Lightness Channel - of Lab Color

This lesson uses the "Lightness" Channel of "Lab Color" to set the tonal range of the image. The color of the image is added using the layer blending mode of "Color". I use this technique for the wonderful tonal range of the "Lightness" channel.

Open an image and convert it to lab color.
Image / mode / lab color.
Click on the "Lightness" channel in the channel palette.
This will change the image to Black & White.
Make any "Levels' or "Curves' adjustments now.

Select the whole image. Select / All. (Ctrl / Command A)
Copy the image to the clipboard. Edit Copy (Ctrl / Command C).
Deselect the selection. (Ctrl / Command D).
Change the image on the screen back to RGB Color.
Image / Mode / RGB Color.

At this stage your back where you started with an RGB image.
Paste the Lightness channel on top of the RGB image.
Edit / Paste ( Ctrl / Command V).
Click on the layers palette. The lightness channel will be a layer on top of the RGB color image.

The next step is to move the color layer on top of the Lightness channel layer. The color layer is the background. Background layers normally can't be moved. Double click on the background layer and rename it. (RGB), Now the RGB layer can be moved on top of the Lightness Channel in the layer palette.
Click and drag the RGB layer on top of the Lightness Channel layer.

Change the blending mode in the layer palette to "Color".
This will put the color of the RGB layer onto the tonal range of the "Lightness Channel". If you take info palette readings before and after this technique, you will see how much this changes your image.

The final image will look like this:

Lowering the opacity of the color layer can also give your image a wonderful pastel look!

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