(Face to face class is OCTOBER 17 - Assignment 8 due October 23)
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Experience: You should be able to use adjustment layers to bring out the best in a photo - or to be creative, adding effects that enhance your image, poster, or other design.
Objectives:
Public domain images used in this lesson were taken from PublicDomainPictures.net |
Photo: The Assembly Hall ©2015 Nathan Smith
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Review - Critiques - Share Techniques
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As Photoshop evolved, Adobe developed non-destructive ways to edit your images so that the original would be unaffected. You've learned that all modifications made to an image in Camera Raw are non-destructive. You can return to the original image at any time. Any modifications are saved as a list of instructions saved within the file (or as a side-car file if it was a proprietary camera raw format), leaving the original file intact. You can return to Camera Raw at any time and re-adjust the image settings.
Photoshop, on the other hand, is primarily a pixel manipulation program. You are actually changing the pixels. To return to the original image, you'd better make a copy of it for safe-keeping. Once you save an image you've worked on in Photoshop, or if you run out of undo commands, you're out of luck unless you have a backup. That is, until adjustment and fill layers were added to Photoshop. Adjustment layers work similarly to Camera Raw's adjustments. They are non-destructive. You can go back and re-adjust the settings at any time. Adjustments are saved as a list of instructions in your Photoshop file - taking up a very minimal amount of space in the file. They also come with the benefit of a mask, so you can adjust only the portions of the image you wish to work with. Watch the video, "Adjustment Layers in Photoshop." Adjustment layers provide you with powerful, non-destructive image manipulation tools. Most of them deal with color or luminance. Once you understand what they do, and how to use them, they will become an indispensable part of your Photoshop toolbox. |
Video: Adjustment Layers in Photoshop | IceflowStudios (4:09) Please note this video was made in an earlier version of Photoshop. The current interface looks a little different, but the basic concept is exactly what I'm trying to share with you!
Back in lesson 3, I briefly introduced you to the concept of an adjustment layer. In this lesson, we'll learn about them in detail.
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Adjustment layers provide the following advantages:
- Nondestructive edits. You can try different settings and re‑edit the adjustment layer at any time. You can also reduce the effect of the adjustment by lowering the opacity of the layer.
- Selective editing. Paint on the adjustment layer’s image mask to apply an adjustment to part of an image. Later you can control which parts of the image are adjusted by re-editing the layer mask. You can vary the adjustment by painting on the mask with different tones of gray.
- Ability to apply adjustments to multiple images. Copy and paste adjustment layers between images to apply the same color and tonal adjustments. (Source)
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Once upon a time, Photoshop didn't have adjustment layers. The only adjustments were available in the Image-Adjustments menu. The main difference between these older adjustments and the newer adjustment layers is that these older adjustments are destructive - that is, they actually change the pixels in your image. The only way you can reverse these is through the undo command, or the history panel.
You'll notice that there are some adjustments in this menu that don't have an equivalent adjustment layer. Shadows/Highlights will be one we'll cover later on in this lesson. There are times when you'll want to use these adjustments. For example, you'll often use a levels or curves adjustment from this menu to work on a mask. These adjustments cannot be readjusted except to undo and then try again. Adjustment layers, on the other hand, can be readjusted at any time, take very little additional space in your file, come with a mask so you can limit the adjustment to any portion of the image, and can affect only one layer you've clipped it to or all layers beneath it. I strongly recommend using adjustment and fill layers whenever that option is available to you. I think eventually, Adobe will make everything in this menu available as non-destructive adjustments. |
The Image -> Adjustments Menu
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Let's take a moment and have a look at the layer adjustments, so we understand the options available...
The adjustment layer in the layers panel...
The properties panel for the adjustment layer (in this case, the hue/saturation adjustment layer).
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The properties panel for the mask of the adjustment layer.
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Some of the adjustment layers come with a pre-defined set of presets. They are the levels, curves, exposure, hue & saturation, black & white, channel mixer, and selective color adjustment layers. The presets are worth exploring because they can give you an idea of some of the adjustments you can make with a particular layer adjustment.
Original photo by Nathan Smith
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Photo with hue/saturation adjustment layer using the cyanotype preset.
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As we work through the various adjustment layers below, the image on the left is the original, which you can click on and download to try on your own. The image of the adjustment layer is in the center, which you can click for a larger view. The image on the right is the adjusted image, which you can also click for a larger view.
Brightness/Contrast: This adjustment layer simply works with brightness and contrast sliders. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself. In this example, I've lowered the brightness and increased the contrast.
Brightness/Contrast: This adjustment layer simply works with brightness and contrast sliders. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself. In this example, I've lowered the brightness and increased the contrast.
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Before getting into the levels and curves adjustment layers, it's important to understand histograms. Please watch the video, "Photoshop: Introducing the Histogram Panel".
Histograms are bar charts of luminance values - values of light - from black to white. The chart helps you understand what is happening with light in an image or photo. The levels and curves adjustment layers allow you to mess around and change those values. You could make black pixels become grey or even white. You could make white pixels become black. They provide a wonderful amount of "light control" over an image, and are some of the most powerful tools in Photoshop. |
Video: Photoshop: Introducing the Histogram panel | lynda.com tutorial (7:01)
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Levels: This adjustment layer is extremely powerful. You use the Levels adjustment to correct the tonal range and color balance of an image by adjusting intensity levels of image shadows, midtones, and highlights. The Levels histogram is a visual guide for adjusting the image key tones. (Source) Watch the video "How to edit the histogram in Photoshop." Then watch the demonstration video next. Download the image on the right (below) and try it yourself.
Video: How to edit the histogram in Photoshop | lynda.com overview (2:23)
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Video: Demonstration of Levels adjustment layer
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Original Photo: Click to go to source.
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Curves: This adjustment layer is even more powerful than levels. In the Curves adjustment, you adjust points throughout an image’s tonal range. Initially, the image’s tonality is represented as a straight diagonal line on a graph. When adjusting an RGB image, the upper-right area of the graph represents the highlights and the lower-left area represents the shadows. The horizontal axis of the graph represents the input levels (original image values) and the vertical axis represents the output levels (new adjusted values). As you add control points to the line and move them, the shape of the curve changes, reflecting your image adjustments. The steeper sections of the curve represent areas of higher contrast while flatter sections represent areas of lower contrast. (Source) Watch the video "How the Curves graph works". Then watch the demonstration video next. Download the image on the right (below) and try it yourself. And if you're curious, here is another way to do this with the same image: Color Cast Removal, a YouTube demonstration by Tim Grey.
Video: Photoshop tutorial: How the Curves graph works | lynda.com (3:13)
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Video: Demonstration of Using Curves (2:00)
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Original image: Click to go to source.
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Exposure: This adjustment layer lets you correct the exposure of an image. In this demonstration, I've used the mask to bring back some of the sky, first by selecting the sky with the quick select tool, then filling the selection with black on the mask. I then went to the mask properties and lowered the density until the sky looked right. Click on the original image at left, download it, and try it for yourself!
Original image: Click to open source...
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Vibrance: Vibrance is different than saturation. As you apply vibrance to an image, it begins by saturating the least saturated colors, and as you increase it further, it works up through the more saturated colors - saturating them even more. Saturation works equally on every pixel in the image.
Original Image: Click to open source...
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Hue/Saturation: This adjustment layer allows you to change the hue, saturation, and luminosity of an image. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself. In this example, I've increased the saturation quite a bit, and I've moved the hue slider to the left to give the boy more orange-blond hair.
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Color Balance: This allows you to adjust cyan, magenta, and yellow balances in your image for shadows, midtones, and highlights. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself. In this example, I've adjusted all three for shadows, midtones, and highlights. I've also used the mask to bring back some of the yellow range in the center of the image.
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Black & White: This allows you to turn a color image into a black & white image. The real power of this adjustment layer is that you can adjust the luminosity of any color range separately. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself.
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Photo Filter: This allows you to add a nearly transparent layer of color over an image to adjust it warmer or cooler, and to unify the colors. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself.
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Channel Mixer: This allows you to modify a color channel and make color adjustments not easily done with other color adjustment tools. You should try to have the three channels total to 100% when finished. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself.
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Color Lookup: Color Lookup Tables are a more advanced feature we won't be using in this course. The new Color Lookup Adjustment Layer in Photoshop has several options (3DLUT File, Abstract, and Device Link) that are used to load different “looks”. These looks are achieved by remapping every color in the image to a different one using a lookup table (LUT). I think that many photographers and designers will find their resulting color shifts quite interesting.
Because this feature was designed for the film and video industry that have their own LUT files, there currently is no way to create LUT files in Photoshop. You can currently create LUTs in products such as Adobe SpeedGrade CS6. (Source) Watch the video, "Color Lookup Tables in Photoshop." |
Video: Color Lookup Tables in Photoshop (4:18)
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Invert: A simple adjustment layer that non-destructively inverts the image. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself.
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Posterize: The posterize adjustment layer allows you to reduce the number of color levels in an image. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself.
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Threshold: The threshold adjustment layer turns an image into strictly black and white pixels. The slider under the histogram allows you to choose the level of grey between white and black where the divide occurs. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself.
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Selective Color: The selective color adjustment layer allows you to selectively work with a number of color ranges, adjusting the cyan, magenta, yellow, and black for each. In this example, I've toned down the reds and yellows, and lightened the shadows. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself.
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Gradient Map: The gradient map adjustment layer allows you to apply a gradient, mapping the gradient's colors to the luminosity of the image. You can click on the public domain image at left, download it, and try it for yourself. Hint: If you click on the down arrow to the right of the gradient, you'll see thumbnails of all the gradients you can choose from. To the right of those is a gear icon - click on that, and you can load other gradients. I've loaded the photographic toning gradients for the example below. You can also make your own gradients. Watch the gradient tool videos in the Resources -> The Photoshop Tools - Tutorials About Each Tool and How They Work.
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Adding Multiple Adjustment Layers: One great feature is that you can add multiple adjustment layers to an image. In the example at right, I've added the Posterize adjustment as shown earlier, along with the Gradient Map adjustment layer demonstrated just above. It makes a completely new effect. Here I started with a gradient map adjustment layer. I then added a color balance, curves, and Hue/Saturation adjustment layers.
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Gradient Map
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Shadows/Highlights is a luminance adjustment that allows you to retrieve detail in an image: It will bring back details in dark shadow areas, and pull detail back from overexposed sections. Watch the two Lynda.com videos at below. They offer a great explanation of how to use the Shadow/Highlights command.
Video: Photoshop tutorial: Using the Shadows/Highlights Adjustment | lynda.com (7:48)
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Video: Using the Shadow/Highlights controls to brighten shadows | lynda.com tutorial (4:14)
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There are three ways to add an adjustment layer in Photoshop. First, remember to have the layer selected that you wish to add the adjustment to.
Then you can use the adjustments panel. If you don't see the adjustments panel, go to the Window menu and make sure that adjustments is checked. As you hover your mouse over each adjustment icon in the adjustments panel, a tool tip will pop up telling you what the adjustment is. The second way to add an adjustment layer is at the bottom of the layers panel itself. You'll see an icon that is a circle, half black, half white. Click on that, and a list of adjustment layers and fill layers will pop up, and you can choose there. The third way is in the layer menu - new adjustment layer (or new fill layer). |
Three ways to add an adjustment layer...
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Photoshop provides three kinds of fill layers - solid, gradient, and pattern fills. The big advantage of using a fill layer vs. using other tools to accomplish the same thing is that they are non-destructive and re-editable.
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Video: Photoshop Tutorial - Fill Layers (2:01)
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Video: How to Colorize a Black and White Photo in Photoshop (7:19)
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If you don't like the fill, you can always go back and change it by clicking the fill layer icon on the fill layer you've created. Watch the video, "Photoshop Tutorial - Fill Layers."
You'll find that Photoshop's tool set provides you multiple ways of achieving the same result. For example, a solid fill layer set to color blending mode, and then reducing the layer opacity will work exactly the same as a Photo Filter layer adjustment. You could use fill layers and masks to color a black and white photo, which we did another way back in lesson 3. To see how to do this with fill layers, watch the video, "How to Colorize a Black and White Photo in Photoshop."
You'll find that Photoshop's tool set provides you multiple ways of achieving the same result. For example, a solid fill layer set to color blending mode, and then reducing the layer opacity will work exactly the same as a Photo Filter layer adjustment. You could use fill layers and masks to color a black and white photo, which we did another way back in lesson 3. To see how to do this with fill layers, watch the video, "How to Colorize a Black and White Photo in Photoshop."
Video: Visit A Professional Photo Printing Lab & Find Out All About It (17:25)
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Lesson 8 Readings
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Video: John McWade - How to design a business card fast (3:06)
Video: How to use Photoshop's artboard feature to create your business card designs. (4:15)
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- Create your exhibit in your portfolio and share the URL with me in Canvas (or the PDF file, if you're doing that rather than an online portfolio). For an example, have a look at the one I made for me. I have created another three at the right and below - based on John McWade's invisible square.
- These will be placed in the Lesson 8 Student Gallery, so if you are concerned about your personal information being displayed there, you can submit fictitious address, phone, website, email, etc. However, the goal of this is to create a business card that you'd would actually be happy to use for your personal business and associates.
- You may go online for inspiration - however, do not copy any design you may find there. Instead, take the idea, change it up, and make it your own creation. I even have a pinterest board called Design Ideas - Business Cards.
- Save your business card photoshop file as B08-Your_Name.psd (please leave all the layers intact - don't flatten the image into a single layer). Zip all three files into an archive named B08-Your_Name.zip. You can submit that in the Lesson 8 Assignment - Business Card.
Business Card setup in Photoshop
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Lesson 8 Grading Rubric
Video: How To Use Complimentary Colors In Photoshop - Enhance Your Photo (17:31)
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Video: Color Correction and Color Matching Using Curves (21:50)
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Video: Photoshop Playbook: How To Use Curves (4:49)
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Video: The Power of The Curves Adjustment Layer - Part 1: Tonal Range & Contrast (14:02)
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Video: Difference Between Levels and Curves in Photoshop (6:07)
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Video: The Power of The Curves Adjustment Layer - Part 2: Manipulating Colors (15:28)
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This page last updated December 26, 2017. This lesson combines my own work (images, text, videos) which are ©2017 by Nathan Smith. All other images, videos, and cited text sources are curated from the internet, and are publicly available.
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