Plugin for Photoshop to generate various check layers
Every action will generate a group, which will have a Check layers group and one or two Fix layers. Check layers group will contain one or two adjustment layers to emphasize what you need to check. After you fix what you need, this group can be hidden. Sometimes there's nothing to fix, in such case you can hide the whole check group.
You can also try a free version, which does not generate fix layers and does not include a panel
Main features:
More on each Check Layers group:
This action generates two check layers - "Solarize" and "Desaturate". Both provide clear view of spots and other inconsistencies, but sometimes leaving only solarize layer visible will reveal more unwanted artefacts.
Also a cleanup fix layer will be generated. This layer will be active and a Spot Healing Brush tool will be selected to start removing the dust spots and/or other unwanted particles.
A single luminance layer will be generated, which not simply converts image to black and white, but provides a perceptive luminosity of image colors.
Two curves layers for dodging and burning will be created. Both layers will be in luminosity blend mode and at a 50% opacity, so you can adjust them however you feel right. Both layers are also set up to protect darks and highlights respectively. Dodge layer mask will be active and white brush selected.
Two check layers will be created, which together reveal true image colors.
Two fix layers are also created. Hue/Saturation in color blending mode can help adjusting hue overall by selecting the color range you want to shift. Color balance layer works great if you move it and clip to your composite layer you want to adjust.
Creates a single selective color adjustment layer set up to show the most saturated areas of your image. The brighter the area, the more saturated it is.
Two fix layers will be created to saturate and desaturate the areas you want. Both will be in saturation blending mode and at 50% opacity. Desaturate layer mask will be active and white brush selected.
Will create a five color gradient map to assess the overall distribution of dark and light areas: black (darkest) - blue - magenta - yellow - white (lightest).
Levels in luminosity blend mode fix layer will be created and selected to adjust brightness. Most of the time you'd want image brightness to be distributed more or less evenly and adjusting levels lets you do exactly that.
Posterize black and white layer will be created to reveal the bright and dark areas of the image. Eyes usually notice brightest areas first and then follows the bright path in the image.
Also a grey fix layer will be created to shape bright path. White and black soft brushes can be used to crate a path for the eye to follow.
Levels adjustment check layer will be created to reveal not pure whites. Sometimes very bright areas may appear as white, but actually they are not and this check layer lets you see them.
Also a hidden Levels adjustment layer will be created already set up with blending options to purify whites. This fix layer is very useful if you're preparing your image for print.
* Short tutorial videos coming at some point in the future 🙂
Until I prepare the videos, if you're still not sure what Check Layers are, here are a few recommendations to watch: