Hi Robin. I’m returning to photography, now I have more time andI have used Affinity in the past but there weren’t many tutorials available. I remember some of your original ones, but these updated ones are on another level. Thank you.
Thank you as always Robin. I've been using Affinity Photo for some time and know about many of the principles you mentioned. However, its always useful to remind myself of the rarely used parts such as how to change the number of rows in the tools panel. This is an essential video for first time users and potential new users, much more clearly explained that the official videos. Unfortunately for the timing of this video Affinity have released an update to 2.3.1 only a day after the release of your video. Ive not studied it yet but I hope that it doesnt vary the essence of this video. All the best for 2024 and thank you for your excellent work Robin.
Thank you. I'm fairly confident the new release won't have changed anything. Most of these features have been in there since the early days of version 1. I suspect they will be around for a while.
Thank you. Your videos are brilliant. I wish I could have watched that one when I bought affinity in 2020. This is the best basic into I have seen. Thank you!
Thank you , I knew most of it 🥳 , but not all 😢. I have a 2 column floating tools pallet most of the time . Studio panels are on the left in one group ; just to be confusing when watching videos 😅 3:48 ---- whoops I was typing to say I wish they names under the tool icons when customizing ; but the names are there now (??) ; weren't last time I customized tools ---- is there a button I don't know about ?
Nice tutorial on tailoring the GUI! I never even knew about the Left Studio. But I think it was a mistake for Serif to provide keyboard shortcuts for functions like Hide Studio and Toggle UI; it's too easy for a newbie user to get trapped. A newbie user can accidentally type that keyboard shortcut without realizing it and then wonder why the Studio or even the whole UI disappeared without warning. That happened to me. In the end, I disabled all keyboard shortcuts that manipulate the UI. All first-time users should do the same.
A question!Can I go from photo persona back to develop persona? the program recuire to select on RGB pixel layer and I cant figure out how I should do it and if that gonna affect the overall image quality.
Thank you for the tutorial and explanation Robin. One thing I don't understand though, is WHY did Serif put the Develop Persona as the third persona, instead of the second. I know it sounds nitpicky and I'm sorry but if you're thinking of it as a workflow, it makes sense for the Develop Persona to be the second persona, instead of where it is. Just doesn't make sense to me.
I had never stopped to think about this but I agree 100%. I hardly ever use the other Personas these days and they feel a little like a design hangover from an earlier period in time.
Hey Robin, I'm a huge fan of your channel so thanks. This may be off topic but I'm trying to add Luminar Neo as a plug in for Affinity photo. I added the plug in by going to edit>settings>PS plug ins>add>windows>program files> selecting the Luminar Neo folder from my programs in Windows, clicking the "allow unknown plug in to be used" and then restarting Affinity photo. When I open an image, go to filters, click plug ins and select Luminar Neo, I get "bad" and it won't load. I can use Luminar Neo as a stand alone but would love to be able to use it as a plug. I'm also going to purchase Nik based on your suggestions. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
I thought Neo was compatible with Affinity Photo but I've justed tested it and it won't load. In fact, I can't get it to show up in the menu so you are doing better than me. Sorry.
@@lloydstuartm.d.5625 It seems like an expensive buy just for black and white, although Silver Efex is excellent, and there isn't much to match it. That's a tricky one if you only do black and white. But if you do colour as well it's a great buy. I use the Nik Collection for most of my colour work (although I also use some other tools as well).
The main thing that frustrates me with Affinity Photo, is when I do the same thing twice, but get different results each time. If I use the square marquee tool, and then click the move tool, sometimes I can move the box to a new location, without cutting a hole in my image. Other times, regardless of what I do, moving the box will cut, and move whatever is under it. It drives me crazy. I've never had to use mask to do this. I never know why sometimes it works one way, and another time the opposite. I like to move the box around, and use it for a cutting tool. I'm commenting here, hoping someone can shed some light on this. I'm stuck right now, where if I move the box, it will cut a hole in my image. Can anyone help?
After you draw a selection using the rectangle marquee tool and then move the mouse pointer over the selection, it changes to show the Move icon. This allows you to move the position of the selection but without affecting the area that's selected. This behaviour only happens when you have one of the Marquee tools selected in the Affinity Photo Tools Palette. When you have the Move The Move Tool seelcted in the Tools Palette and then try to reposition the selection, you can't. Instead it moves the area of the image that's selected. You might also find that you can't move the area and that there are small blue crosses in the corners of the blue bounding box rather than circles. This indicates the layer you are working with is locked from editing. You can see a small padlock icon to the right of it in the Layers Studio Panel and clicking the icon unlocks it. What's confusing about this example for a lot of people is that the mouse pointer changes to show the same icon as when you have the Move Tool selected. You can only move the selection when you have one of the Marquee Tools active and you can only move the area of the image when the Move Tool is active. I hope this helps you. As a shameless plug, I cover this (and all the selection tools) in my new book "How To Select It": lenscraft.co.uk/project/how-to-select-it-book/
@@RobinWhalley But this is not the way it has been working for me in the past couple of years, that I've been using AP. Previously, I could make my box, then click the Move tool. My box would then have handles. I could resize the box. Move it around. Move it to a different location, and I would not affect the layer under it. If I were to hit cut, or copy, it would cut or copy what was under the box. Since day one, I've been using this to move the box around and trim items... I can't get AF to do this at all anymore. Based on what you say, maybe it was not supposed to work the way I've been using it. Very confusing...
@@hurleymediatv I can only explain how I understand it works and how it works for me. Without watching an example of your editing where it goes wrong I won't be able to identify the problem. Try following what I've said to see if it works. If it still doesn't work, email me through my Lenscraft website.
@@RobinWhalley Robin, I really appreciate your suggestions. I've spent the last day learning a new work flow, so I'll just move on. I also watched your video "Selection with Rectangular Marquee in Affinity Photo" and learned a lot from that one. But I wanted to mention, in that video you say you're using the alt key when using the freehand polygonal tool. I couldn't get this to work, until I used the ctrl key. All good now though.. Cheers!
Some big changes like compound masks and the range selections masks as well as a lot of interface changes and small improvements. If you know how to use the bulk of the features in V1 you will still understand how to use V2. The best place to find out the differences is on the Affinity Photo website. Here's a link to the version 2 changes affinity.serif.com/en-gb/whats-new/
Hi Robin. I’m returning to photography, now I have more time andI have used Affinity in the past but there weren’t many tutorials available. I remember some of your original ones, but these updated ones are on another level. Thank you.
I’m glad you’re finding them helpful. I’m always trying to improve.
Excellent presentation Robin. Whether you consider yourself knowledgeable or not on the basics there is something to learn or be reminded of.
Thank you. I'm pleased you liked it.
I love all photos and your video is moving me to action. Thanks for your time in sharing your knowledge.
You are so welcome. Thank you very much.
Thank you, even for an experienced user there' is always something new to learn.
Glad it was helpful for you.
Thank you as always Robin. I've been using Affinity Photo for some time and know about many of the principles you mentioned. However, its always useful to remind myself of the rarely used parts such as how to change the number of rows in the tools panel. This is an essential video for first time users and potential new users, much more clearly explained that the official videos. Unfortunately for the timing of this video Affinity have released an update to 2.3.1 only a day after the release of your video. Ive not studied it yet but I hope that it doesnt vary the essence of this video. All the best for 2024 and thank you for your excellent work Robin.
Thank you. I'm fairly confident the new release won't have changed anything. Most of these features have been in there since the early days of version 1. I suspect they will be around for a while.
Well no wonder Ive been so lost and confused! Thank you. This has really helped!
I'm glad it helped you.
Thank you. Your videos are brilliant. I wish I could have watched that one when I bought affinity in 2020. This is the best basic into I have seen. Thank you!
You're welcome. I'm glad you like my videos.
Been using Affinity for quite a while and still learnt something here... 👍
It's difficult to know everything. I've been trying for years but my wife still tells me I don't know everything.
Thank you , I knew most of it 🥳 , but not all 😢. I have a 2 column floating tools pallet most of the time . Studio panels are on the left in one group ; just to be confusing when watching videos 😅
3:48 ---- whoops I was typing to say I wish they names under the tool icons when customizing ; but the names are there now (??) ; weren't last time I customized tools ---- is there a button I don't know about ?
Right click on the toolbar and then choose the option "icons & text"
Looking forward to the next video Robin
Thanks Dave.
Nice tutorial on tailoring the GUI! I never even knew about the Left Studio.
But I think it was a mistake for Serif to provide keyboard shortcuts for functions like Hide Studio and Toggle UI; it's too easy for a newbie user to get trapped. A newbie user can accidentally type that keyboard shortcut without realizing it and then wonder why the Studio or even the whole UI disappeared without warning. That happened to me. In the end, I disabled all keyboard shortcuts that manipulate the UI. All first-time users should do the same.
Thnkas. Yes, that's a good tip about the keyboard shortcuts. I suspect quite a few people get into a mess that way.
A question!Can I go from photo persona back to develop persona? the program recuire to select on RGB pixel layer and I cant figure out how I should do it and if that gonna affect the overall image quality.
Try watching this, it may answer some of your questions ua-cam.com/video/Zc3lbiIhFMo/v-deo.html
A great help - many thanks! Having watched a few of your Affinity content, I’m getting better edits! 😀👍🙏 I have subscribed 👏👏🙏👍
Glad to help. Thank you.
Thank you for the tutorial and explanation Robin. One thing I don't understand though, is WHY did Serif put the Develop Persona as the third persona, instead of the second. I know it sounds nitpicky and I'm sorry but if you're thinking of it as a workflow, it makes sense for the Develop Persona to be the second persona, instead of where it is. Just doesn't make sense to me.
I had never stopped to think about this but I agree 100%. I hardly ever use the other Personas these days and they feel a little like a design hangover from an earlier period in time.
Hey Robin, I'm a huge fan of your channel so thanks. This may be off topic but I'm trying to add Luminar Neo as a plug in for Affinity photo. I added the plug in by going to edit>settings>PS plug ins>add>windows>program files> selecting the Luminar Neo folder from my programs in Windows, clicking the "allow unknown plug in to be used" and then restarting Affinity photo. When I open an image, go to filters, click plug ins and select Luminar Neo, I get "bad" and it won't load. I can use Luminar Neo as a stand alone but would love to be able to use it as a plug. I'm also going to purchase Nik based on your suggestions. Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
I thought Neo was compatible with Affinity Photo but I've justed tested it and it won't load. In fact, I can't get it to show up in the menu so you are doing better than me. Sorry.
@@RobinWhalley Thanks Robin and thanks for mentioning NIK in your videos. I think I may get it for my B&W photography.
@@lloydstuartm.d.5625 It seems like an expensive buy just for black and white, although Silver Efex is excellent, and there isn't much to match it. That's a tricky one if you only do black and white. But if you do colour as well it's a great buy. I use the Nik Collection for most of my colour work (although I also use some other tools as well).
The main thing that frustrates me with Affinity Photo, is when I do the same thing twice, but get different results each time. If I use the square marquee tool, and then click the move tool, sometimes I can move the box to a new location, without cutting a hole in my image. Other times, regardless of what I do, moving the box will cut, and move whatever is under it. It drives me crazy. I've never had to use mask to do this. I never know why sometimes it works one way, and another time the opposite. I like to move the box around, and use it for a cutting tool. I'm commenting here, hoping someone can shed some light on this. I'm stuck right now, where if I move the box, it will cut a hole in my image. Can anyone help?
After you draw a selection using the rectangle marquee tool and then move the mouse pointer over the selection, it changes to show the Move icon. This allows you to move the position of the selection but without affecting the area that's selected. This behaviour only happens when you have one of the Marquee tools selected in the Affinity Photo Tools Palette.
When you have the Move The Move Tool seelcted in the Tools Palette and then try to reposition the selection, you can't. Instead it moves the area of the image that's selected. You might also find that you can't move the area and that there are small blue crosses in the corners of the blue bounding box rather than circles. This indicates the layer you are working with is locked from editing. You can see a small padlock icon to the right of it in the Layers Studio Panel and clicking the icon unlocks it.
What's confusing about this example for a lot of people is that the mouse pointer changes to show the same icon as when you have the Move Tool selected. You can only move the selection when you have one of the Marquee Tools active and you can only move the area of the image when the Move Tool is active. I hope this helps you.
As a shameless plug, I cover this (and all the selection tools) in my new book "How To Select It": lenscraft.co.uk/project/how-to-select-it-book/
@@RobinWhalley But this is not the way it has been working for me in the past couple of years, that I've been using AP. Previously, I could make my box, then click the Move tool. My box would then have handles. I could resize the box. Move it around. Move it to a different location, and I would not affect the layer under it. If I were to hit cut, or copy, it would cut or copy what was under the box. Since day one, I've been using this to move the box around and trim items... I can't get AF to do this at all anymore. Based on what you say, maybe it was not supposed to work the way I've been using it. Very confusing...
@@hurleymediatv I can only explain how I understand it works and how it works for me. Without watching an example of your editing where it goes wrong I won't be able to identify the problem. Try following what I've said to see if it works. If it still doesn't work, email me through my Lenscraft website.
@@RobinWhalley Robin, I really appreciate your suggestions. I've spent the last day learning a new work flow, so I'll just move on. I also watched your video "Selection with Rectangular Marquee in Affinity Photo" and learned a lot from that one. But I wanted to mention, in that video you say you're using the alt key when using the freehand polygonal tool. I couldn't get this to work, until I used the ctrl key. All good now though.. Cheers!
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! 🙏🏾
Extremely helpful. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful. Thanks
Really useful. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful. Thank you
Very useful for us noobs. Thanks so much!
You're very welcome. Thank you
What's the difference between Affinity Photo and Affinity Photo 2?
Some big changes like compound masks and the range selections masks as well as a lot of interface changes and small improvements. If you know how to use the bulk of the features in V1 you will still understand how to use V2. The best place to find out the differences is on the Affinity Photo website. Here's a link to the version 2 changes affinity.serif.com/en-gb/whats-new/