What’s the Difference Between Curves and Levels?

If you wish to manipulate the sunshine and coloration data in a picture utilizing Photoshop, two of the commonest instruments for the duty are Curves and Ranges. However how do these two changes truly differ? And when may you select to make use of one as a substitute of the opposite? That’s precisely what Aaron Nace explains on this useful video.

In some vital methods, Curves and Ranges look and act similar to each other. In truth, each single parameter that you could edit in Ranges can also be accessible by means of Curves. Black level, white level, mid level, and output ranges can all be manipulated utilizing both adjustment, permitting you to choose whichever one you discover extra intuitive as your most popular picture modifying software.

The distinction comes right down to the extent of management at your disposal: for some duties Ranges is sufficient, however if you wish to take extra granular management of the tones in your picture, that’s when you need to be utilizing Curves.

Curves doesn’t simply can help you make your mid-tones darker or lighter utilizing a single sliding level, the way in which Ranges does; Curves permits you to manipulate the sunshine and coloration data in your picture utilizing as many factors as you want alongside your complete histogram. This, mixed with the useful “hand” software that allows you to edit proper in your picture, makes Curves each extra highly effective and simpler to make use of.

All of that is a lot simpler to clarify in video fairly than textual content, so if you would like an in depth overview of all the changes obtainable to you in each Curves and Ranges—together with a demo of some buttons you’ve in all probability by no means even tried contained in the Curves software—try the complete video up high.

And in case you’re feeling courageous and wish to dive even deeper into Photoshop’s bag of tips, you may continue learning by visiting the Phlearn YouTube channel or exploring the tons of of Photoshop ideas and tips that we’ve featured on PetaPixel over time.