Essential Photoshop Techniques

>>279946
clipping masks

>>279946
Start getting used to using smart objects and smart filters.

>>279946
Anything and everything about making and modifying selections.

You typically only make minor edits to a photo before you get it printed, unless you're editing photos of models for a magazine or something. It's always obvious if a photo has been overworked. It you want something that looks nice, it has to look nice before you take it to photoshop. Get a decent camera, and learn how to take good photos first.

I'm a Professional graphic designer, and having used it for decades, the three most important things (in no particular order) are
>>279953
>Smart Objects/Filters
This. You must learn to be undestructive.
>>279994
making and modifying selections
And this. Absolutely essential, but probably the easiest thing of these to learn. A pen tablet helps a lot.

Lastly, color theory. Your work is useless if there are noticeable seams in your image components, assuming you're stitching shit together.

If you manage those three well, you'll be using every other function as a helper, tops.

>>279946
>What would you say are the most helpful Photoshop tutorials?
It depends on what you're using Photoshop for.

Are you using it to color-correct images? To do photomontages?

>>280045 has some good points.

Search tutorials for the basics:
Selections
Layers/layer groups
Masks/channels
Adjustment layers/smart objects/filters
Clipping paths

>>280049
Sorry, I misread your post as "I'm new to the program".

Still, knowing what you use Photoshop for specifically would help. "Photos and graphics" is too general.