Page 56 - Photoshop User January 2017

HOW TO ››
Photoshop Proving Ground
three ways to use the threshold adjustment layer
Got Threshold? This tool only has one control, and relies on separating your image into black and white, with nothing in between, and only one slider for control. Everything darker than the slider value becomes black, and everything lighter becomes white. That’s it. How can you be creative with such limitations? Let’s take a look at three ways you can make use of this extremely simple adjustment layer.
FINDING NEUTRAL GRAY
The first technique is for photog- raphers: it helps you find neutral gray so you can quickly apply a rough color correction to a prop- erly exposed image.
Step One: Above your Back- ground layer, create a blank layer and fill it with 50% gray (Edit>Fill and select 50% Gray from the drop-down menu).
Step Two: Now set the gray layer to Difference blend mode near the top left of the Layers panel. Anything that has a neutral tone becomes black to dark gray, which we can use to our advantage.
Step Three: Show the rulers (Command-R [PC: Ctrl-R]) and drag out a horizontal guide and a vertical guide so they intersect on a black region. You don’t have to be exact, just get them close for now.
Step Four: Next, above the gray- filled layer, add a Threshold adjust- ment layer (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Threshold) and drag the slider all the way to the left in the Properties panel. Everything should be white.
SCOTT VALENTINE
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› › photoshop user › january 2017
Scott Valentine