Today I am so excited to share my second how-to using Adobe Photoshop Elements. We often post colorful photos here at A Beautiful Mess. We love the look of bright, vibrant, candy colors! Today I want to share my quick method for waking up photos with color. This is a fun tutorial to teach because I remember that this is the very first thing I wanted to learn with I got my first copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements years ago.
Above you can see my Before image. This is how it looks straight out of my camera. In the after image you can see how much more colorful the image became in a few simple clicks... enjoy!
1. Open your image in Adobe Photoshop Elements. Next, select the layer option at the top of the page and press "Duplicate Layer".
2. Open the layer menu in the bottom right hand corner of your page. Choose screen. This will make the image look much brighter. If your photo was really dark to start with you may like the brightness. For this photo it made it a little bit too bright, so I just lowered to Opacity (on that same menu) to about 60% before flattening the image. Next, flatten the image by pressing Layer, then Flatten Image.
3. Duplicate your layer again. Then go back down to the layer menu and choose Soft Light. This layer will instantly give your photo vibrant, beautiful color. If it's too much for you, reduce the Opacity a little. If it's not enough color, try Hard Light instead. Flatten your image. You can repeat these steps to create a more intense color and contrast on your photos.
4. Last, I will show you how to adjust levels. This is a tool I use at the beginning and end of editing most images. It's super helpful! To open your levels press command and L at the same time. The graph you will see represents the levels in your photo. Moving the arrows under the graph will adjust your levels. The left arrow will make things darker, the right arrow will make things brighter and the middle arrow is the midtones. If you've never adjusted levels before I recommend spending time playing with this feature on several different photos. Adjust the levels until they create your desired look. I tend to pull the far left and far right arrows in a little on most of my photos.
It's that easy! Follow these steps while editing your next batch of photos and see what a difference you can make with the colors in your photographs! Here are a few more examples of photos we've edited using this technique...
Have fun sprucing up your color photos! Elsie + Emma
Thanks so much to Adobe Photoshop Elements for collaborating with me on this article! You can follow them here...Facebook/Twitter/YouTube/Pinterest
This is nice. :) thanks for the tutorial.
Posted by: eniza | July 10, 2012 at 09:56 AM
Perfect! Cannot wait to put this tutorial to use :)
Posted by: Anita | July 10, 2012 at 09:57 AM
Thanks for the tutorial, this is really handy actually :)
Posted by: Lady Unlaced | July 10, 2012 at 10:06 AM
thank you for the tutorial!
http://www.tinacious.me/
Posted by: Tina @ Tinacious Me | July 10, 2012 at 10:11 AM
this post is perfect as I've been playing around with different lighting techniques in photoshop! thank you this is beyond helpful!
xxx
www.ladyalamode.com
Posted by: Lady à la Mode | July 10, 2012 at 10:12 AM
Easy-peasy! My favorite photo trick {though I'm still learning-- there is so much that software can do, it really blows my mind}
http://aclosetintellectual.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Tabetha | July 10, 2012 at 10:13 AM
Thank you so much! I have had PSE 10 for a while now, but I'm still slightly intimidate by it. This will be a great tutorial to use when playing around!
Posted by: Kara | July 10, 2012 at 10:14 AM
I've never thought of brightening up colours in this way! Thanks :)
Posted by: Vicki | July 10, 2012 at 10:20 AM
ahh, okay so its not as hard as it looks. thanks for the tips!
Posted by: ali thompson | July 10, 2012 at 10:21 AM
Photoshop is defo one of my favourite possessions!
Posted by: Emma | July 10, 2012 at 10:25 AM
Wow, thank you! I really needed to know that. I'm always using curves and levels in Photoshop to lighten up my images, but this is so much easier (and better looking...)
Posted by: Wilma | July 10, 2012 at 10:30 AM
i've used photoshop for a long time, but never tried the soft light trick! awesome!
Posted by: rae | July 10, 2012 at 10:42 AM
This is so genuinely helpful- it's really kind of you to share your tricks! Fortunately, your photographic eyes capture the interesting image in the first place!
Posted by: Lauren | July 10, 2012 at 10:51 AM
Great post! :)
http://lealuu.com
Posted by: Luu | July 10, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Olá!!!
Finalmente resolve escrever... sempre acompanho vocês, mas por não falar inglês não escrevo. (Desculpe, por não falar inglês)
AMO seu site, fotos, drinks, as roupas (love, love, love).
Parabéns, vocês são uma inspiração!
Ainda não tenho maquina, faço as fotos com celular... mas vou guardar as dicas para breve usar.
Beijos do Brasil!
http://donanada.blogspot.com.br/
Posted by: Daiana Lima | July 10, 2012 at 10:53 AM
I love your photo tutorials, they are really helpful!
xo,
Erika
http://jasminblancboutique.blogspot.co.uk/
Posted by: Erika | July 10, 2012 at 10:55 AM
This has changed my life! I am rubbish at photoshop - but this will make editing so much easier! thanks so much ladies!
Posted by: Amy | July 10, 2012 at 11:08 AM
Fantastic! This is perfect; I've always admired the look of your pictures. Now I can do it too! :D Thanks muchly ladies!
Posted by: Otter Mei | July 10, 2012 at 11:19 AM
awesome, thanks for the tips! i'm going to save this and come back to it. love these shots, too. those flowers in their new bloom look amazing!
Posted by: Cassie | July 10, 2012 at 11:26 AM
This is SO great! I'm new to CS and it's tricky. I so appreciate these tutorials!
Kacie
http://www.acollectionofpassions.com/
Posted by: Kacie // A Collection of Passions | July 10, 2012 at 11:43 AM