AnnexPhoto – Getting Started (Tutorial)

A practical walkthrough ("your first hour with AnnexPhoto"). Whitepaper format, PDF-ready. Screenshots will be captured according to the shot list at the end.

Goal of This Tutorial

By the end you will have turned a product photo into a finished asset: imported, brightness- and color-corrected, the subject cut out with AI, refined with a mask, and exported as a transparent PNG for social media – with the project saved as .axphoto on your Mac.

Step 1: Import an Image

Start AnnexPhoto via AnnexHub. Choose File ▸ Import… (or the import button in the header) and pick your product photo. The image lands on the canvas as a new layer; the canvas size adapts automatically. Alternatively, drag the file from the Finder directly onto the canvas.

Step 2: Name the Layer

The sidebar shows the layer list. Rename the imported layer (e.g. "Product") to keep the project readable. This is also where you show/hide and lock layers later.

Step 3: Adjust Brightness, Contrast and Saturation

Select the layer and adjust brightness, contrast and saturation in the inspector. The adjustments are non-destructive: you can switch them on/off at any time and edit them later – the original image stays untouched.

Step 4: Add a "Curves" Adjustment Layer

Add an adjustment layer of type "Curves". The RGB master curve accepts 2–8 control points; drag the curve in the editor and watch the preview curve in the inspector. Adjustment layers affect all layers below them – preview and export use the same render path.

Step 5: Cut Out the Subject

Select the product layer and run Image ▸ Cut Out Subject (or the corresponding toolbar button). AnnexPhoto masks the main subject on-device via Apple Vision (macOS 14+) and places it as a new layer with a transparent background above. The source layer is only hidden – nothing is lost.

Step 6: Refine the Mask

Add a layer mask to the cut-out layer. Select the brush tool: radius and strength are controlled by the floating control. Painting black hides areas, white reveals them again; gray values create soft transitions. You can also invert or remove the mask.

Step 7: Set Blend Mode and Opacity

Set the layer's blend mode (Normal, Multiply, Screen, Overlay) and opacity in the inspector. This controls how the layer merges with the layers below.

Step 8: Export as PNG

Open File ▸ Export…. Choose PNG – the cut-out subject's alpha channel is preserved. Alternatively, JPEG (with quality slider), TIFF and PSD (with layer structure) are available.

Step 9: Smart Object, Layer Style and Generative Fill

Convert the cut-out product layer into a Smart Object (Image ▸ Convert to Smart Object). This keeps the original content intact while allowing you to change scaling and filters later. Add a soft drop shadow in the Layer Styles panel so the product stands out from the background.

Select a small area in the background and open Image ▸ Generative Fill…. Leave the prompt empty or type "neutral studio background". After applying, the result appears as a separate layer – the original remains preserved.

Step 10: Save the Project

Save the project with File ▸ Save… (⌘S) as .axphoto. The container holds the complete project state – layers, adjustments, masks, Smart Objects, layer styles and brandkit links – and can be reopened any time with File ▸ Open… (⌘O).

Result & Next Steps

You now have a cut-out, retouched product image with Smart Object, layer style and generative fill, plus an editable .axphoto project. Follow-up topics: linking brandkits and using assets, PSD export for interchange with other tools, the "Color Balance" adjustment layer. Full feature documentation: docs/manuals/en/AnnexPhoto.md – the authoritative feature list: Feature list.

Shot List (for screenshot capture)