Use contrast different in photoshop for best photo edits

Simple tip to make your photos look better in Photoshop. Colin Smith shows you how to avoid making your photos look bad and crunchy in Photoshop.
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#Photoshop #howto #tip #photosBetter

[@LightsOnMultiMediaMindArts]

One of the best tips I've seen in a long time. Some people who went through the HDR phases still haven't let go of the over-processed, over crunchy look. This is the perfect remedy for their habit of not only pushing contrast too fast, but also the micro-contrast.

[@jimstueck8428]

I have seen many Lightroom tutorials where the workflow starts with holding the Alt key while adjusting the white control till the black screen shows white then blacking off a little till the screen is again black. The same with the black control. The white screen turns black. You may want to leave some black on the white for true blacks. Adjust highlights and shadows in the same way or to taste. There is no contrast adjustment Is this the same thing?

[@boruchlen]

Thanks for the tutorial. Definitely going to have to try things this way.

[@NicholasStein]

I found this tutorial useful. I had been using contrast thinking it would both brighten colors and darken shadows. I do flowers and want the blossom to pop and the background to be darker. Using blacks and whites separately makes a lot of sense. Thanks for making this a short regular YT video instead of a TikTok type short. It is easier to see the effect with the video maximized.

[@TraciBrennan]

Perfect! Thanks, Colin.

[@rodshelley1170]

Yes! This is the way I've been doing the adjustments for some time now. I think I learned this from you, Colin! Thanks! 👍👍

[@user-hv4dw5gx9v]

I learn something new today the tutorial was very useful and the explanation very clear.

[@VickiT158]

Brilliant and very useful tip, thank you!

[@lilidaigle]

Very useful and easy to remember! Thank you!

[@susan7451]

Loved it. Thank you

[@photoshopcafe]

I'm so glad

[@sean19]

Thanks Colin. Very useful 👌 👍

[@justray65]

Just another great tip as always. .Thank You

[@feelfreefpv]

Dehaze and texture are also great, making local contrast (on different scales) instead of adjusting blacks and whites all over. They work in a similar way that unsharp mask does when set to a high radius (low amount).

[@chepo1956]

Great tip Colin! Very useful indeed.

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks

[@ponymoore6140]

Awesome! Must give this a go.

[@user-ct7or8bk6m]

Happy to know; I'll try it !

[@RoyalFrenchiesofLA]

I really enjoy your videos and I am learning so much too

[@its_dimski]

Great shout! Thanks

[@TheHamNinja]

Practical, real world, you killed it.

[@TheAllenDuck]

Simple but brilliant 👏

[@blue_ranger]

It was a great explanation for something I had wondered, that reducing contrast made it look better???
All that said, I found the "high contrast DJi Cube" LUT from your website very useful on my photos with a soft light blend mode and 30% opacity it really makes things pop nicely. Thanks, Colin!

[@ladydayification]

Yes, this was very helpful! I usually click auto first, and then whatever contrast is adjusted I leave it there because I never seem to do a good job with the contrast. So, your adjustments were very helpful.

[@eoslove2022]

counter intuitive but exactly the best process! Thanx Colin

[@AcidAlien]

A few weeks ago, i restructured my presets in exactly that way because i tried one picture with less contrast and was stunned by the result. I love this technique and you be more flexible in your edits and as you said...more realistic and not overdone

[@photoshopcafe]

Glad your agree

[@TheGongster1]

I found this tutorial to be very useful. I just processed some of my ocean photos and wondered why I didn't like how some of my photos were looking really crappy. Thank you.

[@kennethrohen5963]

This is the best, most useful, tutorial you have produced in a long time.

[@photoshopcafe]

Well, thanks

[@krishchandran4125]

Brilliant !! I'd already stopped using the contrast slider after watching one of your earlier videos. Thank you !!

[@photoshopcafe]

Great to hear!

[@edit_by_tony]

Thank you, short sweet and straight to the point

[@photoshopcafe]

Right? Doesn't have to be a 20 minute video :)

[@touchedbynature5445]

Very Helpful and Informative. Many Thanks For Sharing.

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks for watching

[@amitabhabhattacharya4051]

Contrast is one tool that almost always messes up my photo. Tried this new way and it works better. Thanks a lot for helping with a way out.

[@photoshopcafe]

Glad it helped

[@charlesfleischman1194]

Great way to handle contrast. Thank you

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks

[@scottkempton6085]

Very useful. Thanks!

[@photoshopcafe]

Glad to hear it

[@sachawiener]

DAMMIT!!! This is SUPER useful!!!!!!! Thanks for this, whilst I know all of this having it laid out so simply really made me rethink the way I'm editing. THANK YOOOOOu

[@photoshopcafe]

Sometimes its the small things

[@TonyBridge]

Brilliant! Thanks

[@photoshopcafe]

Happy to help

[@liverpoolpictorial]

Thanks. Looking forward to trying out your tip. Been using contrast with luminance masks recently.

[@photoshopcafe]

Good combo

[@NicholasStein]

I heard about luminosity masks yesterday and I am still trying to figure them out. The YT video I was watching mentioned Lumenzia and I went there and could not figure out what they were. It turns out there are a bunch of videos on how to do it yourself.

[@liverpoolpictorial]

@@NicholasStein IMHO, I think Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw have reduced the need for Lumenzia.

[@NicholasStein]

@@liverpoolpictorial How so? I am not very good at them yet.

[@JH-qv3xv]

Thanks, useful.

[@DebbyThomasArt]

Thank you!

[@photoshopcafe]

Anytime

[@eddinep6535]

Never thought of doing it this way. Thanks for the tip.

[@photoshopcafe]

Anytime

[@Just_because998]

Awesome. Thanks.

[@photoshopcafe]

You got it

[@axelmatthies5622]

Thanks for your tip. I'll check this on mynext editings.

[@photoshopcafe]

please do

[@e30project]

i love this channel. thanks sir

[@photoshopcafe]

So happy to hear it. Glad to have you here :)

[@stanleyjacobson2617]

Very helpful...thank you.....

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks

[@PhreddCrintt]

Heh heh heh... One of those 'Can't see the woods for the trees' moments perhaps!! Love it!!

[@partygametime]

Thanks for sharing 👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@bv42]

I agree that contrast never seems to provide a pleasing result. I use the tone curve for similar effects. Thanks as always.

[@TrentYoung]

Brilliant… as always 😁

[@photoshopcafe]

Thanks for saying

[@gordonelwell7084]

Good advice. I've been using blacks and whites separately forever. Only rarely do I mess with the contrast slider.

[@photoshopcafe]

nice

[@royceahr]

Makes sense...will have to try it.

[@photoshopcafe]

Do it

[@royceahr]

Tried it and I think you are onto something...will continue on a variety of subjects and let you know.

[@royceahr]

Tried it a few more times...it works well enough to make that subtle difference when you need that little bit of detail that just won't reveal until you use this method. Well done Colin!

[@rajeshasthana5165]

Thank you

[@ChuckDavis-gv1sb]

Nice, I'll try that in Lightroom Classic.

[@trevorpsy]

Now that you've demonstrated it, it seems so obvious; but I would never have thought of it.

[@DEADLINETV]

I do that so often, turning the contrast down and later on (usually using curves) adding in custom contrast!

[@photoshopcafe]

Good to know!

[@ZoranImsiragic]

I found a long time ago that contrast control doesn't give good results. I tweaked shadows and highlights instead. I'll compare your method with mine. If it gives better results (I suppose it will), I will adopt it. Thanks for sharing. 😀

[@photoshopcafe]

You should also use Shadows and Highlights to show detail, this doesn't replace them, it works alongside them.

[@CyprusFromAboveChannel]

Thanks!

[@photoshopcafe]

you're welcome

[@Steven.v1062]

Thanks

[@andydeanphotography2234]

I DIG it!! Been a PS user quite a long time and have NEVER thought, or tried, that. Thanks Colin!!!!
Question...is there any difference, that you know of, if this is done within Lightroom? Same same?

[@photoshopcafe]

It’s the same in LR

[@andrewnicholls5745]

Another useful tip , been a away for a bit but Im back :)

[@MarkLincs2099]

I honestly thought you were going to talk about the Adjustments>Shadow/Highlights (Shadows). You can see when that has been abused in photos in an instant by people who think its a miracle cure for dark photos.

[@photoshopcafe]

lol! But I will make one on that topic in the near future

[@rogershore3128]

LIked it. Well try it on on some of my slides as the contract can be "problematic"

[@sbl2051]

Useful.

[@reillybt]

thanks for sharing your video as i didn't this one

[@rayrozema5960]

Enlightening

[@photoshopcafe]

lad you liked it

[@ReidThaler]

I've found that collectively, pulling down to slightly clip the blacks, as well as adding texture, clarity, and/or dehaze, along with auto tone, may add too much contrast so I've been dialing in negative contrast as well recently.

[@photoshopcafe]

Awesome

[@Abe_Rudder]

Always use the curves tool to achieve the same results with greater control.

[@EffiZiens]

i like, what i like! so! everyone have own style!

[@user-ir3fk2tq1r]

great

[@SherryFelix]

Now I know why I wasn't using the contrast slider.

[@guusbeeld]

Know it already, due to trail and error..., but perfect you tutor us...

[@photoshopcafe]

Glad I'm on the right track

[@notmyname8527]

I did not know why I did it but I always reduced contrast as it looked better on portraits.

[@photoshopcafe]

yup, it does

[@SergNikiforovGordeev]

👍🤝

[@TrevorDennis100]

I think CZcams is too destructive on video quality to properly evaluate this sort of content Colin. I'm watching on a 32" monitor, and I can't say that the edited image was any better than the edited version. Anyway, we can't have you wasting you valuable time on photographers. 😉(I thought I'd better add an emoji before folk got mad)

[@3polygons]

Some insight (hopefully :) ) : more than the monitor's inches, it's mostly about the color and gamma range... I do see the differences (Eizo ColorEdge monitor). The first one of the waves and rocks edited with this trick (there are similar approaches, it's not the only one) "burns" fewer clear tones and smash fewer dark tones together. Also, it depends on the internet browser, I guess. Not all browsers have color management activated (but there are ways to activate it). And sometimes a sRGB monitor profile (whether if it's a limitation of the monitor, or the browser) might show slightly less rich range (than Adobe RGB, or etc), making it hard to see any difference.
With just the contrast (which a lot of people do), you lose a crazy lot of tones in the dark areas in the rocks, for example, while not so much (largely noticeable in my end, btw) with his trick. This is an old thing, why just applying contrast is often worse than using smartly _Levels_ or working in a selective way, per ranges, with the many tools that Photoshop has. 👽 (I felt I had to continue the trend of adding an emoji at the end :D ).

[@3polygons]

Also, to see it well, better to activate full screen.

[@photoshopcafe]

Also because you watched it as soon as I posted it, sometimes it takes CZcams a few minutes to finish processing, so the vids can look a little soft at first. I suggest re-watching. If now, as 3polys suggested, look for certain details rather than the overall image. Its very obvious in e surf in the foreground

[@TrevorDennis100]

@@photoshopcafe Yes, I think you were right and I was too quick off the mark. I aligned screenshots of the three states in Photoshop and it was very easy to see the differences.