Curves Adjustment Layer – Photoshop CS4 – Photo Editing Basic Part 5

Table of contents for Photo Editing Basics

1. Canvas Rotation – Photoshop CS4 – Photo Editing Basic Part 1
2. Cropping Images – Photoshop CS4 – Photo Editing Basic Part 2
3. Levels Adjustment Layer – Photoshop CS4 – Photo Editing Basic Part 3
4. Color Balance Adjustment Layer – Photoshop CS4 – Photo Editing Basic Part 4
5. Curves Adjustment Layer – Photoshop CS4 – Photo Editing Basic Part 5
6. Smart Sharpening Filter – Photoshop CS4 – Photo Editing Basic Part 6
7. Adding Background and Border – Photoshop CS4 – Photo Editing Basic Part 7
8. Saving a Picture for Web Use – Photoshop CS4 – Photo Editing Basic Part 8

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YouTube - Photo Editing Basics Part 5 - Using the Curves Adjustment Layer

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http://blip.tv/file/3839005
http://www.viddler.com/explore/dfadler/videos/5/

To include a curves adjustment layers:

1. Towards the bottom in the layers window, click the icon that appears like a half white, half black circle.
2. Choose the Curves.
3. You’ll see the adjustment layer appear above your image.If it’s below, drag the layer to the top.

Curves

The aspects of the curves layer are much more sophisticated than the levels layer but it’s not essential to understand exactly how it operates to make use of. Realize that this layer adjuststhe connection between blacks and whites and may be used to manipulate the contrast between true black and white, or can be restricted to adjust the contrast between shades of gray.

Adjusting Curves:

1. Open the adjustment layer by double-clicking on it in the layers pane.
2. Make a point one block down and three blocks to the right by clicking on the line at that point.
3. Create another three blocks down and one block right by clicking on the line at that point.
4. To raise the slope betweenboth of these pointsto improve the contrast in mid-tones. To get this done, slidethe highest point slightly up, and the bottom point slightly down by clicking and dragging.
5. Confirm the difference by toggling the “preview” on and off.
6. You can even decrease the contrast in your mid-tones by moving the points in opposite directions.

For more information on curves click here