Adjustment Layers

Usually, the first inclination in making a tonal adjustment (Levels, Curves, Brightness/Contrast, etc…) to an image is to apply the correction directly to the image. Let’s say you want to change the Hue/Saturation on a photo. You open the photo, hit Control-U to bring up the Hue/Saturation dialog and make your adjustment. There are advantages though to making an Adjustment layer and applying the change as a layer. The biggest is that you can adjust the correction at any time while you’re processing the image just by clicking on the adjustment layer thumbnail. Another advantage is that if you have several pictures which need the same corrections, you can drag and drop that adjustment layer onto the other photos.

To make an adjustment layer all you have to do is click on the adjustment layer icon (the circle that is half black, half white) at the bottom of the Layers palette and choose the type of correction you want to make. If you have to make more corrections, make more adjustment layers. Once the correction is made, the adjustment will appear as a Layer with the type of correction (Levels, Curves, etc…) appearing as the layer name.

Open up a new image and drag the adjustment layer from the first image onto the second. The same correction will now appear in the second image.

Open up the photo and make an adjustment layer.

In the case, the Levels will be changed on the photo. The input and output levels are adjusted until the desired lightness is obtained.

The Levels adjustment layer appears over the background layer. Open up a new photo.

Drag and drop the Levels adjustment layer from the first photo to the second photo. The same correction will take place.