Absolute Beginner's Guide to Digital Photography

Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, and other image editors include several ways to

adjust the brightness and contrast of an image digitally (see Figure 14.1). In

Photoshop, the Brightness/Contrast command (Image, Adjust, Brightness/Contrast)

has the advantage of being easy to use, but is limited in its capacity to change the

image.

206 ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TODIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY

FIGURE 14.1

The Brightness

& Contrast dia-

log box in

Photoshop and

Photoshop

Elements.

The Levels and Curves commands (Image, Adjust, Levels and Image, Adjust, Curves)

are more complicated, but their effects are much more powerful and useful. Using

Levels, you make separate adjustments in three tonal areas: highlights, shadows,

and midtones. Curves enable you to make nearly unlimited adjustments to tonal

areas. You can read more about the Levels and Curves commands in Chapter 15,

“The Importance of Levels and Curves.”

Some photographers feel that the first tool you should use when editing washed-out

photos is Brightness/Contrast. The importance of this dialog box is substantial,

although many professional photographers feel the same results can be achieved

using Levels or Curves.

To see whether the Brightness/Contrast dialog box will fix any problems you

encounter with an image, follow these steps:

1. Open an image in Photoshop and save a copy of it with a new name.


2. Select the Image menu and choose Adjustments, Brightness/Contrast.


3. Click on the Preview box to see your changes as you make them.


4. Make the image lighter or darker by moving the Brightness slider bar or typ-
   ing a number from -100 (darker) to +100 (lighter).


5. Change the contrast by taking the same actions with the Contrast slider bar.
   The image will show the changes you make.


6. Click OK to make the changes or Cancel to leave the image unchanged. To
   reset, press down and hold the Alt (xon the Mac) key to change the Cancel
   button to a Reset button.