How to use Photoshop Curves and Levels (and why I ALWAYS use Curves)

Photoshop Curves and Levels are some of the best tools available to improve the quality of your photos. Both offer the ability to impact contrast, tone, and white balance. Curves offers complete control, but can be a little confusing to understand initially. While Levels is more intuitive to understand initially, it has some significant limitations and is, ironically, very confusing when you want to make more specific adjustments.
In this video, I run through the basic options to use both tools. I also demonstrate how the midtone (gamma) slider in Levels is its "achilles heel". The midtone slider causes confusion/problems by impacting both brightness and contrast at the same time.
Key segments:
0:00 Introduction
1:22 Black point in Levels
3:10 Overview of Curves
3:40 Lighten/darken with Curves
4:47 Increase/decrease contrast with Curves
5:59 Black point in Curves
6:21 White point (Curves and Levels)
7:15 Output (Curves and Levels)
8:33 Midtone slider in Levels, and the Curves equivalent
11:48 The problem with Levels (midtone slider)
14:40 Head to head adjustment showing benefit of Curves
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[@gregbenzphotography]

A lot of people get confused by the differences between Photoshop Levels and Curves (the midtone slider, gamma), so I put together a video that goes through the differences between them. I use Curves 100% of the time because of the extra control they give me (and ironically, they are actually easier to use than Levels, once you get the basic concepts).
#photoshoptutorials #luminositymasks #postprocessing

[@amirrezaee3111]

It couldn't have been explained any better. Thanks

[@IgorsJefimovs]

Highly informative video! Thanks for sharing

[@StephaneHorn]

Hey Greg, i thought i was the only one finding level confusing :) you made my day. Thanks a lot for the clarity of your tutorials. Straight forward.

[@gregbenzphotography]

That’s great, thanks for the feedback.

[@HjHarland]

Thank you for the wonderful explanation between curves and levels. I feel like I have a much better conceptual grasp on the subject now.

[@margaretanneblack8189]

Gregg -- I really learn from your tutorials .. very clear and precise

[@thiagofvm]

great explanation! very concise and clear! good work Greg!

[@sayedmohdsalman]

This is extremely helpful. Thank you so much for the effort.

[@williambiggs2308]

EXCELLENT demonstration! Thank you!

[@BaderAlrumihi]

You deserve more of everything...
Simply the best.

[@gregbenzphotography]

Thanks!

[@seamydobbsno1]

Brilliant tutorial, some of this stuff is pretty advanced but it helps when you have the OG teaching!

[@gregbenzphotography]

Thanks!

[@anzelo]

Thank you for your tutorials! :D

[@JanHof]

Very good tutorial!! Thanks for the effort to explain this.

[@TheRusduval]

Very very scientific explain~

[@j7ndominica051]

Excellent lesson. Adobe integrated Levels into the Curves dialog in modern versions. Originally the bottom sliders weren't there, an it was a bit tricky to grab and move the points on the x-axis only, without also adjusting the output level.
I am confused by the different behavior of Levels/Curves in RGB versus Lab. If I fully expand the usually shallow dynamic range of a scanned picture, in the first mode the saturation increases greatly as well (to the point of unnaturally red faces), in the extremes colors also shift slightly, and in the other mode saturation stays relatively unchanged. The effect is broadly similar in simpler models of "luminosity" such as in PSP. In which practical cases should one make a levels adjustment in RGB versus Lab?

[@gregbenzphotography]

+j7ndominica0 Lab is a VERY deep subject. I recommend taking a look at Dan Margulis' books on LAB: www.amazon.com/gp/product/0134176103/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0134176103&linkCode=as2&tag=gregbenzphoto-20&linkId=Z3IY2IIINZ4YDHZH

[@gyrgrls]

On newer releases of Photoshop, it is true that you don't need Levels. But on earlier versions (7, CS, CS2), I use both. The initial Levels adjustment serves to get the contrast in range (bu holding down the Cmd or Alt key while sliding the ends into the histogram). But Curves can do everything that levels can do. It is just the lack of histogram display in the curves panel in the earlier versions which prompts me to use levels first, then curves. YMMV.

[@gregbenzphotography]

Why not switch to CS6 or CC? Could probably get someone’s CS6 license as a gift it’s so old.

[@yousefghasemi4303]

Please adding subtitle