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I've been searching for information on how to use curves properly but need your advice!
When the curves graph is on the screen how do I know where to put the cursor to start changing the image or is it just guesswork? If I make a blunder (quite likely, at this stage!)how do I put the image back to how it was in order to start again?
If anybody can recommend any links to tutorials about how to use curves, I would be most grateful.
Second question, I've got a 30 day trial version of CS2 at the moment. If I use it to process any images will my 'proper' copy of PSE3 be able to read the file after my 30day trial has run out?
Thanks
Trudy
You can also select exact points on the curve by Cntl + left click on a particular part of your image. Additonally, you can alter the RGB channels separately.
Curves is a great and flexible tool, but using it well takes lots of practice.
If you edit images in CS2, PSE 3 will only support aspects of the image that are supported by the program, so if you add things to it that aren't available in PSE 3, and keep it as a PSD file, you might have problems. If you save as a tiff, you won't.
Jo
Quote: If I make a blunder (quite likely, at this stage!)how do I put the image back to how it was in order to start again
This is simple just ALT click on the cancel button and it becomes a reset which will cancel out any adjustments you have made so you can try it again, or you could just cancel and not apply it at all. If you have already applied it then just delete the adjustment layer (hopefully you are working on an adjustment layer). If you flatten your image in CS2 then PSE 3 should be able to read it.
Tony
Quote: If I make a blunder (quite likely, at this stage!)how do I put the image back to how it was in order to start again
To add to Tony's reply as well, I always work on a copy of the original image and work on that, rather than risking totallly screwing the image up....
Ade
Or use a curves layer which you can keep adjusting ad infinitum, even if you close the image down and come back to it later, or trash it if you no longer want it.
Adjustment layers are probably one of the most useful things in PS and well worth learning about.
Kris.
I hope you have an editing programme with Adjustment layers. PSP/PS/Elements ... possibly others but I have not found them.
When you use Adjustment Layer > Curves all your changes are made in the AL and your original is not touched/ altered until you merge the layers at the end of the process .... you do not have to merge and I usually file both layers and image as a .psd or .pspimage file.
If you think you made a boo-boo with one layer you can hide it and repeat the process with another AL>Curves ... as many as you care I gather up to about 100 layers 
Then by hiding and showing each layer you can eventually decide which treatment you like. You can also have for instance an AL>Curves, AL>Saturation [to desaturation a colour shot to B&W] and perhaps also an AL>Brightness and contrast, using just the contrast perhaps to increase that.
Other tools in the AL menu is the threshold tool which can be used, as also the Bright/contrast layer, to increase the contrast of the subject relative to the background for a selection of it with magic wand. Having got the selection you simply delete the AL which helped you.
Without doubt there are other ways of doing things, there usually are :-( , so play with ALs ... they are the best thing since sliced bread and separate the REAL editing programmes from the also rans. They are the most used tool in my computer with hardly a shot not needing some little or great adjustment with their help.
PS. I NEVER work on a copy of my picture. My original is safely stored away in my Archive folder so the image I'm working on is in the 'working' part of my computer in an appropriate folder for what it is.
I guess that IS working on a copy but not the way the books tell you, and saves all the rigmarole of making a copy and deleteing the original etc.
Files coming from camera are first COPY to Archive and then MOVE to an appropriate folder. That is using Windows Explorer in XP [or W2K but not earlier versions]. The second MOVE clears the storage card for further use, either in the camera or by card reader.
Trudy get a copy of the hidden power tools book and it will add the ability to have curves via an adjustment layer for Elements.
Try http://hiddenelements.com for details. Its not the full photoshop tool kit but it gives me all the ones I wanted. Its 20 but worth it I think.
PPS ... when I talked of using Curves, Contrast, Desaturation ... they are all layers on one picture.
Other useful features are to group various layers together ... it can get infernally complicated ... but if you get really confused I simply delete all the ALs and startover
You are saying elements doesn't have adjustment layers?
Surely for 20 pounds you are well on the way to getting a decent editing programme like PSP which then compliments what you have in Elements. I rarely use PS ... but then others will say the opposite .. depends on what you started on PSP is a heck of a lot freindlier than PS.
Funny thing is that PS doesn't recognise .psp or .pspimage but PSP recognises .psd. So when swoping files between the programmes I work in .psd
Well if it aint got curves it aint worth having
Onviously a con if it is sold with things switched off and you have to spend more to switch them on .... I've only seen Elements from a distance and it looked quite nice, better than PS for ease of use.
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