127
USING PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 8
Color and tonal correction
Last updated 7/26/2011
If you want a specific number of colors in your image, convert the image to grayscale and specify the number of levels
you want. Then convert the image back to the previous color mode, and replace the various gray tones with the colors
you want.
1 Select an image, layer, or area.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Filter > Adjustments > Posterize.
• From the Layers panel or Layer menu, create a new Posterize adjustment layer, or open an existing Posterize
adjustment layer.
3 Enter the number of tonal levels you want, and click OK.
More Help topics
“About filters” on page 178
“Apply a filter” on page 179
“About adjustment and fill layers” on page 62
Apply the Threshold filter
The Threshold filter converts grayscale or color images into high-contrast, black-and-white images. You can specify a
certain level as a threshold. All pixels lighter than the threshold are converted to white; and all pixels darker are
converted to black. The Threshold command is useful for determining the lightest and darkest areas of an image.
1 Select an image, layer, or area.
2 Do one of the following:
• Choose Filter > Adjustments > Threshold.
• From the Layers panel or Layer menu, create a new Threshold adjustment layer, or open an existing Threshold
adjustment layer.
The Threshold dialog box displays a histogram of the luminance levels of the pixels in the current selection.
3 Select Preview and do any of the following:
• To change the image to black and white, drag the slider below the histogram until the threshold level you want
appears at the top of the dialog box, and click OK. As you drag, the image changes to reflect the new threshold
setting.
• To identify a representative highlight, drag the slider to the right until the image is pure black. Then drag the slider
back until some solid white areas appear in the image.
• To identify a representative shadow, drag the slider to the left until the image is pure white. Then drag the slider
back until some solid black areas appear in the image.
4 (Optional) To return to default settings, hold down Option and click Reset.
5 (Optional) Click Cancel to close the Threshold dialog box without applying changes to the image.
More Help topics
“About filters” on page 178
“Apply a filter” on page 179
“About adjustment and fill layers” on page 62
