Instead of adjusting colors through the Image>Adjustmentments drop down you select the layer in the layer's pallette and then click on the add color adjustment layer at the middle of the bottom of the layers palette (Img 18). You get all the same options as in the Image>Adjustmentments drop down. Then go ahead and adjust away. This method has the added advantage/disadvantage of not affecting one layer, but instead affecting every layer below it. If you'd rather it affect only the layer directly below it simply Alt+Click on the bottom line of the color adjustment layer in the layer palette (mouse turns into ) or press Alt+Ctrl+G with the adjustment layer selected. A mask is created so if you'd prefer you can paint out the parts of the color adjustment layer you don't want it to be affecting. Go to my section on masks for further information. Basically, as a review, you click on the mask in the layer palette and whatever you paint white shows of the layer and
You can stack as many color adjustment layers as you want on top of one another and always go back and refine your adjustments by double clicking on the layer.
The disadvantage of the color adjustment layers is they can quickly increase the number of layers you have, cluttering up the picture. They increase the file size and, quite frankly, are sometimes far more control then is needed.
If you're perfectly happy with the coloring and want to get rid of the color adjustment layer, commit the change by simply merging it with the layer(s) below (Ctrl +E with both layers selected) This only works if the adjustment layer is only being applied to the layer below it. If it's affecting all the layers then it's
Each person is different, but in most cases I like to work broad color changes to small color changes. If I have a light picture and a dark picture I need to match I'd first deal with the Hue/Saturation (Ctrl+U), then probably Color Balance (Ctrl+B) and then some slight adjustments in Curves (Ctrl+M). If instead one layer is very green and another very red I'd start with color balance, then Contrast/Hue, and then Curves for those finishing
I'll generally use color adjustment layers so I can go back and
forth between the different color adjustments and commit the changes by
merging all the layers involved when I'm done.
