Quick Tip: Using Photoshop Check Layers For Better Retouching

Here is a useful idea, using Photoshop’s adjustment layers for quickening and improving retouching.

While usually adjustment layers are used for… how should I put it… adjusting, Calvin Hollywood shows a different way of using them. Rather than use adjustments layers to tweak the photo, he uses them as temporary ‘check layers’. Those layers are actually your ordinary adjustment layers, but taken to extreme to reveal otherwise hard to find flaws in retouching.

Here are two examples from the video:

1. By adding a channel mixer adjustment check layer and pulling the red slider back while pushing the blue slider makes it really easy to find skin flaws to retouch. (See the image at the top of the post)

2. Adding a levels adjustment check layer and darkening it helps finding dust on a gray background.

This is it, sweet & simple today.

[Checklayer in Photoshop via Regina Pagles (BTW, Regina’s photography is just awesome, check her out)]