Adjustment Layers

Using an adjustment layer, you can edit adjustment layer settings at any time, as many times as you want, without reducing the quality of the original image. That’s because an adjustment layer applies a change without permanently altering any of the underlying layers (Figure 10.3). All of this gives you great flexibility in trying out alternatives and changing your mind without too much hassle. Adjustment layer changes apply only when you create final output, such as saving a JPEG version or printing.

Figure 10.3. An adjustment layer (left) stores its edits separately from the original layer, so you can hide the adjustment layer (right) to disable the edit.

[View full size image]