Adjustment Layers - 2

Adjustment Layers - 2

Learn how to use the next group of Adjustment Layers from Brightness/Contrast through Exposure.

When to use

These Adjustment Layers are mainly used when you want to manipulate the shadows, highlights, contrast, and exposure in your images.

Instructions

Brightness/Contrast Adjustment Layer

• Begin by clicking the Adjustment Layer Icon at the bottom of the Layers Palette and selecting 'Brightness/Contrast' from the menu that appears.
• Move the sliders around to enhance the overall brightness of your image.
• Repeat this for the contrast until you get a result that you are happy with.

Levels Adjustment Layer

• Click on the Adjustment Layer Icon at the bottom of the Layers Palette and this time select 'Levels' from the menu that appears.
• You will now see a histogram in your Properties Panel, and this represents the range of light and shadows in your image.
• Moving the dark gray slider on the left towards the center will increase the darks in your image.
• Moving the white slider on the right towards the center will increase the brighter parts of your image.
• Moving the center slider to the left or right will adjust the overall midpoint between the darkest parts of your image and the lightest.
• Clicking on the 'RGB' menu will allow you to target either the Red, Green, or Blue channel specifically.
• You can then use the bottom set of sliders to either add more of that color, or reduce that color in your image.
• Experiment with these sliders to find a nice result that you are happy with.
• You should now have a Levels Adjustment stacked on top of your Brightness/Contrast Adjustment Layer. 

Curves Adjustment Layer

• Click on the Adjustment Layer Icon at the bottom of the Layers Palette and this time select 'Curves' from the menu that appears.
• Similar to the Levels Adjustment, the Curves Adjustment also affects the dark and light areas in an image.
• Instead of using sliders, with Curves we will manipulate the diagonal line that runs through the grid to modify the effect.
• Try moving the point in the upper right down or to the left to see how it affects the image.
• Next, move the point in the lower left up or to the right to see how it affects the image. 
• Add a point to the center of the grid, and then add a second point in the upper right quadrant and another in the lower left quadrant so you have three evenly spaced out points running along the diagonal line.
• Typically when using the Curves Adjustment Layer it's best to begin with an 'S' curve. 
• Once you have found a nice balance of light and dark, click on the 'RGB' field and choose either Red, Green, or Blue to target that color specifically.
• Experiment with moving the points around for these individual color channels to see how you can add or reduce the amount of color in the image. 
• Adding a bit of blue to the Curves Adjustment can be a great way to get a photo filter effect. This can also be done by adding a warmer color like orange or yellow.

Exposure Adjustment Layer

• Click on the eyeball of the previous three Adjustment Layers to turn off their visibility.
• Return to the Adjustment Layer Icon at the bottom of the Layers Palette, and this time choose 'Exposure' from the menu.
• Moving the 'Exposure' slider to the right will increase the exposure, making the image appear brighter.
• Moving the 'Exposure' slider to the left will reduce the exposure, making the entire image feel darker.
• The 'Offset' slider will help to add or remove contrast from your image.
• The 'Gamma Correction' slider will help to correct the appearance of colors being viewed on screen by also making them brighter or darker.
• Modify these sliders until you are happy with the results, and then turn the visibility of the three other Adjustment Layers back on.

Re-Ordering and Selecting Multiple Adjustment Layers

• Click on the first Adjustment Layer that is above your 'Mountain Group' folder.
• In this case, it will most likely be the 'Brightness/Contrast' Adjustment Layer.
• Hold the Alt/Option Key and move your cursor between the group folder and the Brightness/Contrast Adjustment Layer and then click to apply a Clipping Mask.
• Select the second Adjustment Layer, then hold the Shift Key and select the very top Adjustment Layer so that all of the remaining three Adjustment Layers are selected at the same time.
• Click and drag these three Adjustment Layers below your Brightness/Contrast Adjustment Layer.
• Notice that doing this will automatically apply Clipping Masks to all three of these Adjustment Layers.
• All of your Adjustment Layers should now be clipped to the 'Mountain Group' folder.
• You can change the order of the Adjustment Layers by clicking and dragging them up and down to re-order them.
• You can also use the keyboard shortcut Command/Ctrl and the left bracket to move the layer down one spot, or Command/Ctrl and the right bracket to move the layer up by one spot.
• You can use the keyboard shortcut Alt/Option and the left bracket to select a layer below your current layer, or Alt/Option and the right bracket to select a layer above your current layer.
• Using Alt/Option+Shift and the left and right bracket keys will allow you to select your current layer and the layer below or above.

Hints & tips

• With almost all of the Adjustment Layers, you can easily reset the settings back to their defaults by clicking on the small semi-circle icon with an arrow at the bottom of the Properties Panel.
• You can also apply a Clipping Mask to an Adjustment Layer by clicking on the 'Click to clip layer' icon at the bottom of the Properties Panel.
• With these Adjustment Layers, there is no 'one size fits all' approach. The parameters you choose will depend on the photo or layer you are working with.
• Changing the order of your Adjustment Layers will also change the appearance of the layer or layers being affected, so be sure to experiment with this.