PS curves problem: Normally moving the curve to the upper left lightens the image. All of a sudden it is making it darker. What did I do, and how do I fix it? Thanks.

daldds Loc: NYC

Normally moving the curve to the upper left lightens the image. All of a sudden it is making it darker. What did I do, and how do I fix it?

Thanks.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Send a print screen of your editor.

Ysarex Loc: St. Louis

daldds wrote:

Normally moving the curve to the upper left lightens the image. All of a sudden it is making it darker. What did I do, and how do I fix it?

Thanks.

The PS Curves dialog toggles between light/ink and that flips the way the Curves tool works. You just accidentally clicked the toggle -- click it back.

TomHackett Loc: Kingston, New York

daldds wrote:

Normally moving the curve to the upper left lightens the image. All of a sudden it is making it darker. What did I do, and how do I fix it?

Thanks.

You may be in CMYK mode. That would cause what you're seeing. Think of it as adding ink, whereas in RGB mode you're adding light. Note also that the bars on the left and bottom of the curves histogram are reversed.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Ysarex wrote:

The PS Curves dialog toggles between light/ink and that flips the way the Curves tool works. You just accidentally clicked the toggle -- click it back.

Ok, can you show or explain where that is because I have been searching and I do not see a 'toggle' other than
- link to layer below (permanent)
- Before/after (temporary)
- Reset (2 steps)
- Visibility (on/off)
- Trash

On the mask option I do not see any toggle that would do what is described by the op.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

TomHackett wrote:

You may be in CMYK mode. That would cause what you're seeing. Think of it as adding ink, whereas in RGB mode you're adding light. Note also that the bars on the left and bottom of the curves histogram are reversed.

This seems to be the explanation. I tried it you are right.

daldds Loc: NYC

Sounds easy. The only problem is that I don’t know where to look for the toggle. Maybe because I’ve never used it.

And while I have you on the phone here, in LR The image gets smaller when I click on it rather than larger. The cursor has a minus in it, not a plus. Since they both happened at the same time, I thought they were related. No?

daldds Loc: NYC

Would it be possible for you to put up a screenshot with your cursor on the “toggle“ about which you are writing?
Thanks.

tcthome Loc: NJ

daldds wrote:

Sounds easy. The only problem is that I don’t know where to look for the toggle. Maybe because I’ve never used it.

And while I have you on the phone here, in LR The image gets smaller when I click on it rather than larger. The cursor has a minus in it, not a plus. Since they both happened at the same time, I thought they were related. No?

I guess your using LR Classic. I use LR6 but imagine it would be about the same. In LR , the upper left you should see (under the file , edit, etc., drop down menus) the words fit, fill & numbers, 1:1, 1:2, etc. These will change the size of your photo when you zoom. Hope this helps.

DennisC. Loc: Antelope, CA

Are you working on a gray scale image? It’s reversed for gray scale.

daldds Loc: NYC

Today it's fine, but I hadn't changed anything to reverse it or reverse it back. One of life's sweet mysteries, I guess. Go figure.