IT8 - Adjusting Contrast

II. ADJUSTING CONTRAST

LEVELS

• Menu: Image>Adjustments>Levels
• Shortcut: ctrl L
• To increase contrast in a photograph move the Highlight and Shadow input sliders in the Levels dialog towards the center of the Histogram. To reduce contrast in a photo, drag the Black and White output sliders towards the center of the Histogram.

CURVES

• Menu: Image>Adjustments>Curves
• Shortcut: ctrl M
• The newly revised curves feature provides more tonal enhancement options than ever before. With the addition of a Black and White input slider, you can perform the same contrast enhancement step as in the Level feature. Just move the Highlight and Shadow input sliders in the Levels dialog towards the center of histogram.
• To add more contrast, click-drag the Highlight portion of the curve upwards and the shadow section downwards. This creates a classic "S" shape to the curve. To reduce the contrast reverse this actions moving the shadows upwards and the highlight downwards.