Photos can make or break a website. Good photos aren’t always something you have  when designing a website. It’s good to know some little tricks to make bad photos, at least, look a little better. Using levels in Photoshop is a great way to increase contrast and brighten color on a photo, whether they are your own or they are all the client could come up with.

1. Getting Started

Choose a photo to work with. I shot this one of my wife. As you can see, it’s a little flat, it needs a little contrast.

2. Levels

To open the levels dialog goto Image > Adjustments > Levels (command + L). From here you have your images histogram. Below that are three little triangles one black, one grey, and one white. You want to grab the white one and slide it towards the center. While sliding you want to pay attention to the lighter areas of your image. Stop the triangle just before you start losing detail in the lighter areas of your image.

Now grab the middle triangle, the grey one. Start sliding it towards the white triangle. This time pay attention to the darkest areas of your image. You want to slide it untill you start losing detail within these areas. Hit OK, you’re done!

3. Enjoy

The difference is subtle, but worth it.