Objectives of this Tutorial

Generally: To adjust the brightness and colour balance in an image.

Specifically: On completion of this lesson, you will be able to:

• Use the Info Palette
• Adjust an image using the Variations tool
• Adjust the brightness and contrast of an image or part of an image
• Control the overall image tone
• Change hue and saturation

When preparing material such as scanned photographs for print, the image will often need adjusting so that it will be reproduced faithfully. You can use Photoshop to adjust the overall tone of the image, changing the brightness and colour balance.

Use the Info Palette

The Info Palette is used to display information about the colour values that the pointer is hovering over on an image. Depending on the tool that is being used at the time different information is displayed.

To display the Info Palette

• From the Window menu, select Show Info

The Info palette is displayed. The table below explains the different types of information that are displayed in the palette depending on the tool that is currently being used.

Adjust an Image using Variations

The Variations command enables you to adjust colour balance and brightness in an image using simple visual tools. You can select from thumbnails that show you a preview of the change.

To adjust an image using Variations

• From the Image menu, select Adjust, then Variations...

The Variations dialogue box is displayed.

• Click Shadows, Midtones or Highlights to adjust, dark, medium or light colours
• Drag the slide to change the amount each click changes the image
• Select the Show Clipping check box to view the colours that will change to black or white
• Click the thumbnails on the left-hand side of the dialogue box to change the image's hue
• Click the thumbnails on the right-hand side of the dialogue box to change the image's brightness

Changes are reflected in the image marked Current Pick.

• Click the Saturation option button to change the colour intensity of the image
• Click the left-hand thumbnails to reduce saturation or the right hand thumbnails to increase saturation
• Click OK

Continued...