# Curves in Photoshop Elements...



## Steph (Oct 17, 2008)

I am trying to learn some basic post-processing skills from tutorials found on the Internet. Unfortunately, most tutorials refer to the full Photoshop version and use tools such as Curves, which are NOT available in Photoshop Elements (I use Photoshop Elements 2.0 and cannot afford a full version of PS). Fortunately, after some Googling I found this interesting (and free ) plugin, which allows the use of Curves in PSE2 (and other versions) and it seems to work fine. It also allows the use of Layer Mask and Channel Mixer (which is a more controllable way to convert pictures to B&W than the methods available in PSE2). I am not in anyway affiliated to Earthbound Light, but I thought other people on a budget might be interested.


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## Overread (Oct 17, 2008)

I am going to try this out - thanks for the link!
elements 6 does have curve editing, but you can only move 4 points on the curve which are preset and fixed - you can move them any way you like, but you can't pick the points you work with.

also if you using elements 4-6 you can use this version:
http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips/curves-photoshop-elements-4-5.html


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## Steph (Oct 17, 2008)

Overread said:


> I am going to try this out - thanks for the link!
> elements 6 does have curve editing, but you can only move 4 points on the curve which are preset and fixed - you can move them any way you like, but you can't pick the points you work with.
> 
> also if you using elements 4-6 you can use this version:
> http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips/curves-photoshop-elements-4-5.html



The version you linked to is better as it displays the histogram at the same time. Unfortunately it does not work for PSE2.


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## Overread (Oct 17, 2008)

strange - it says on its site that it works for elements 1 through to 6?


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## Steph (Oct 17, 2008)

Overread said:


> strange - it says on its site that it works for elements 1 through to 6?



You are right (I think). I misunderstood. My link is suitable for PSE1-3 and you apply Curves on a separate layer but don't have a histogram. Your link is suitable for all PSEs and you get a histogram but Curves is not applied on a separate layer (if that makes sense).


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## Overread (Oct 17, 2008)

hmm just tested - and if you duplicate your basic starting layer and then apply the filter to that layer it operates just like any other sort of filter - you can adjust it, turn it off (disable the layer) and use a layermask just like with ordinary editing
ps before you ask - layermask tool:
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/pselements/qt/layermasktool.htm


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## Steph (Oct 17, 2008)

Overread said:


> hmm just tested - and if you duplicate your basic starting layer and then apply the filter to that layer it operates just like any other sort of filter - you can adjust it, turn it off (disable the layer) and use a layermask just like with ordinary editing
> ps before you ask - layermask tool:
> http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/pselements/qt/layermasktool.htm



Oh boy... I am so new to this!!! I still have a lot to learn but I think I understand what you are saying.


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## Overread (Oct 17, 2008)

don't worry - I was in your shoes only last year 
just suffice to say layermasks are fantastic things for editing - you will probably see a lot of refrences to their use around the net so its very good to have the feature.


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## kiso (Jul 22, 2011)

Hi! I downloaded and installed everything like the site told me to, however I'm using PSE2 and cannot find the curves selection.

My computer has been restarted and you said that it does work on PSE2- Earthbound Light says to find everything under "Styles and Bins" but PSE2 doesn't have a tab labeled like that so maybe it's just under another secret folder? As I have searched everything I can on PSE2 but cannot find any Earthbound Light..


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## ann (Jul 22, 2011)

perhaps things have changed as this thread is over three years old, and software changes rapidly. Sometimes it feels like every 24 hours


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