PSE7 Levels vs. Shadow/Highlights

[lvcrtrs]

PSE7
What is the difference between adjusting the light and dark areas of a photo using the "Levels" feature and the "Shadow/Highlights" feature? Is one more benificial? I tried to use levels a lot for awhile and must have gone too far even though the histogram looked ok as many times the pictures would look kind of flat.

And let me ask about curves. Is that a feature you just fool with and see what you like or is there a bit of an easy to understand help piece to allow me to start to fuss with it with some idea of what I am actually doing?

Just trying to move forward. There's enough in PSE7 for the casual user to keep them busy for some time in the learning realm.

Thanks to all.

 

[Big Mike]

Instant Photoshop

Curves

 

[KmH]

PSE7
What is the difference between adjusting the light and dark areas of a photo using the "Levels" feature and the "Shadow/Highlights" feature? Is one more benificial? I tried to use levels a lot for awhile and must have gone too far even though the histogram looked ok as many times the pictures would look kind of flat.

And let me ask about curves. Is that a feature you just fool with and see what you like or is there a bit of an easy to understand help piece to allow me to start to fuss with it with some idea of what I am actually doing?

Just trying to move forward. There's enough in PSE7 for the casual user to keep them busy for some time in the learning realm.

Thanks to all.

Levels can be used as a adjustment layer but Shadow/Highlights can't. Shadow/highlights is more akin to Curves than Levels but unless I'm mistaken PSE7 doesn't have Curves.

The main use of Shadows/Highlights is to try and recover blocked shadows.

 

[lvcrtrs]

Big Mike and KMH, thank you so much for the info.

There is a curves function in PSE7
Enhance-Adjust Color-Adjust Color Curves

 

[KmH]

Yep, there it is. I have PSE7, it came included with the last pen tablet I got from Wacom. I've never actually used it. I should, just to be more familiar with it.

The Curves in PSE7 is a very much simplified version of the Curves in CS4. One of the reasons CS4 costs more.