What are adjustment layers?

I had already gone through the adjustment layers.

Adjustment layers are the most flexible way to perform color correction in a photo.

Using adjustment layers, the color correction is not done on the picture, but on all underlying layers in the photo. This keeps the original picture ‘undamaged’.
One advantage is that an adjustment layer has two thumbnails.

The first miniature is the adaptation (1). You set set the options for this adjustment by double-clicking in the “Adjustments” panel.

The second thumbnail is for the mask (2). Which means that we can carry out the adaptation on a part of the picture.

Another advantage is that the order of adjustment layers can be changed to enhance the picture.

Another advantage is that you can apply it to multiple images.
And a final advantage is that you can always remove it.
You see, nothing but advantages with adjustment layers, so learn to use them.

Add Adjustment Layer

To add an adjustment layer, you have several ways.
One way is by the “New Fill or Adjustment Layer” button at the bottom of the “Layers” pane.

This opens a drop-down menu from which you can make a choice.

A second way is the “Layer” button in the menu bar, choose “New Adjustment Layer” in the drop-down menu and click on one of the options that appear.

If you choose this way, you can set several options for this adjustment in the dialog box that appears.

A third way is through the use of the “Adjustments” panel.

This is new since the version CS4.

In the top of “Adjustments” panel, you will find the different possibilities for color corrections (1).
Below we have a number of preset color corrections. Clicking the right pointing arrow opens a drop-down menu with preset color corrections (3).

Select an adjustment layer in the “layers” panel (4) and set the options for this in the “Adjustment” window (5).

Delete Layer Adaptation

To delete an adjustment layer, click and drag the first thumbnail of the adjustment layer to the trash icon at the bottom of “Layers” panel.
If you wish to remove only the mask of the adjustment layer, drag it to the same dustbin icon.

Copy Adjustment layers

Like any other layer in Photoshop, you can also copy an adjustment layer.

Select the adjustment layer or layers in the first image, and drag it to the second image.

This makes it easy, for example, when you have several photos taken with the same light condition and want to apply same adaption to all of them.

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