Make a color adjustment, Save adjustment settings, Reapply adjustment settings – Adobe Photoshop CS4 User Manual
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USING PHOTOSHOP CS4
Color and tonal adjustments
Last updated 1/10/2010
Make a color adjustment
All Photoshop color adjustment tools work essentially the same way; they map an existing range of pixel values to a
new range of values. The difference between the tools is the amount of control they provide. Color adjustment tools
and their option settings are accessed in the Adjustments panel. For an overview of the color adjustment tools, see
“
You can adjust the color in an image in different ways. The most flexible method is to use an adjustment layer. When
you select a color adjustment tool in the Adjustments panel, Photoshop automatically creates an adjustment layer.
Adjustment layers let you experiment with color and tonal adjustments without permanently modifying the pixels in
the image. The color and tonal changes reside within the adjustment layer, which acts as a veil through which the
underlying image layers appear.
1
If you want to make adjustments to a portion of your image, select that portion. If you make no selection, the
adjustment is applied to the entire image.
2
Do one of the following:
•
Click an adjustment icon or select an adjustment preset in the Adjustments panel.
•
Create an adjustment layer. See “
Create and confine adjustment and fill layers
•
Double-click the thumbnail of an existing adjustment layer in the Layers panel.
Note: You can also choose Image > Adjustments, and choose a command from the submenu to apply adjustments directly
to the image layer. Keep in mind that this method discards image information.
A new adjustment layer includes a layer mask, which by default is empty (or white), meaning that your adjustment is
applied to the entire image. (If you have an active selection on the image when you add an adjustment layer, the initial
layer mask masks out the unselected area in black.) Using the Brush tool, you can paint black areas on the mask where
you don’t want the adjustment to affect the image. See “
3
To toggle the view of your image with and without adjustments, click the Toggle Layer Visibility icon
in the
Adjustments panel.
To cancel changes, click the Reset button
in the Adjustments panel.
Save adjustment settings
You can save your color adjustment settings and apply them to other images. Once a setting is saved, it can be accessed
in either the presets list of Adjustments panel. You can also choose the Load Preset option from an adjustment dialog
box menu. If you are saving color adjustment settings using the Match Color command, see “
•
To save a setting in the Adjustments panel, choose the Save Preset option from the panel menu. This option is only
available for Levels, Curves, Exposure, Hue/Saturation, Black & White, Channel Mixer, and Selective Color.
•
To save a setting in the Shadows/Highlights, Variations, or Replace Color image adjustment dialog box, click Save.
In the Levels, Curves, Exposure, Hue/Saturation, Black & White, Channel Mixer, or Selective Color image
adjustment dialog box, choose Save Preset from the panel menu. Enter a name for the setting, then click Save.
Reapply adjustment settings
Once an adjustment setting is saved, it’s stored as a preset and can be reapplied.
•
In the Adjustments panel, expand a set of adjustment presets and select from the menu list.