Adjustments Menu
The commands in this menu are meant for adjusting the image in various ways to get the colors to look the way you want.
Adjustments
This image will be used to illustrate what the various adjustments can do:
Original Image
Auto-Level
This can be used to equalize the colors of an image so that overly dark or bright images are brought back to a normal range. This is equivalent to using the Levels adjustment and then clicking the "Auto" button.
Example
After using the Auto-Level adjustment, which has no configuration options
Brightness / Contrast
This may be used to make the colors in an image brighter or darker, or to make colors stand out more or less from those around them.
Example
Image with increased brightness
Image with increased contrast
Image with increased brightness and contrast
Curves
This adjustment is used to adjust the luminosity and/or RGB (Red, Green & Blue) curves of an image. For greater discussion of this functionality, please visit the Curves section.
Black & White
This adjustment removes all color, effectively making the layer black & white.
Example
Image that has been desaturated
Hue/Saturation
This operation may be used to change the saturation of colors, as well as rotate the hue of the image. Additionally, it allows the adjustment of lightness, which is similar to but not the same as brightness.
Example
Image after the Hue was set to 88 and the Saturation was set to 158
Invert Colors
This adjustment is very similar to a negative of a photo. Applying it a second time produces the image again.
Example
Image after it has been inverted
Levels
This operation is used to adjust the color range and gamma of an image. For greater discussion of this functionality, please visit the Levels section.
Posterize
This adjustment allows you to reduce the number of available color values that each pixel may use. Normally each color channel has 256 possible values (0 through 255), but with this you can restrict this to a range from 2 to 64 values. This gives your image a "posterized" or even a retro or "faux dithered" look.
Example
Image after the "Posterize" Adjustment
Sepia
This adjustment turns the image black & white, and then adds a sepia tone. This can be used to give your images an "aged" look.
Example
Image after the "Sepia" Adjustment