Differences Between BRIGHTNESS, CONTRAST, LEVELS AND EXPOSURE in Photoshop

Hello friends! Are you learning Photoshop and got some doubts while editing the image’s brightness, contrast, level, exposure, etc. Don’t worry, you are in the right place.

In this blog, we are going to look at the workflow of every term in detail. This content will help you enhance your skills for photo editing training.

All these tools are made to adjust the tonal range of any object/image. One can easily arrange the brightness and contrast as well as the darkness and dullness of any specific color. On the other hand, all these tools have their own specialties which are explained below.

First talk about BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST : -

That tool lets us make simple changes in the total range of an image. Every editor uses the tool to do professional editing and it's the best-known tool for editing purpose. To get to the BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST tool, click on IMAGE at the top of the screen, move into ADJUSTMENTS and you will find the very first option of BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST. 

When you click on that you'll get an adjustment menu. Moving the brightness slider to the right increases the tonal value and expand highlights, dragging the slider to the left will decreases the value and expand shadow. At the right of the menu bar, you will have an AUTO key, press the key to adjust the tonal range automatically. After setting up all the levels, simply click on OK to save the adjustment.

What are LEVELS/ Use of LEVELS: -

LEVELS tool lets us make some simple changes in an image. Levels can be used to adjust the image brightness level – shadow, midtone, and highlights. You will find the LEVELS tool at the same location as BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST. 

You can use CTRL+L as the short key of LEVELS. To get the window you need to click on the adjustments in the image menu. After that, a menu bar will be popped up with some unique features. 

There would be different types of presets and any one of them can be used at a time. It has three types of channels and you can choose any of them. A value bar can be seen down there so you can put the specific value of channels. The final step would be to press OK to save the changes you did.

What is CURVES/ Use of CURVES: -

CURVES is something which is used to set the contrast value of an image. Move into IMAGE at the top of the screen then click on ADJUSTMENT and 3rd row would be of CURVES. 

Press the CURVES key and it will take you to the menu of Curves. Here, you can see a graph. You can add more points on the line and when you move the points, the shape of curves will be changed. In the end, just click on OK to save the setting you made.     

What is EXPOSURE/ Use of EXPOSURE: -

EXPOSURE is not much diff. from BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST and LEVELS. As it also can be used to maintain the tonal range of an image, but professionals mainly use it to correct the total value of high dynamic images, which are 32 bits.

As we know, the more bits, the better, the color. EXPOSURE can be applied on 16 bits images or even 8 bits images, as well.

Lets’ see how to find EXPOSURE tool in photoshop. On the top right corner, move into IMAGE then click on ADJUSTMENTS and it would be in the 4th row. Press the EXPOSURE key to open the adjustment bar.

Once you open it, you’ll see a menu bar. There would be a few types of presets, you can choose a suitable one. Just down to it you will find three scales, 1st for Exposure, 2nd for Offset and 3rd for Gamma Correction. Moving left on all scales will lead to decrease in value and getting the scale in right, will expand the value. After all the changes, click on OK to save the changes.

So, that’s it.

This is how we can play with the adjustment settings of image menu in Photoshop.

If you want to learn photo editing in more detail then you need to join a certificate Photoshop course from the renowned photo editing institutes like Post Production Institute. It is a renowned training institute for photo editing, video editing, VFX, motion graphics, and designing.

Check out all the courses offered by Post Production Institute: Short-term Post Production Courses

Top 10 Tools in After Effects

Adobe After Effects really doesn’t need any introduction since it is one of the popular motion graphics and compositing applications used by professionals globally. This blog is all about the tools in After Effects. If you are attaining Adobe After Effects course training from any training institute then you must read this blog till the end since it will give you an insight to the important features and tools that you can use in After Effects.

As we all know After Effect has tons of tools and features and all are very useful and easy to use but, in this blog, we are going to have a look at the top 10 tools that you really should know. 

Best 10 Tools in After Effects

Here are my best tools and features of Adobe After Effects: 

⦁ Shape Layers: - Starting with one of the best features in after effect is shaped layers. It is a flat object which can be created by a pen tool or simply click to rectangle, oral or pentagon button. We can customize it like by stoke (outline), fill, the roundness of cancer. Shape layer is different from a solid layer.

⦁ Pen tools /Marks: - The shape layer and solid layer are incomplete with the pen tool. pen tool allows the user to draw the object and then it creates a mask on it. The pen tool also helps in trace object in after effect. With that users can create a cool effect on it.

⦁ Track Mattes: - The pen tool is also very important for track mattes. track matter is used for masking another layer. for e.g., if the layer is set on the alpha matter then it will appear transparent on the area which alpha matter covers. In track matter, there are 4 matters which are alpha matte, alpha inverted matte, luma matte and luma inverted matte. 

⦁ Blending Modes: - After Track Matter there is an option Blending mode. There are 38 types of blending mode are available. Which are very useful in their own purpose? Some of the best blending modes are normal, multiply, overlay, soft light, and color.

⦁ Pre Composing: - While working on a project user creates many layers that are very difficult to control and look messy. To handles, this project the user creates a group of many layers in one which we call pre-composed. The shortcut of Pre composing is (Cmd-Shift-C, or Ctrl-Shift-C). 

⦁ Adjustment layer: - The adjustment layer is very useful in after effect. But some people say it is not because it is just a layer which does nothing, we only apply the effect on it. but it is useful if you want to apply the same effect on 5 layers it may slow down your system if you create an adjustment layer and put a layer under that and incest apply the effect on each layer apply on adjustment layer it provides the same effect on all layer which is under that layer.  

⦁ Null Layer: - As an Adjustment layer null layer work. User can parent the multi-layer with null layer and control all layer with null layer only but something it does not work properly.

⦁ Cameras: - Cameras help in giving prospective in a layer but the first user converts the layer in the 3d layer as the name suggest then object convert in 3d. 

⦁ Graph Editor: - Graphics editor work on keyframe which user set in the layer. it works is giving object smoothness while the user gives positin, scale, rotation it easy in them. which gives a nice look. 

⦁ Plugins: - After the effect is incomplete with plugins. There are thousands of plugins available on the internet which help us to do work nicely. My favorite plugins are red giant tripcode 

In order to learn such amazing tools and features one must sing up with a prominent and ideal training institute. 

One such training institution is ADMEC Multimedia Institute which is a leader in multimedia and animation training. ADMEC offers numerous career courses in video editing and post production. Explore all of them and kick off for a good start.

Author Introduction: Hello, my name is Paras Puri. I’m pursuing graphic master plus course from ADMEC Multimedia Institute. I hope my blog will be useful for your learning.