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New Adobe Photoshop Updates - A Closer Look

Adobe has rolled out a batch of Photoshop updates this week, with one of the most notable additions being a new AI-powered feature called Generative Upscale. Built on Adobe’s Firefly AI system, the tool is designed to help boost the resolution of images (up to eight megapixels higher) while maintaining sharpness and clarity. It’s meant for photographers, designers and anyone working with older, low-resolution images they want to repurpose for print or digital use.

The new feature lets you scale images by 2x, 3x, or 4x. It works by analysing the pixel data and intelligently resampling it, creating cleaner and more detailed versions of the original file.

Adobe says Generative Upscale has been one of the most frequently requested tools from Photoshop users, and it’s now available in beta for both the desktop and web versions of Photoshop. You can find it under Image > Generative Upscale, where you can pick a scale factor and generate a new, high-res version in a separate document. There’s a current output cap of 4,096 pixels in width or height, so Photoshop will prompt you if your upscale goes beyond that.

Along with Generative Upscale, Adobe has also improved the Remove tool in the regular public release of Photoshop. It’s now powered by the latest Firefly Image Model and promises better precision when erasing unwanted elements, whether that’s power lines, blemishes, or distracting background details. Adobe says the improved version blends edits more naturally and produces fewer visible artifacts.

Another new beta feature, called Harmonize, builds on tech first introduced at Adobe MAX 2024. It helps composite new elements into existing images by automatically matching lighting, colour, shadows, and overall tone, so added objects don’t look pasted in. It’s designed to speed up the compositing process and reduce the need for manual touch-ups later on.

Both Generative Upscale and Harmonize are available now in the Photoshop (Beta) desktop app and in Photoshop on the web. Anyone with a Creative Cloud subscription can try them out.

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Interview with Valerio Benincasa

This week’s Interview with Valerio, a photographer from Rome. I am truly honoured to have had the opportunity to interview him!

You can find him on Instagram as: @valeriobenincasa.ph

Enjoy the amazing Interview ;)

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Valerio Benincasa, I live in Rome, and I like to photograph my city in a way that feels both modern and true to its roots. I’ve always been drawn to how Rome balances history and everyday life, and through photography, I try to capture that balance and showcase it to the world.

How did you first get into photography?

For as long as I can remember, I've always enjoyed taking photos. I've always carried a camera with me on the trips I've taken since I was young, from old automatic film cameras to modern digital SLRs.

How do you get about doing your famous reflection shots?

I always try to shoot something that feels a little different. For me, reflections, especially the double exposure type, are a fun way to break out of the usual. I look for puddles, windows, shiny surfaces, lay down my phone, anything that can mirror the city and people in an interesting way. It’s about spotting those moments where everything lines up, then using them to add a twist to the scene.

How do you decide where to go and shoot?

I love shooting early in the morning. Not just for the light, which is usually perfect, but because the streets are empty. It’s quiet, there’s no rush, and I can focus completely on what I’m doing without distractions. I usually already have a few spots in mind, but I also like to stay open to what I might find on the way.

Do you have a favourite city or spot for street photography? Why?

Definitely Rome. It’s home. I know the streets, the people, the whole city. That familiarity helps a lot, it makes it easier to move around and feel comfortable trying out new things. Plus, there’s always something going on here. Even in places I’ve shot a hundred times, something small will change and make it feel new again.

What’s your go-to gear setup when you hit the streets?

Most of the time, I use a 35mm f/1.4. It’s sharp, it’s fast, and it works for pretty much everything I want to shoot. If I’m feeling like mixing it up, I bring the 70–200mm. That one lets me hang back a bit and still get intimate shots, and it changes the whole mood of the photo.

Do you prefer shooting in the chaos of a busy street or in quieter, more intimate spaces?

I’d say I lean toward quieter spots. I like when I can slow down and think about what I’m shooting (as I said, that I why I especially like to shoot in the morning). But sometimes busy streets surprise me. They give you so many chances to catch something unexpected, so I don’t avoid them. It depends on the day and how I feel, really.

What are your favourite shooting conditions?

I love rainy days. Before, during, after it doesn’t matter. Rain adds depth and reflections, and it makes everything look more dramatic. People behave differently too. They move faster, they bunch up under umbrellas, they try to avoid puddles. It changes the mood of the city and makes it more interesting to shoot. And also more challenging!

Do you prefer day or night?

Generally I prefer night photos, both hand-held with a fast lens, and with a tripod to “catch the movement” around you.

How do you shoot your bokeh shots?

You need two things. A good subject and some lights in the background. Once you find both, it’s all about how you frame them. The background lights have to be spaced out just right, and your subject has to stand out. It's quite challenging but it’s also the reason why I love these kind of shoots!

How did you find your unique photography style?

I remember reading something about colour theory and how important it is in creating mood. That stuck with me. I started paying more attention to how colours worked together and how they could create a feeling of a photo. From there, I developed a look that felt right to me and tried to stick with it.

What role does storytelling play in your work?

It’s what I’m always aiming for. I want people to look at a photo and feel like there’s something happening, something that makes them stop for a second and imagine what’s going on. That doesn’t mean every photo has to be deep or complicated, but it should have a point of view.

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would that be and why?

Iceland. I’ve seen so many incredible photos from there, and every one of them feels completely different. The landscapes are like nothing else. It’s just one of those places where I feel like I could shoot endlessly. (Yes, I also love landscape photography).

What’s the most challenging thing about photography for you?

Getting someone to actually stop and look to your photo (on social media especially). There’s so much out there these days, it’s easy for a photo to get lost. So when someone pauses, even for a few seconds, that means something. That’s the challenge: making something worth stopping for.

In what photography genre would you put yourself? And why?

I’d say street and urban photography, maybe even architectural. I live in a city, I shoot the city. I don’t need to travel far or set things up in a studio. I just grab my camera, walk outside, and see what the day gives me.

What is your favourite subject to shoot?

Rome, especially the Colosseum. I’ve shot it in every season, at all times of day, from all kinds of angles, with different lenses etc. But somehow, it simply never gets old. I keep trying to find new ways to show it ways people haven’t seen before.

Who are some street photographers or other artists that inspire you?

I really like Mou Marion and Fernando Pedro Salgado. They both show the connection between people and their surroundings in a great way. Their styles are different, especially in editing, but both of them are very inspiring to me.

How important is preparation in photography?

You have to be ready. Sure, sometimes there’s luck involved, but if you’re not prepared, that lucky moment passes you by. I think instinct helps, but it’s the preparation that makes the instinct pay off.

How important is composition in photography?

It’s huge. You can have great light and an interesting subject, but if the composition is off, the photo just doesn’t work. Once you know the basic rules, it’s fun to play around with them and try new things, but you need that foundation first.

What’s your advice for someone who wants to start exploring street photography?

Know the place you’re shooting. Spend time walking around without your camera. Watch how people go, what the light does, what moments repeat. Then, once you feel connected to the space, start shooting. And never forget to push yourself and to experiment.

How important is lighting in photography?

The meaning of photography is use the light to create your work, so I think it’s everything. You are not really photographing objects, you’re photographing how the light hits them. Once you get that, everything starts to make more sense in my experience.

Is there a photography genre you haven’t tried yet, that you would like to explore?

Landscape photography is my secret passion. I've tried it many times, but I still haven't mastered it, so every time feels like the first time, and I love that.

What’s something about street photography that people don’t talk about enough?

How much time you spend waiting. People think it’s just walking around shooting pictures, but a lot of the time, it is standing still and waiting for something to happen. That patience is a big part of it.

What do you usually look for in a scene before you take the shot?

The rest, 6 more questions, of this Interview are for Premium subscribers only.

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Asus’ New 4K Monitors For Creatives

Asus has added two new monitors to its ProArt lineup, made for photographers, video editors, and digital artists who need accurate colour and high-resolution displays. The new 27-inch PA27UCGE and the 32-inch PA32UCE (technically 31.5 inches) both offer 4K resolution (3840 x 2160), 600-nit peak brightness, and support for HDR content.

The two monitors share quite a few features. They both use IPS panels, cover 98% of the DCI-P3 colour space, and hit 100% of sRGB. Each screen comes factory-calibrated with a claimed Delta E of less than 1, which basically means excellent color accuracy. Asus also includes a built-in hardware calibration tool, which can automatically recalibrate the monitor over time.

Despite their similarities, there are a couple of key differences. The biggest is size: one is 27 inches, the other is 32. And while both displays support HDR600, which is fine for general HDR work, some professionals who rely heavily on HDR editing might find the 600-nit limit a bit restrictive compared to higher-end panels that push 1,000 nits or more.

Another difference is refresh rate. The smaller PA27UCGE has a 160Hz variable refresh rate, which could appeal to users who want a smoother interface experience or occasionally game on the side. The 32-inch PA32UCE, on the other hand, is locked at 60Hz, enough for most creative work, but less fluid overall.

Connectivity is solid across both models. Each includes dual HDMI 2.1 ports, a DisplayPort, and a USB-C port capable of delivering up to 96 watts of power. There’s also a built-in USB 3.2 Gen 1 hub with another USB-C and a couple of USB-A ports for accessories. Other thoughtful touches include an anti-glare coating (LuxPixel), a built-in KVM switch for switching between two computers, and a stand that supports portrait orientation and full adjustability.

The ProArt PA27UCGE is priced at $949, while the larger PA32UCE goes for $1,199.

Photography Tip of the Week

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Photo Analysis

Welcome to the new part of the Magazine Issue where we take a closer look at a photo and analyse it so that you can learn and better your own photography from it ;)

Photo by: @d.grade

Let’s Analyse this Image: 

Light & Atmosphere

What works well:

• The light is very clean and controlled. That cool-toned, almost clinical/hospital lighting works well in this kind of modern station setting. You have got reflections bouncing off the steel and glass in a way that just reinforces the environment—> very sleek, and modern.

• One thing I really like is the red reflection running down the inside of the rail, it is a very small detail, but it pulls your eye straight into the shot. And funny enough it also works as a compositional instrument in my opinion, you first spot the red reflection that bounces of the rail, and in that moment your eye also bounces off that spot onto the train.

• And overall, the atmosphere is solid. It feels quiet, definitely even a bit sterile (almost like a hospital like I said), but that fits the setting.

What could be better:

• The lighting is so even across the board that it actually flattens things out a bit. There's not a lot of depth or mood, everything’s just kind of lit in the same way, and that takes away some of the character that could have been there. But as always it’s all about what you are going for.

• Especially at the top corners, there’s a bit too much brightness for me. My eye keeps drifting up toward those overhead lights instead of staying on the train or the tracks. Just knocking those highlights down slightly would help hold focus.

Composition & Framing

What works well:

• The S-curve in the tracks is what makes this shot so interesting and satisfying. You’re led straight into the train without any resistance and because of the S-curve it feels much ‘‘smoother’’ than most ‘‘straight’’ leading lines .

• I like how everything feels balanced without being overly symmetrical. The two people on either side help break it up just enough to avoid it feeling completely sterile/emotionless. They also give a bit of scale, which is always good.

• The depth is really good. That curve does not just act as a leading lines, it actually helps you feel the distance in the frame. You start at the bottom, follow the rails, hit the train, and then your eye sort of drifts naturally into the background. And again, because of the people, one can imagine the scale/distance.

What could be better:

• It’s a very safe frame. That’s not a bad thing, but it also doesn’t take any risks. I think shooting it just a bit lower could’ve given the scene more presence, made the train feel a bit more imposing, more cinematic, the lines could have been even stronger etc.

• Everything’s sharp from front to back, which is fine, but it also means your eye doesn’t really settle anywhere in particular. There’s no focal hierarchy, if that makes sense.

Color & Tone

What works well:

• The overall colour palette works for the scene. Blue-heavy tones always look good at night, and here it reinforces the mood, modern, clean, cold.

• I do like that little pop of yellow/orange from the safety line and the train. As well as the fact that the orange colours appear again as reflections on the roof of the station. You need those contrasting tones, otherwise the whole image starts to blend into itself.

What could be better:

• The blacks are a little lifted in spots. Some of the areas that should be deep shadows just end up looking grey. That sucks a bit of the punch out of the image.

• It’s very neutral overall. There’s nothing wrong with that, but sometimes adding a little personality to the grade can go a long way, even something subtle in the shadows or highlights.

Emotion & Story

What works well:

• There is some mood here for sure. The almost-empty platform, the cold light, the single train pulling in, it all adds up to a kind of quiet moment. You get the sense that it’s very late, or maybe very early, and that the station is in this in-between state.

• The two people in the shot are small, but they do matter a lot. They make the space feel just a touch more alive. Without them, this would just be architecture.

• The red light (right above the train) actually helps with the narrative a bit. It kind of signals that this is a moment of pause/stop.

What could be better:

• The train itself is kind of... anonymous? It’s there, it’s in focus, but it doesn’t really say anything. I think that’s partly down to the lighting and angle. It feels like it’s just parked there. Maybe taking the shot later or focusing more on the train in general (adding more detail) could have helped with that.

• Overall, it’s aesthetically strong, but there’s not a ton of narrative depth. It’s more about structure than story, and depending on your intent, that might be a bit of a missed opportunity.

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Photographer of the Week

Photographer of the week goes to: Graham Jamie Bush

You can find him on Instagram as: @gjbushman

A few photos of his:

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The Rest of this Issue is for Premium Subscribers

The Premium Version of this Magazine is now on a ‘‘Pay What You Want’’ model. Meaning you get to decide the price.