Section 6.2. Adjustment Layer Advantages
6.2. Adjustment Layer AdvantagesYou probably already understand this, but an adjustment layer actually doesn't make any changes to the layers below it. It simply gives Photoshop CS2 instructions on how the image should look and print. Adjustment layers have the further advantage of being readjustable at any time, as long as you haven't merged or flattened their layers (which you should only do when you duplicate the image and flatten it to purposely send an unmodifiable version to someone outside your company or personal domain). If you're not yet familiar with adjustment layers, you'll find them listed on a menu that appears after clicking the New Adjustment Layer icon at the bottom of the Layers palette or by choosing Layer
The adjustments in Table 6-2 are available only as destructive adjustments, which I'll show you how to apply in a nondestructive way in Chapter 11.
NOTE
All of the routines in this section assume that you have run the basic Workflow Layers Action described in the "The Magic Action for Layered Workflow" section in Chapter 5. If you skipped that chapter, jump back before going on. What follows is an example of how each adjustment layer type might be particularly useful in a circumstance commonly encountered by professional photographers (remember, you don't have to be a pro to learn how to think like one). Whereas Chapter 5 described each layer's function, this chapter gives you the most practical applications for each adjustment layer. And this time, the layers are more or less in order of frequency of use. I say more or less because no two photographers' requirements are exactly the same. In fact, some of these commands may never be a part of your style. Still, it's good to know what your options are. 6.2.1. Levels AdjustmentLevels is the best command for ensuring that you have a full range of tones in your image. However, I have to give you a bit of a warning here: a maximum range of tones is not always best suited for every purpose. I have known photographers to make a career of styling their photos to have a unique look by forcing a very limited range of colors. On the other hand, the best artists are usually trained to create technically perfect art, so they know exactly why they are deviating. End of lecture. The Levels command is also often used for setting white balance. There are a couple commonly used ways that should definitely be a part of your routine. 6.2.1.1. Setting technically correct white balanceYou will need some part of the photo to be absolutely neutral in color. A grayscale card, black tires, or bleached coffee filters are all good candidates. These have to be the real colors of the neutral object. Don't try using a Photoshop technique to make them that colorit won't work. Figure 6-6 shows the difference between the original image and the way it looks after this process. Figure 6-6. The image as it was when opened and then after correcting white balance in Levels using the White Balance Eyedropperfirst on the coffee filter to set white balance, then on the gray card to set exposure.
NOTE
If you already set white balance properly in Camera Raw, you don't need to do this. Follow these steps:
If you didn't have time to include a gray or color card and there is nothing in the image that is absolutely neutral, there's still a process that ensures you have maximum brightness range from each color channel, as well as overall brightness range. The result is usually surprisingly good color balance and a much richer image than you might otherwise have expected. All of which make it a good idea to use this process on any image that you haven't been able to color balance with a gray or color card. Figure 6-7 shows the before and after result of applying this process to one image. Figure 6-7. The image as it was shot and then after color correction in Levels by using each color channel. Grayscale and white cards weren't used at all to make these adjustments. Follow these steps to correct the color as shown in Figure 6-7:
6.2.2. Curves AdjustmentI can usually improve an image by changing the contrast within a chosen range of brightness. For example, sometimes I want to make the skin tones just a little lighter or find that it would be better if the sky were a bit darker. Please keep in mind that right now, I'm only talking about brightness areas that are predominant in a large part of the image and don't have to be isolated by masking. Masked channels come later in the workflow. In case you don't already know, adjusting the contrast curve for a given range of brightness is easy:
If necessary, you can isolate the changes you are making to include only a given brightness range by placing double points above and below the curve point that you are moving. Figure 6-9 shows an image and its curve after changing the brightness and contrast of the midtones in the shadows to bring out a bit more detail. Figure 6-9. An image and its curve after changing the brightness and contrast of the midtones in the shadows to bring out a bit more detail. The same Curves adjustment layer can be used to change the color tint of a particular range of brightness. Figure 6-10 shows the before and after of a portrait in which there is a tint reflecting from a nearby wall. This is something you couldn't do in Camera Raw, so doing it now is your only chance. You could use the Color Balance adjustment for this job, but you'd have to make selections to target the tinted area, so you couldn't apply the same layer to a series of images. This adjustment is particularly useful if the shadows or highlights are picking up the reflection of a nearby colored object, for example, a wall or sweater. Follow these steps: Figure 6-10. The before and after of a portrait in which there is a tint reflecting from a nearby wall that needed correction. See the orange highlight on the camera-left ear, top of the sweater, and on the highlighted rim of her face? There may also be times when you want to increase a tint for atmospheric effect.
6.2.3. Color BalanceAlthough the most accurate way to set color balance is to use a gray or color card with the Levels command (see "Levels Adjustment" earlier in this chapter), the Color Balance dialog is an excellent way to set color balance subjectively. For instance, suppose you shoot a landscape before sunset and the color balance doesn't feel right to you, so you use the Levels approach. Well, maybe it's better but still doesn't have a strong enough sunset feeling. Figure 6-11 shows the before and after of this scene. Figure 6-11. A landscape shot just before sunset that looks more like it was shot at 3 p.m. (left) until you "correct" it with the Color Balance adjustment layer (right). Getting the subjective look I want is simply a matter of dragging sliders until I like what I see. Always start by correcting the color that most needs correction. Drag toward the name of that color to intensify the color or toward the name of the complementary color to diminish the influence of the primary color. The secret here (as it is for most adjustments) is to be sure the Preview box is checked. The settings that gave me the sunset feeling are shown in the Color Balance dialog in Figure 6-12. Figure 6-12. The settings for creating an orange sunset feeling. You could use the same method to warm or cool the atmosphere of any image. NOTE
Many users prefer the Adjustments The Hue/Saturation adjustment layer is most useful for two categories: hue and saturation (duh?). Seriously, most of the time you'll use both of the dialog's sliders regardless of what your purpose isyou'll just use them differently. But I haven't yet told you what the two purposes are, have I? NOTE There is a script from Fred Miranda called Velvia Vision that gives you a number of versatile options for creating truly beautiful and authentic photos that feature highly saturated colors. Since this script costs a mere $25 and lets you preview the result before you apply it, I suggest you check it out (www.fredmiranda.com). There's more on Fred Miranda in Chapter 11. Assuming your original image wasn't a JPEG, you might wonder why you'd want to change the saturation of colors in the image when you already had a chance to do it nondestructively in Camera Raw. Well, first, I suggest you only do it in Camera Raw when your camera or shooting conditions have simply dulled colors to a point beyond the norm. If you're doing it to stylize the image, you'll find it much easier to do different interpretations in Photoshop. You may even want to do these in a variety of Layer Comps (see Chapter 9) so you can present different interpretations to the client within the same file. Pumped up saturation can give your image the look of fantasy or romance. Take a look at the before and after images in Figure 6-13 to see what I mean to romanticize the image. Figure 6-13. The image on the left would be considered a nice photo; the image on the right is saturated (with a lens blur effect added during the Effects processes described in Chapter 10). Here's how the Hue/Saturation command was used to enhance the image in Figure 6-13:
6.2.3.2. Brightness/ContrastThe Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer can be useful for quick and dirty lightening, darkening, or contrast. It generally works best when you want to burn or dodge a small area of the image or the outside of a vignette by first masking a targeted area of the image. For other applications, it is much better (and less destructive) to employ the controls in Levels and Curves. I don't like the old-fashioned elliptical vignettes much, unless I am intentionally dating the picture. Generally, I vignette to force the viewer to focus attention on central parts of the imaging by darkening peripheral stuff that could be distracting. To vignette an image:
6.2.3.3. Channel MixerThe Channel Mixer has two primary uses: creating bizarre color effects and making stunning monochrome images (see the "Monochrome Effects" section in Chapter 10). Figure 6-15 shows you the difference between simply desaturating the image and using the Channel Mixer with the Monochrome box checked to mix colors in channels for the black and white tonalities that work best for a particular image. Figure 6-15. On the left, a color image after using the Desaturate command; the image on the right is after the Channel Mixer is used. 6.2.3.4. Photo FilterThe Photo Filter adjustment layer's name is a bit confusing. First of all, it's not found on the Filters menu. Second, its job is to emulate the glass filters used over the lens in traditional color photography. You can control the intensity of the effect by dragging the density slider. The filters that are emulated are: 85, LBA, 81, 80, LBB, and 82. You can also choose many straightcolor overlay effects. You could achieve the latter with a combination of solid color layers and blending modes, but the Photo Filter adjustment layer is quicker and more interactive. Figure 6-16 shows the difference between an image that has simply been desaturated and one created with the Channel Mixer. Figure 6-16. A color image as first opened (left) and after treatment with the Photo Filter's 85 filter (right). 6.2.3.5. Solid ColorThe only difference between this adjustment layer and simply filling an empty layer with any color from the color picker is that a Solid Color adjustment layer will let you change your mind by simply presenting you with the Color Picker dialog. A Solid Color adjustment layer, in conjunction with Blend Modes, opens all sorts of possibilities for special colorization and semi-toning effects. Using a solid layer on a black and white image creates an image "toned" in the solid color. In Figure 6-17 shows the result of using a solid color layer on a color image. In this case, the Solid Color adjustment layer was used with the Overlay Blend Mode at about 40 percent opacity. For more on using this technique, see "Changing an Object's Color" in Chapter 8. Figure 6-17. The original color image (left) and the same image "toned" with a Solid Color adjustment layer in Overlay Blend Mode at 38 percent fill. 6.2.3.6. Selective ColorThis is an amazing way to create color effects in a color image. You do it by mixing the primary CMYK colors (even though you're working with an RGB image) as they affect one color at a time. Figure 6-18 shows you the difference for just one such adjustment. The possibilities are literally infinite. Figure 6-18. The original color image (left) and the same image(right) after using the Selective Color adjustment layer in one of an infinite number of combinations. 6.2.3.7. ThresholdThreshold divides the image into pure black and white. You can choose the luminosity value that makes the dividing line. This is a very easy way to make a selection that is darker or lighter than the Select Color Range command. Besides, it's interactive, so you can see what you're doing. You can then make a mask or selection from the result. You can fine tune that mask by painting on it or by modifying it in Quick Mask mode. You can also smooth the selection and then convert it to a pen path. Or you could stroke the selection to create particular edges. Another trick is to cut and paste the result of the Threshold adjustment into a mask channel and then use the Gaussian Blur filter and selections to feather the mask in varying degrees. See Figure 6-19 for a before and after example of adding details to highlights and shadows using this technique. Figure 6-19. Specific areas of highlights and shadows were lightened and darkened by making masks with the Threshold filter. NOTE
You could use the Threshold adjustment layer to make corrections to the highlights and shadows that are nondestructive and readjustable. Make one mask for extreme highlights and another for extreme shadows. Then use each to mask a Levels adjustment layer. The highlights and shadows in Figure 6-19 can be readjusted and have an editable mask 6.2.3.8. GradientThis is a terrific function for creating bizarre color effects. I find that these effects can be extremely useful for making backgrounds for poster and album cover photos of entertainers. I'm sure you can find a million other reasons for using them (see Figure 6-20). Figure 6-20. The original image (left) and the same image with a gradient map used as a background for a glamour photo (right). You can use any gradient in Photoshop's Gradients directory or any gradient that you make or modify and then save. The gradient automatically maps itself to brightness values and colors in the target image. If the gradient is monochrome, you get a monochrome image. 6.2.3.9. PatternThe Pattern function is pretty cool when you need to quickly create a textured background layer or when you need a pattern to use for creating a texture. Since patterns are often made to be seamless, you can easily make them small or large. They're also cool as backgrounds because they can be lit with the Lighting Effects filter (boy, would I love Adobe if they made that an adjustment layer), vignetted, blended with a gradient, or have shadows on them. You could also use the warp tool or project them onto a 3D shape to make them more credible as object surfaces. It would take a whole book to go into all the possibilities, but suffice it to say that Pattern can be a surprisingly versatile and helpful tool. You can see the result of using it and the Lighting Effects filter in Figure 6-21. Figure 6-21. A pattern layer (left) and result of using it as a background in conjunction with the Lighting Effects filter (right). 6.2.3.10. InvertThe Invert function reverses the tones in the image from positive to negative, as shown in Figure 6-22. Figure 6-22. A positive black and white image and its negative. 6.2.3.11. PosterizeThe Posterize function reduces the image to a number of colors specified in the resulting dialog box. Figure 6-23 shows an example of an image that has been reduced from full color to eight colors. Figure 6-23. A photo before and after posterization. |
New Adjustment Layer. The adjustment commands that are available on adjustment layers use exactly the same dialog as their Image 
Variations command instead of the Color Balance command because they can see the effect before the adjustment and can see several comparisons at once. However, until Adobe makes Variations work as an adjustment layer, the only way you can apply the command nondestructively is to create a copy of a flattened version of your file. To do that, highlight all the layers, then press Cmd/Ctrl-
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