Basic Image Retouching - Photoshop Elements 13: The Missing Manual - page 379

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If there are small amounts of color data (flat lines) at the ends of the histogram, or if all
the data is clumped in the middle of the graph, watch your photo as you move the left and
right input sliders to decide how far in you should drag them. Moving them all the way in
may be too drastic. Your own taste should always be the deciding factor when adjusting a
photo.
Here's the easiest way to use the Levels sliders:
1. Bring up the Levels dialog box or the Levels Adjustments panel .
Use one of the methods described in step 1 of the eyedropper method ( Adjusting
Levels: The Eyedropper Method ) . If necessary, move the dialog box or panel so
you've got a clear view of your photo.
2. Grab the black input slider (the one below the left end of the histogram) and
drag it to the right, if necessary .
Move it over until it's under the farthest-left part of the histogram that has a mound in
it. For the histogram in Figure 7-13 , for example, you'd move the left slider just a tiny
bit, to where the left red arrow is. (Incidentally, although you're adjusting the image's
colors, the Levels histogram is always black and white—you don't see any color in
the dialog box itself.)
You may not need to move the black slider at all if there's already a good bit of data at
the left end of the histogram. You don't have to adjust all the sliders for every photo.
3. Grab the white slider (the one on the right) and drag it left, if necessary .
Bring it under the farthest-right area of the histogram that has a mound in it.
4. Now adjust the gray slider .
This is the midtones slider, and it adjusts—you guessed it—the midtones of your im-
age. Move it back and forth while watching your photo until you like what you see.
This slider has the most impact on the overall result, so take some time to play with it.