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This tutorial covers the technique of applying levels to each and every picture you bring onto your PC

The techniques we use here are simple, yet vital for quality photography. We don't always have perfect conditions in which to take our pictures and often when we get them back home on the computer they just don't look like they did when we took them. Quite often it is because the image lacks the correct range of tones and/or the colour balance is not right. This affects the impact and appeal of a picture and sometimes despite the image content being good, the picture is passed over for something more appealing.

Well, before you do that too often and right off the image as no good, try the levels palette. Every picture that you bring onto your computer either via a digital camera, flatbed scanner or film scanner should be checked in Photoshop's levels palette. Here we introduce you to this essential part of digital photography and show you in a practical way how levels are used and what effect they can have on our images.

Below you can see examples of what the levels can achieve if applied correctly. The image below was taken into the light that has killed all the contrast in the bottom right section. Levels brings it back in seconds.

This image was taken in the bright sunshine of the Mediterranean, but looking at the top left you would hardly think so. Levels puts it right.

The skyscape lost all its colour as well as the contrast, but the levels palette is the answer.