This lesson covers photographers’ core color correction tools: Levels, Curves, Brightness/Contrast.
2026 note: This lesson was recorded on Photoshop CS6 in 2014. Adobe no longer sells the CS line — Photoshop now ships via Creative Cloud subscription. About 95% of the menus and shortcuts shown in the video still match the modern version; only the iconography is a bit fresher.
Levels — Quick Tone Fix
Image > Adjustments > Levels (Ctrl/Cmd + L). Read the histogram and move three sliders:
- Left (black point): anchors the darkest shadow.
- Right (white point): anchors the brightest highlight.
- Middle (gamma): midtone brightness.
Curves — Far More Flexible
Image > Adjustments > Curves (Ctrl/Cmd + M). One curve controls shadows, midtones, and highlights independently. A classic S-curve boosts contrast; an inverse S flattens the image.
2026 Workflow — Adjustment Layers
Apply these through Layer > New Adjustment Layer. Non-destructive, maskable to a specific area (only the face, only the sky) — modern photographer’s default workflow.
