Using Photoshop Adjustment LayersGet more flexibility and control when you use these specialized Photoshop layers to apply image enhancements |
![]() |
![]() |
Page 4 of 4 ![]() Perhaps the most significant characteristic of an Adjustment Layer is the Layer Mask. Layer Masks allow you to show or hide portions of a layer, and every Adjustment Layer comes with one! Using Painting and Selection tools, you can, with great detail, selectively apply the effects of an adjustment to portions of an image. The evening sun on a cool, fall day in Vermont created a sort of haze over this field (next page). Additionally, the image does no justice to the vibrant, burnt orange and yellow leaves on the trees. Using a combination of Adjustment Layers and their associated Layer Masks, I depicted the image as I saw it. Initial Adjustment. I started by creating an initial Levels Adjustment Layer to increase the contrast of the image (pulling the Black Point and White Point sliders inward). Manipulation Of The Mask. This made the trees come to life with color, but oversaturated the field in front and behind the tree line. Using the Layer Mask, I used the Gradient tool to hide the adjustment from the background (field and farm house). Then, with my foreground color set to black, I painted over the foreground (rolling hills) with the paintbrush. ![]() Manipulation Of The Mask. Once again, using the associated Layer Mask, I started with a gradient to isolate the adjustment to the background. Then, I fine-tuned the mask with the paintbrush to reveal portions of the adjustment that the gradient didnt show. Change The Blend Mode. Finally, I changed the Blend Mode of the top-most adjustment layer to Color, which brought back a touch of the saturation. As you work with Adjustment Layers (and Layer Masks), here are a few management tips to keep in mind: ![]() Show And Hide Layer Masks. Its sometimes beneficial to view the mask (channel) by itself, for example, to review your brushwork. Option-click (Alt-click for PCs) on the Layer Mask thumbnail in the Layers palette. This reveals the mask in grayscale. Repeat the Option-click process to redisplay the image view. ![]() Pressure-Sensitive Control. For an even greater control of Adjustments and Layer Masks, consider using a pen tablet such as those from Wacom. A pen tablet enables you to dynamically control the size and opacity of a brush on the fly, based on how hard you press the pen to the tablet. An Adobe Certified Expert in Photoshop and a senior evangelist for a premier imaging technology company, Weston Maggio is an authority on Photoshop instruction. He regularly lectures and instructs experts to enthusiasts alike at photography-related events around the country. See more of his work at www.westonimages.com. |