Photoshop: Improve photos - the best tips

Photoshop gives you some tools to help you improve your photos. We give you tips on how to correct and optimize your images.

Improve photos with Photoshop: correct tonal values

The tonal values ​​represent the brightness information of a pixel image. The lightest and darkest tonal values ​​are of great importance because you determine which color range is used. With the tonal correction you can adjust tonal values ​​and improve the contrast of your picture.

1. Open the image you want to edit and press the key combination Ctrl + J. This creates a new layer on which to apply tonal correction.
2. Navigate to "Image", "Corrections" and "Levels" or press the key combination Ctrl + L. A dialog window opens with which you can make the settings.
3. A histogram is stored in the tone correction window, with which the black and white point of images can be corrected using the tone value distribution. Slide the right and left triangles inwards until the gaps disappear.
4. Perform the tone spread for all three channels and press "OK" at the end. Your image now has significantly more contrast and has less gray veils.

Photoshop: gradation curves for better image quality

If you have higher demands, the "Gradation Curves" tool provides more precise options. This makes pictures lighter or darker, changes the contrast and removes stubborn streaks of color.

1. Click on "Image", "Corrections" and "Gradation Curves" or press the key combination Ctrl + M to open the dialog window.
2. If you want to change the brightness, place a point exactly on the center of the line. If you move the point up, your image will become brighter. If you move the point down, the brightness of the image decreases.
3. To change the contrast, place another point at the bottom left. If you move the point to the right or left, you increase or decrease the contrast of the image.
4. When you have obtained useful results, press "OK" to complete the process.

Optimize color balance with Photoshop

To change the color balance of images and remove color streaks, Photoshop offers the "Color Balance" tool. Note that this tool does not process the color balance as precisely as the Gradation Curve tool. As a quick "immediate helper", however, it is very versatile in Photoshop.

1. Press "Image", "Corrections" and "Color Balance" or select the key combination Ctrl + B. A dialog window opens with which you can correct the color balance.
2. Determine which tonal range of the image you want to change. You can choose between depths, midtones or highlights.
3. Use the slider or the number input to change the balance cyan / red, magenta / green or blue / yellow. For example, if the image has a warm yellow line, move the slider towards blue. At the end press "OK".

Sharpen photos with Photoshop

If your image is not sufficiently sharp, Photoshop offers you a free selection of tools that you can use to sharpen your photo. In order to avoid the danger of over-sharpening, you should process a strongly blurred image several times in succession with moderate settings.

1. Duplicate the background layer. Then click "Filters", "Sharpening Filters" and "Unsharp Mask". You can make three settings with the filter.
2. First, set the threshold. With the threshold you can regulate the difference between the neighboring pixels as a percentage. The higher the threshold, the less sharpening and vice versa.
3. Set the radius. You should not exceed values ​​of 1 pixel. Values ​​over 3 pixels destroy any normal picture. The same applies here: less is often more.
4. Finally, type in a percentage value for the strength. Choose values ​​between 80 and 200 percent. Find the best setting to get useful results. Press "OK" when you are satisfied with the setting.