Adobe Photoshop Gallery

Photoshop CC Adjustment Layer Demonstrations 
by Linda Ralston, Ph.D.

Adjustment layers are an effective tool for changing the overall appearance of an image because adjustments are achieved with destroying any pixels.  Photoshop will change the view of an image, but the actual changes will not become permanent until you "flatten" the image before saving.  Multiple adjustment layers can be utilized to create special effects.  Be careful when making successive edits so you do not try to go in opposite directions.  For example, avoid lightening the image in one adjustment layer then darkening the the color in a subsequent adjustment layer as they will cancel each other when the image is flattened.  (I took the photo below at Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park, Montana.)

The first step in the "Sunset" assignment was to identify the flaws in the original sunset image. Can you identify the 5 errors?

The sunset image assumed a blue tint using an adjustment layer.

The sunset image was changed to a black and white effect using an adjustment layer.

Students are challenged to remove the flaws using the clone tool and content aware fill, then lighten the exposure, and straighten the horizon.

The sunset image assumed a red tint using an adjustment layer.

The sunset image was changed to a sepia effect using an adjustment layer.