Four Quick Tips to Make a Decent Photo Great Using Photoshop CS(1-3)

I’m sure you’ve taken several digital photos and have wished they could have been better if only they weren’t so dark or if you had just cropped that crazy looking guy out in the background.

My goal in this article is to help you learn a few of the basic tools and filters in Adobe Photoshop that will help you take a decent digital photo and make it great. For a quick background on me, just so you know that you’re getting advice from an “expert” and not just a kid off the street, I have worked as a Graphic Designer for an advertising agency for over five years and have worked with Photoshop for over ten years. I’ve also been into photography for as long as I could pick up a camera. It’s one of my passions and joys in life. So here you go:

1. LEVELS: (Image >Adjustments >Levels)
The Levels option in Photoshop is used to move and stretch the brightness levels of an image histogram. It can adjust brightness, contrast, and even the tonal range by simply specifying the location of the three sliders you’ll find below the histogram. The three sliders control three ranges of tone—the complete blacks (black triangle), the midtones (gray triangle), and the complete whites (white triangle).

Keep in mind that each photo has its own unique histogram, so there’s never going to be one exact way of using the Levels option. By moving each slider, you’re going to redefine the image’s histogram. So, if I were to move the complete black slider from the left to the right, my image is going to take the darkest areas of the photo and make them even darker the further I move the slider. 

An image usually looks best when using the full range of the blacks and whites are used. Take a quick look at your image and find areas that should be completely black or completely white and move the sliders to get that look. Also, give the Auto button a try located to the right of the window and see how well that works for you. Sometimes it’s right on, and other times you’ll have to do it manually.