Levels Trick in Photoshop

Playing with Levels in Photoshop (any version) can get some effects that you may not be able to imagine unless you try them for yourself. You can try it on all sorts of images. It is very simple to do. You need not be an expert to try it.

Step 1 : I have opened this free stock image in Photoshop. You will find it here

It belongs to ~psamathides Psamathos Samathida

Step 2 : Click on Create New or Fill Adjustment Layer button at the bottom of the Layer palette. Click on Levels.

Step 3 : As soon as you click you can see the Levels Layer sitting over the Background Layer.

Step 4 : In the Levels dialogue box, change the Channel to Blue.

Step 5 : Push the White slider at right under the graph that you can see. There is no hard an fast about how far you can drag it. Just see what pleases you. You will notice a change in the image as soon as you begin dragging the slider.

This is how my image looks.

Step 6 : Now click on the Red channel.

Step 7 : Drag the White slider to the right again. Stop where you like the effect you see on your image.

My image looks like this.

Step 8 : Now change the Channel to RGB

Step 9 : Again drag the White slider to the right. As much as you want.

This how my image looks.

Step 10 : Change the Blend Mode to Screen. You can also try Overlay and Soft Light. Here Screen does nicely.

Here's how my finished image looks.

Other photoshop tutorials are here