Pro Digital Image, Photoshop instruction, Tips, Ideas and more for Photographers and Artists

Great Adjustment Layer Technique

Photoshop 6.0 attaches a mask to the adjustment layer. The mask can be used for some very precise image adjustment. This lesson will show how to selectively adjust parts of the image without making a selection.

1. Open an image and make any global adjustments that are necessary(levels, curves, etc).

2. This lesson will use an adjustment layer and the mask that is attached to the adjustment layer to lighten up the dark faces of the people in the grandstand.

3. From the top menu, choose: Layer / New Adjustment Layer. For this lesson choose: Levels. This will bring up the Levels box. If you look in the layer palette, you will see that the Levels adjustment layer has a mask attached.

4. Make a levels adjustment to lighten up the faces of the spectators in the grandstand. Donít worry that the whole image is getting lighter also. Click OK. Press the letter "D" on the keyboard to make "Black" the foreground color.

5. Press: alt/ option delete. Alt/ option delete fills the mask with black. Look in the layer palette. The mask is now black. Filling the mask with black brings your original image back. Choose white as the foreground color on the toolbar.

6. The next step is to choose the airbrush tool and a soft edged brush. Set the opacity of the brush at about 40%. Paint across the dark faces of the people in the stands. To undo any airbrushing, Set the foreground color on the toolbar to black and paint with the airbrush tool.

7. If you look at the mask you will see all the areas that you have worked on.

8. All the work so far has been on the mask. The adjustment layer can also be revised. Double click on the "Levels" adjustment layer.

9. The Levels box will come up with the sliders exactly where you left them. Now you can make any final levels adjustments to the specific areas you have masked out.

10. This technique works with any adjustment layer. Each time you want to add another adjustment layer, highlight the background in the layer palette and choose your next adjustment layer.

Before:

After: