Brush the Contrast adjustment on an image

You use the Contrast Quick Brush adjustment to modify the contrast in a specific area of an image.

Figure. Image before and after a Contrast Quick Brush adjustment.

Note: You can also apply a Contrast adjustment by brushing the Enhance adjustment on an image. However, brushing the Enhance adjustment on an image applies the Contrast, Definition, Saturation, Vibrancy, and Tint parameter settings. You use the Quick Brush equivalents when you need to apply each of these adjustments in different ways to different parts of the photo. For more information about the Enhance adjustment, see Adjust contrast, clarity, and saturation.

Selectively adjust contrast in an image

  1. Select a photo.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • In the Adjustments inspector or the Adjustments pane of the Inspector HUD, choose Quick Brushes > Contrast from the Add Adjustment pop-up menu.

    • In the tool strip, choose Contrast from the Quick Brush pop-up menu .

    The Contrast Brush HUD appears, and the Contrast adjustment controls appear in the Adjustments inspector and the Adjustments pane of the Inspector HUD, if both are shown.

  3. Specify the brush stroke settings using the controls in the Contrast Brush HUD.

    For more information, see Apply Quick Brush adjustments and Work with brush strokes.

  4. Brush the adjustment on the area of the image where you want to change the contrast.

Modify the Contrast adjustment after it has been applied to an image

  1. Select a photo with the Contrast adjustment applied to it.

  2. In the Contrast area of the Adjustments inspector or the Adjustments pane of the Inspector HUD, use the Amount parameter controls to modify the strength of the adjustment.

    Figure. Controls in the Contrast area of the Adjustments inspector.