What are the long steps for Ctrl+Alt+~ (tilde)

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

04/13/2005 12:45:56 PM · #1

I'm using a Mac with a Swedish keyboard. It seems like something with the layout makes the tilde key not behave the way Photoshop intends it to. When I try to follow Robert's steps in this thread, nothing happens. I also have read the recommended tutorial here, but the author uses the same mysterious key combination.

What I'd like to do is be able to follow the tutorial and Robert's trick, but using the long menu steps instead of the shortcut keys.

Does anyone know the long steps in Photoshop CS for Ctrl+Alt+~ (PC) or Command+Option+~ (Mac)?

I've searched in Photoshop help as well as Google, Adobe, and all the usual places. That's why I feel justified in coming to you all, who I know can always help out with this kind of difficult question. Thanks!

cpurser

Canon EOS-5D

04/13/2005 12:49:25 PM · #2

I don't have PS in front of me, but I *think* you can do this:

Select->Color Range

And then in the drop down box, select Highlights.

-Chad

04/13/2005 01:08:05 PM · #3

Originally posted by cpurser:

I don't have PS in front of me, but I *think* you can do this:

Select->Color Range

And then in the drop down box, select Highlights.

-Chad

You can. It allows for Highlights, Midtones and Shadows to be selected out of the image. This will certainly work, and allows for a seclection based on the range split into thirds instead halves as the Ctrl-Atl-~ command does.

If you need exactly half the range, or any other division for that matter, the threshold command together with the Select/Color Range menu option to select any division. It is even possible to add, subtract and intersect the selections created with another to create a selection of just the range you want.

David

Message edited by author 2005-04-13 13:09:44.

04/14/2005 01:46:38 AM · #4

Another method I thought of while at work today. If you don't need the actual selection, but just need a change to apply to a certain range of tones -- make the change on a seperate layer and in the Blending Options dialog slide the Blend if Grey sliders for the top layer to include only the tones desired.

This isn't an exact replacement, but may work better than the other methods for some tasks.

David

Message edited by author 2005-04-14 01:47:22.

04/14/2005 12:31:42 PM · #5

Thanks for all the help, David and cpurser. Select -> Color Range is somewhere I've never been before, and now that I'm there, I'm afraid I might be dangerous. It's really easy to follow the tutorial I mentioned now.

Your last suggestion, about choosing a certain range of tones, making the change on a new layer, and Blend if Grey confused me, though. I messed around some with it, but just enough to see that I clearly don't get it :-) In that method, do you "select" the range of tones with the Select - color range and then make a new layer with that selection? The changes made by the "Blend if Grey" sliders are only visible if I make all the other layers invisible. (Not sure you understand what I mean, but maybe someone will)

All of the suggestions you made seem like fun and easy - once a person understands them - ways to play with the tonal range.

04/14/2005 12:35:06 PM · #6

Originally posted by Britannica:

If you need exactly half the range, or any other division for that matter, the threshold command together with the Select/Color Range menu option to select any division. It is even possible to add, subtract and intersect the selections created with another to create a selection of just the range you want.

David

Oops, here's one more thing I played around with and don't really "get" yet. I probably just need to keep experimenting, but if you have any examples, that would be great!

04/14/2005 02:25:27 PM · #7

Originally posted by puzzled:

...Your last suggestion, about choosing a certain range of tones, making the change on a new layer, and Blend if Grey confused me, though. I messed around some with it, but just enough to see that I clearly don't get it :-) In that method, do you "select" the range of tones with the Select - color range and then make a new layer with that selection? The changes made by the "Blend if Grey" sliders are only visible if I make all the other layers invisible. (Not sure you understand what I mean, but maybe someone will) ...

To see clearly what it does, perform the following steps.

1: create a new blank image (any size will do, just make it a size you can comfortably work with).

2: duplicate that layer (right-click the layer in the layers pallet) and name it 'gradient'.

You should now have two layers that are the same solid color (white if at the default, but any color will do).

3: select the gradient tool (it might default to a grey to white gradient, but we want black to white, so select that from the drop down box).

4: select the gradient layer (if not already selected) and click-drag the gradient tool acrossed it -- creating a gradient from black to white.

5: bring up the 'Blending Options' dialog box (right-click layer in layer pallet or by menus, Layer/Layer Style/Blending Options...).

6: now your all set to see what the 'Blend if..' sliders do, just slide the current layer slide (it effects the layer selected, which should still be the gradient layer) and slide the sliders on either end towards the middle.

If I was clear in my example, you should see clearly what the 'Blend if...' sliders do -- simpley put, they determine how much of the layers are used while blending the layers together.(both current and the lower layer, on seperate sliders).

There is more that can be done with the 'Blend if...' sliders, but the help topic does a good job of explaining what to tools do.

Your other question will take a bit more to answer, so it will have to wait until I get back from work.

David

LEONJR

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

04/14/2005 02:28:44 PM · #8

I was wondering the same thing when i was reading Improving shadow and highlight tutorial

04/14/2005 02:54:56 PM · #9

David, that was an extremely good and simple lesson! It never occurred to me to play with non-image layers to try and understand what's happening. The gradient worked well for me to practice other blending choices as well as the Blend if Grey.

Thanks so much!

04/16/2005 05:25:43 AM · #10

Originally posted by puzzled:

Originally posted by Britannica:

If you need exactly half the range, or any other division for that matter, the threshold command together with the Select/Color Range menu option to select any division. It is even possible to add, subtract and intersect the selections created with another to create a selection of just the range you want.

David

Oops, here's one more thing I played around with and don't really "get" yet. I probably just need to keep experimenting, but if you have any examples, that would be great!

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you on this.

The threshold adjustment layer filters the tones into the two extremes of white and black. The threshold is determined by the slider in the threshold dialog box -- those tones to the left of the threshold are made black; those to the right, white. The default location for the slider is in the middle, providing the same division as the ctrl-alt-~ command does.

To turn the threshold into a selection any of several selection tools can by used, including the Select/Color Range - Highlight/Shadow menu options. (The tones are all either black or white now, so they are all highlights or shadows). The selection can also be made quite easily with the magic wand selection tool -- and many other methods. Once the selection is made, the threshold is no longer needed so it can be deleted or removed from view.

Like I mentioned above, this allows for the 50% division the tutorial called for -- even though the highlights/shadows will likely work for most purposes. Look at the selections made from the various methods when applied to the same gradient (created in the example earlier). Doing so will allow you to select the method that best suits your purpose.

Once a selection is made, it can be saved to an alpha channel and added as a mask to any layer your working with. This leads to being able to combine selections with layer masks to create a new selection. The capabilities in doing this are as follows:

* Add layer mask to selection: All pixels selected by either the layer mask or the current selection are now selected in a new selection.
* Subtract layer mask from selection: All pixels selected by the layer mask and also selected in the current selection are removed from the new selection. Or, said another way, only those pixels selected by the current selection and NOT the selected by the layer mask are selected in a new selection.
* Intersect layer mask with selection: Only those pixels that are selected by both the layer mask and the current selection become a part of the new selection.

It is important to note that although we have been talking about selections based on tone, the above discussion on layer masks applies equally to those selections made based on pixel location -- and both selection methods can be used together if needed.

I hope that cleared up your puzzled state, but if not just let me know.

David