Now we're going to set the white point.

Create another adjustment layer for the white point. Remember, Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Curves.

When the curves dialog opens, double-click on the white eyedropper, and set the values for white at R247G247B247.

Making sure the white point eyedropper is still seleccted, click on the 2nd marker that you left, on the man's shirt.

Again, click OK in the curves dialog, and save the new target colors as default.

It's looking much better, eh?

What we've done so far is to make sure that this image is using the full range of values that are available: from black to white.

But we can do better.

Take a look at the curves dialog here. There is a line running at 45°. This is the curve. When it's straight it's telling you that what goes in, is what comes out. The curve is not changing any values.

The most basic concept in curves is that you want the steepest part of the curve to be in the area of interest. Contrast gets our attention. But in order to steepen the curve in one section, it has to be flattened in another. So all moves in curves come at a cost. You are drawing attention to one area at the expense of another.

In the case of this image, the focus of our interest is the man's face. So that is where we want to have the most contrast.

I've place markers on his face to show the shadow and highlights of his face. This is where I would make my adjustments. You don't need to place markers, as I did; they are there just for illustration.

What you do want to do is open up a new curves adjustment layer. With curves open, cmd-click (ctl-click, PC) on the two points that you want to target. They should be at the dark and light ends of the range that you want to add contrast to. In this case, the shadow and highlight of his cheek.

So now you've got two new points in your curve.

All you need to do now is to make the line between the two steeper. Experiment with it, and see what looks good to you.

This type of a curve is called an S Curve, for it's shape. It's the most basic of curves.

The top point in my curves here is the cheek highlight, and the lower on is the shadow of the cheek. By making the shadow a little darker (draggin it down) and the highlight a little lighter (dragging it up), I've increased the contrast in the tonal range of the man's face.

And here's the result.

Better, eh?

Here's an animated toggle to show you how far we've come from the start.

The compression that I had to do to animate it is evident, but you still get the idea!

As you go along, it helps to label your work in a way that you will understand if you ever come back to the file at a later date.

Here are my layers that I created for this tutorial, as an example.

You can discuss or ask questions about this tutorial on Digital Grin.