How to Use Levels & Curves in Photoshop | Day 6

Day 6 of 30 Days of Photoshop: Levels and Curves are the two most powerful adjustment layers in Photoshop, controlling not just light and dark but every color in your image. Aaron compares Levels and Curves side by side, showing how each affects brightness, contrast, and color channels, then builds a warm red-orange solar flare using targeted color channel adjustments and a radial gradient mask. CHAPTERS 00:00 Day 6 of 30 Days of Photoshop: Levels & Curves 01:07 Adding Levels & Curves Adjustment Layers 01:23 How Input & Output Levels Work 03:36 How Curves Work 05:11 Curves vs Levels: The Midpoint Difference 07:07 Setting Black, White, and Gray Points 09:54 Adjusting Color with Levels & Curves 11:47 Adding a Red-Orange Solar Flare Effect THE STEPS 1. Go to Layer, then New Adjustment Layer, and add both a Levels and a Curves layer to compare them 2. In Levels, drag the black and white point sliders in from the edges of the histogram to set your darkest and lightest tones, then use the midpoint slider for overall brightness 3. In Curves, click points on the diagonal line, dragging up for brighter and down for darker, using an S-curve, dark end down and light end up, to add contrast 4. Use the eyedroppers in either panel to click and set a custom black point, white point, or gray point, perfect for white balance off a gray card 5. In Curves, use the hand or targeted adjustment tool to click directly on an area of your photo and drag to adjust that exact tonal range 6. Switch from RGB to the individual Red, Green, or Blue channel in either panel to push color into your shadows, midtones, or highlights 7. Build a warm flare by adding red to the shadows on the Red channel, then pulling the midpoint down on the Blue channel to add yellow 8. Invert the adjustment layer's mask (Cmd/Ctrl+I), then use the Gradient tool with a foreground-to-transparent radial gradient to fade the effect in from one side Get the full step by step breakdown here: https://phlearn.com/tutorial/30-days-... PHLEARN PRO: Want more essential Photoshop training like this? Check out PHLEARN PRO at phlearn.com/pro ― What is PHLEARN PRO? Full courses on Photoshop, Lightroom, and photography, taught step by step New tutorials added every month A library of hundreds of hours of training for photographers and retouchers at every level ― Use code PRO26 for a discount on your first month of PHLEARN PRO ― Follow PHLEARN: Instagram:   / phlearn   Facebook:   / phlearn   Twitter:   / phlearn   #Photoshop #30DaysOfPhotoshop #PhotoEditing