curves in PS elements 4?
 

Have previously had the impression that elements had pretty well everything there is in full PS, but looking for CURVES, I can't find. Anyone know if/where they lurk?:confused:

I won't object to full lecture on their use either!:D

PS Elements has never had Curves, you will have to settle for second best and use Levels :)

thanks Stephen; it is not quite that desperate, I have curves in my ancient but user-friendly mac prog 'Color-it', just it has only had 1 quick port to OSX in 4 years and transfer of images to-and-from other progs is not quite as seamless as I would like. Following a techies buy-out it will no doubt come up to scratch soon.

You can get plug ins (3rd party) but I can't remember where.I had a free plug in once but my computer died and I lost it. :(

Check this out http://free.pages.at/easyfilter/curves.html

Thanks, have you tried it?

Nope, but then I don't use Elements4 and therefore I have no need of it. I only offer it as a suggestion and an example of what a 1min Google can find. Have to say though that on glancing through the web page it looked a pretty comprehensive Curves plugin, and as it appears to free I would definately give it a go.

Looks like some interesting reading following your link & suggestions Stephen and nice to even see something for Mac OS, though all of $25 (in case I am not only mac user on the forum, but probably am)

http://hiddenelements.com/elements4_tools.html

You can't go wrong with this one..the best free curves plugin for Elements, I reccomend it to all my students.and belive I put a link to it before in this forum :)

http://free.pages.at/easyfilter/curves.html

crafty

PS I would also recomend this for Elements for as it will save you having to use a clipping layer to accomplish the same thing.
http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/pse...layermasks.htm

Slightly off topic but..

In levels there is the "threshold" mode accessed by holding the Alt/Opt key while adjusting the shadow & highlight points so you can see where the image is clipping.

Is there an equivalent that can be used with the native curves tool is PS to see where the image might be clipping?

No there is not a simple method like that. Adobe think that if you are knowlagable enough to use curves then the input and output figures with the ability to set points on the curve should be enough.

You can get round it to display the clipping points like levels by using a Curves adjustment layer grouped with the original image and a threshold adjustment layer sitting on top....Alternatively use the curves plugin I posted as this displays the clipping points for highlight and shadows and also as the advantage of you being able to select multiple nuetral points as well:)

Thanks for this Crafty - downloaded and ready to play !

You might like to download Adobe Lightroom beta for free, Available for PC & Mac at http://www.adobe.com/go/labs_gnav_home

I have been playing with this for a while & am very impressed so far, It has curves & a huge array of features & is very user friendly
There are some bugs & glitches but these are to be expected from a beta version

Well worth a look

Regards Bish. :)

more thanks to everyone for nice suggestions,:) unfortunately still back to square 1 as Lightroom only runs on Mac OS10.4 and I am still dragging my heels with 10.3.9, which is mainly worse than 10.2.8. It really bugs me how the large software houses gang up to keep trying to get us to upgrade things that work perfectly well already by this failure to keep compatbility, especially Apple, who until they grabbed the Ipod generation, always made everything, even real oldies, compatible:p :p. Prefer to pay $30 to an independent.