Mastering Curves

Practical Example Of A Basic Adjustment

As with any tool, the more you use it the more you will get to understand and appreciate its subtle (or drastic) effects. Here is an example of a basic shadow/highlight correction on a stock image. The curve adjustment looks like this:

Before:

After:

Note:
Small changes on the curve make BIG differences to the image – so be subtle with your use, a selected point can be moved with arrow keys if more precise adjustment is needed. Subtlety is very important, big changes can cause very un-natural looking products.
If you need to reduce the effect of the curve so it only partially affects the image below – just lower the adjustment layer’s Opacity level in the Layers Pallet.

Also in the Photoshop Tutorials category