Help me save time editing pictures with Photoshop!
June 16, 2007 10:11 PM   Subscribe

Is there a way to add brightness/contrast and hue/saturation to the first window I open instead of having to always get to them through the drop down menu?

When editing pictures in Photoshop I always adjust brightness/contrast and hue/saturation. Is there a way to add these to the first page in a window like the little history window instead of always having to get to them through the drop down menu? It just seems like a terrible waste of time.
posted by thebrokenmuse to Computers & Internet (11 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
I think the only way you could achieve that is through Actions, although you'd need to be applying uniform settings to each image (which is highly unlikely).

Alternatively, there are shortcuts that would make your task simpler CTRL+U (or Apple+U) for Hue/Saturation - none for Brightness/Contrast, however. You could use levels for brightness/contrast (better control), the shortcut for that is CTRL+L.
posted by strawberryviagra at 1:17 AM on June 17, 2007


Set up the keyboard shortcuts of your choice for brightness/contrast and hue/saturation.
posted by londongeezer at 1:35 AM on June 17, 2007


Can that be done within Photoshop? I know you can't set it up in OSx 10.4 for CS2.
posted by strawberryviagra at 1:55 AM on June 17, 2007


strawberryviagra: when you set up actions there's a little checkbox next to each step that will allow its corresponding dialog box to pop up, so there needn't be the same settings all the time.
posted by DefendBrooklyn at 2:15 AM on June 17, 2007


Thanks for that, DB - I didn't realise you could do that.
posted by strawberryviagra at 2:24 AM on June 17, 2007


brokenmuse - what combination of OS/Platform and Photoshop version are you using?
posted by strawberryviagra at 2:25 AM on June 17, 2007


To set up keyboard shortcuts of your choice (this in Windows but almost certainly the same on a Mac):

Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts

or as DB says, set up an Action with dialog boxes appearing at each step.
posted by londongeezer at 4:50 AM on June 17, 2007


Yep that works on a Mac (within Photoshop). But it's a later version that allows this (at least > version 7).

Now I'm digging around ...(CS2)

Just noticed the Image Processor function in the Scripts section (under File) - this may save you additional time as it includes the ability to open, save in 3 formats and run actions + include copyright info with a single click. Could be handy.
posted by strawberryviagra at 5:37 AM on June 17, 2007


Create an action to add adjust layers for brightness/contrast and hue/saturation for a folder of images and then go back and tweak for individual conditions.

It won't put'em in the history palette, but you will be able to go back and tweak to your hearts content.

And if you're not using adjustment layers, you really should be, as it allows you to tweak images endlessly without destroying the original photo.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:28 AM on June 17, 2007


Seconding Brandon Blatcher - adjustment layers can also be dragged and dropped from the layers palette of one file onto another open image, applying those settings there. I'm very faithful to my adjustment layers.
posted by avocet at 8:10 AM on June 17, 2007


Nthing the adjustment layers action. For similar lighting conditions and subjects, adjustment layers are just as copy/pasteable as RAW settings.

(You are shooting RAW, right? ...right?)

(also, levels and curves > brightness/contrast)
posted by cowbellemoo at 4:00 PM on June 17, 2007


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