How to Fix Underexposed Pictures in Photoshop
- 1
Underexposed Photo
Open your picture in Photoshop and examine it to determine which aspects need additional enhancement to bring out the level of clarity and vividness you desire. In the example here, we can see that the dim, gray light has reduced the contrast and color significantly, although the images are in acceptable focus. - 2
Adjusting Contrast
Start by using the Contrast setting to enhance both the light and dark areas in the photo. From the menu bar at top, select "Image," then "Adjust," then "Brightness/Contrast" from the pop-out menu. Adjust the Contrast by dragging the triangular slider to the right. In the example, a setting of +50 was chosen. To see the changes in the photo as you make adjustments, check the small box on the lower right next to "Preview." - 3
Adjust Brightness
Adjust the Brightness setting to lighten up the overall picture. From the menu bar at top, select "Image," then "Adjust," then "Brightness/Contrast" from the pop-out menu. Adjust the Brightness by dragging the triangular slider to the right. In the example here, a setting of +50 was chosen. - 4
Adjust Saturation
Compensate for grayed-out colors by boosting the Saturation of color in the entire photo. From the menu bar at top, select "Image," then "Adjust," then "Hue/Saturation" from the pop-out menu. To see the changes in the photo as you make adjustments, check the small box on the lower right next to "Preview." Adjust the Saturation by dragging the triangular slider to the right. In the example here, a setting of +35 was chosen to bring out the blue of the sky and a cyan tint in the clouds. - 5
Adjust Color Balance
Examine your photo to determine the particular hues of color that you may want to emphasize or lessen. Adjust the Color Balance by choosing "Image" from the menu bar at top, then "Adjust," then "Color Balance" from the pop-out menu. Adjust the Color settings by dragging the triangular sliders either to the right or the left. In the example here, it was decided that shifting the Color Balance to add more Cyan and Red would bring out more naturalistic colors. To see the changes in the photo as you make adjustments, check the small box on the right next to "Preview." - 6
Tweak Brightness and Contrast
Examine your photo once more for a final tweaking of Brightness and Contrast, using the same procedures as in Steps 2 and 3. In the example here, both the Brightness and Contrast were increased to portray sunlight falling on the gulls, set against a bluer sky. The Brightness was set at +35 and the Contrast at +10. - 7
Finished Corrections
Experiment with the settings to determine the effects that you may wish to obtain in your own photo. By saving different versions of your photo, you can easily compare and contrast the effects that different combinations of the settings will have on your particular composition.
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