Photoshop Elements >

Burning & Dodging >

Selecting Tones >

Shadows or Highlights Selections

You can easily select shadows or highlights by using a Threshold adjustment layer.

For example, we'll select the brightest areas of the clouds in the photograph below.

Be sure to check off as you go along.

Preparation

1) Preserve your original file.

If you haven't already done so, go to Preserve Your Original File.

2) Create a Background copy layer.

If you haven't already done so, go to Create a Background Copy Layer.

Threshold Adjustment Layer

3) Create a Threshold adjustment layer.

Threshold

Background copy

Background

The Threshold window will open.

The Threshold adjustment layer makes all of the pixels either white or black.

Below, the slider was moved to the right to select the brightest portions of the clouds.

4) Move the slider to the left or right to select shadows or highlights.

5) Click OK  (Pre-8.0).

6) Use the Magic Wand tool to select the bright areas in the clouds.

Set the Tolerance in the options bar to select the entire black area.

Deselect Contiguous in the options bar.

By deselecting Contiguous, all of the white areas are selected.

If Contiguous is selected instead, only the white area that is clicked is selected.

7) Delete the Threshold adjustment layer by dragging it onto the trash can icon.

The marching ants of the selection remain.

8) Go to Select > Feather to feather the selection, if needed.

9) Make changes to the selection, such as:

• Use a Levels adjustment layer to modify the exposure or contrast.

• Create a blank layer, fill the selected area with an almost-white gray with the Brush tool or Paint Bucket tool, and then reduce the the opacity of the layer.

Other Tutorials

The above technique is used in the tutorials below.

Method for Shadows or Highlights Only

Painting Overexposed Areas

Saving the Photograph

If you haven't already done so, go to Saving Files.