Quickly Improve Your Digital Images Using Photoshop LE

Here's how to dramatically improve your digital images using only four quick and simple Photoshop LE functions: CROP, CURVES, COLOR BALANCE, and SATURATION.

Steps

  1. Open your image and select the CROP tool from the top left corner of the Tools bar. Drag the cursor across the image to outline the area you want to keep. Select Image-->Crop. If you goof, type Ctrl Z and redo.
  2. Type Ctrl M to bring up the CURVES box. It's a graph with a diagonal line through it. Pull the line from side to side with the cursor to lighten or darken the image. Click OK.
  3. Type Ctrl B to access the COLOR BALANCE control. Slide the bars around until the colors look right. Click OK.
  4. Type Ctrl U for the SATURATION controls. Use the sliders to adjust the intensity of the colors. Click OK and save your work.

Tips

  • If you save your work as a Photoshop file (.psd), all the individual layers are saved too.
  • The pros save each correction they make on a separate layer. This allows them to play around with corrections individually, without disturbing others.
  • The above steps are "quick fix" actions. Photoshop LE can do much more -- consult the Help files!

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