Creative image editing is Photoshops superpower.

There are so many magical effects and techniques you can perform to make your images special.

Here's some ideas to get you started.

Place a subject in a different environment by replacing the background.

Combine images into a double exposure or a fantasy composite.

Add or Remove people and objects from an image.

Blend textures and patterns with images.

Play with lighting, to add lens flares, light leaks or a sparkling bokeh effect.

Add creative coloring, like a split tone, duotone or gradient effect.

Use filters to transform a photo into an oil painting or a sketch.

Add motion with creative blur effects or animation.

The list of special effects you can create is limited only by your imagination.

You'd be surprised at how much you can do with some basic knowledge of Photoshop.

If you're a Photoshop beginner interested in creative editing, here are some essentials to focus on.

Explore the Photoshop workspace.

There are lots of features, but they're well organized into tools on the left, panels on the right and menu commands at the top.

Knowing your way around will save you time and effort.

Get to know layers, which are the building blocks of every Photoshop project.

Each layer is like a separate image stacked on top of one another.

Placing each element on a separate layer gives you the flexibility to work on different parts of an image independently.

The Layers panel is command central for layers.

There you can create new layers, change layer stacking order, turn layers on and off, change layer opacity, control layer blending, group layers and more.

Selections are critical to creative image editing.

Use selections to cut out parts of an image, to isolate areas for editing, or to duplicate parts of an image.

Get to know the variety of selection tools in Photoshop, along with the Select and Mask workspace where you'll fine-tune your selections.

Take the time to understand how layer masks work too.

Layer masks are indispensable for hiding and showing parts of an image non-destructively.

There's a fun saying to help you remember how layer masks work.

Black conceals and white reveals on a layer mask.

Play with filters, layer styles, patterns, gradients and shapes as you build your creative skills in Photoshop.

You'll be amazed at the magic you can create.