Photoshop® CS5 Bible

Chapter 12. Adjustment workflow

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Adjustment Workflow

• Making auto adjustments

• Using the Adjustment panel

Every edit you make to your photo alters the pixels, reducing the quality and increasing the possibility of bruising—visible areas of pixel distortion. Even if your edits are made using non-destructive layers, the visible end result is the same. Some adjustments are more destructive than others, so creating a workflow that takes you from least destructive to most is a very important step in achieving the best results possible.

As you add Adjustments to your image, the fastest and most efficient way to do so is using the Adjustment panel. You can use icons for a quick-click to add and edit adjustments without having to open and select adjustments from a menu. The adjustments added from the Adjustment panel are added as non-destructive adjustment layers.

This chapter explains the importance of workflow and introduces you to the Adjustment panel.

Understanding Workflow

Using an organized workflow to edit your images is not only the best way to make edits in the most non-destructive way, it's a good organizational habit to get into so you aren't inadvertently skipping important steps in correcting your photo.

Not all images need all corrections, of course, but you'll want to follow the same order for each one, skipping steps when they aren't required. Here's a good workflow to follow:

1. Correct your photos in Camera Raw.

   Whether your photos are raw images, TIFFs, or JPEGs, you can ...