Contrast Adjustment in Photoshop

by Mahesh Thapa

(This tip was submitted by a user.)

This tip will help you adjust contrast in your images.

1. Duplicate the layer, which will create a "background copy" layer
2. In your layers palette, click on the little eye icon to the left of the "background copy" layer to make that layer invisible.
3. Click on the "background" layer to make that layer active.
4. Perform an auto contrast on this "background" layer (you can use the keyboard shortcut combo of Ctrl-Alt-Shift-L). Don't worry if the highlights get blown.
5. Now click on the "background copy" layer to make it active (the little eye icon to the left of this layer should be seen again).
6. Under the select menu, choose color range.
7. In the color range window, choose "shadows" from the dropdown menu and click "ok".
8. Now, under the select menu again, choose "feather".
9. In the "feather" window, choose a relatively large value, between 50-120 or so.
10. Now invert your selection (keyboard combo is Ctrl-Shift-I)
11. Go under the layers menu and choose "add layer mask" and select "reveal selection".
12. Flatten the layers and poof! You're done.