Is there a science to the levels adj?

Or is it just a play around with kind of adjustment? I didn't know if there was something about it that people know and I dont lol..

I'm pretty much a novice when it comes to digital editing. I've been shooting film for years and just recently picked up a digital. I just play around in Photoshop for a couple of minutes for each picture until I come out with a result I like. For me, each time I process a picture it may or not be a complete new experience.


But thats just me!

Hi Kim,

Think of it in terms of "Contrast" and "Lightness".

The end sliders adjust the black and white points of your photo - that's your contrast. A nice contrasty photo has a good strong black, and a nice bright white. You should always adjust the contrast of your photo first. Be careful not to move these sliders in too far, or you'll be killing some subtle shadow or highlight detail in your image.

Secondly, the middle slider adjusts the midtones, or "lightness" of your photo. You can't go too far wrong here, just play with it to get the exposure that you like.

I recommend dabbling with black-and-white images for a little while, to find your feet in the world of Levels.

The only thing scientific about photography is the manufacture of the equipment used.

kgauger30 wrote in post #3504201
Or is it just a play around with kind of adjustment? I didn't know if there was something about it that people know and I dont lol..

There is a commonly used methodology that you can use to achieve repeated results.

http://raymondshay.com …PhotoEditing101​/index.htm will show you what it is.

It's important to remember than nothing replaces a discriminating eye. If you use the above method and don't like the results, simply make small changes until the image pleases you.

kgauger30 wrote in post #3504201
Or is it just a play around with kind of adjustment? I didn't know if there was something about it that people know and I dont lol..

There isn't that much to learn about the levels adjustment Kim. The link by canonphotog is a good start.

I use it to make sure I have the best tone and contrast in the image by sliding in the left slider to get true blacks and the rght slider to get true whites. If you want to get more precise then a combination of the Levels and Curves adjustments gives you greater control. Take a look at my B&W conversion tutorial which highlights some fine tuning with these controls.

Great thanks alot I will check that out too.