, they paid me to fix his photos. and that's all I did for them for about 30 hours a week.
    How long before they realized that it would be cheaper to get a new camera than pay you?

  12. #12
    supervillain gerbick's Avatar
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    who knows. I left that city. I think the photographer, albeit good, was a family member.

    :shrug:

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    An Inconvenient Serving Size hurricaneone's Avatar
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    Originally posted by gerbick
    instead of him getting his camera fixed, they paid me to fix his photos. and that's all I did for them for about 30 hours a week.
    Bill heard the instructor say 'cost-effective', but was too afraid to ask what it meant in case Sally thought he was a total tool.
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  14. #14
    Sun Devil asun2art's Avatar
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    Conversely, I think Photo retouching teaches you new techniques and tool combos. It has been invaluable for me. I never knew what the dodge and burn tools were used for until I started working. Now I make movie stars look 15 years younger!

    Man, I must have logged 50+ hours retouching on Stepford Wives, whew! Glen Close and Nicole needed alot of work!

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    Databarnak atRax's Avatar
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    Originally posted by asun2art
    Conversely, I think Photo retouching teaches you new techniques and tool combos. It has been invaluable for me. I never knew what the dodge and burn tools were used for until I started working. Now I make movie stars look 15 years younger!

    Man, I must have logged 50+ hours retouching on Stepford Wives, whew! Glen Close and Nicole needed alot of work!
    got some exemple ?
    I ask you all to concentrate really hard on the freedom of all being. Its hard not to be very angry it is impossible We have to focus this confusion frustration helplessness feeling into a creative outlet Anger can spawn such amazing creativity through Street art Free art to teach each other know each other a language our evolution Go ahead and break some dumb rules

  16. #16
    Sun Devil asun2art's Avatar
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    Originally posted by atRax
    got some examples?
    They are all property of Paramount Pictures. sorry bud. Unfortunately, I don't think I can even use any of them in my portfolio for this reason...Too bad because we might get M:I3 very soon...

  17. #17
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    I have my clients do a client test before working with them. It's made my life so much easier.

    Also ran into major headaches with my last full-time employer because I neglected to have them pass an employer test.

    ** asun2art, we just had lunch down at the whole foods store! i should have hit you up. next time.

  18. #18
    Total Universe Mod jAQUAN's Avatar
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    Originally posted by asun2art
    Conversely, I think Photo retouching teaches you new techniques and tool combos. It has been invaluable for me. I never knew what the dodge and burn tools were used for until I started working. Now I make movie stars look 15 years younger!

    Man, I must have logged 50+ hours retouching on Stepford Wives, whew! Glen Close and Nicole needed alot of work!
    heh, ya know there was retouching before photoshop. I made a point of learning the processes such as dodgeing and burning in a darkroom so I could understand better what adobe intended. It's so much easier to see PS as a digital dark room when you have done a lot of the stuff by hand.

  19. #19
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    Here is another job I'm going on for an interview what should I prepare for?

    Responsibilities

    - Website design, implementation and documentation
    - Design of product user interface interfaces and prototypes
    - Creation of Flash and online Demo's
    - Supporting Sales, IR, and Corporate Communications with presentation design & development.
    - Lead/participation in capturing project requirements, concept development, art direction and story-boarding
    - Creation and maintenance of advanced HTML and CSS code
    - Hands-on production of interactive designs that support our strategy and our brand
    - Interfacing with creative, development, IT, management teams and customers

    Qualifications

    - Minimum of 3 years experience as Graphic/Interactive Designer for websites and multimedia
    - Expertise in Photoshop, Illustrator and Flash
    - Expertise in HTML, CSS, experience with JavaScript and ActionScript
    - A strong understanding of visual design, user interface design, and web technologies including browser and platform issues with an ability to optimize large applications with audio for the Web
    - Experience with corporate branding guidelines and standards
    - Bachelor's degree in graphic design or equivalent strongly preferred

    In addition to the specific skills listed above we are looking for the following specific traits:
    - Passion for design and for your work
    - Self-discipline
    - Demonstrated commitment to quality
    - Enthusiasm, dependability, resourcefulness and attention to detail
    - Excellent organization, problem solving and written/verbal communication skills
    - Ability and desire to work independently as well as with a team, on multiple tasks, across multiple projects

  20. #20
    Sun Devil asun2art's Avatar
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    Looks like the standard "web guy" operating procedure. Good luck. It's all about nailing the interview anyway. Don't be intimidated.

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