exposure alternative?

[magenta01]

hi,
there isn’t any exposure available as an adjustment layer when creating work as CMYK.

what is the alternative? curves?

i’ve tried brightness and levels and they don’t have the same effect as exposure on RGB work.

thanks

 

[thebestcpu]

Hi @magenta01
Yes it can be fine with either a Curves Adjustment Layer or Levels Adjustment Layer
For Curves adjustment Layer, to increase exposure, take the upper right corner adjustment point and move it along the top to the left. For decreasing exposure, start in the upper right adjustment point and drag straight down along the right edge.
This is the same as the exposure slider with the same issues. In increasing exposure you can clip the highlights if not careful.
Hope this helps
John wheeler

 

[thebestcpu]

Hi @magenta01
I have a correction on my last post and also an even better alternative.
First, when in CMYK and using the Curves Adjustment Layer, I forgot that the operation is inverted with in CMYK. So when using the Curves Adjustments in the CMKY Color Mode you need to move the adjustment point in the lower left corner instead of the upper right corner.

However, upon examining the transfer curves when doing this in CMYK, that caused some color shifts and not just tonal shifts. So here is a better way.

In CMYK collect the Layer(s) where you want an exposure adjustment and turn them into a Smart Object.
Double click the Smart Ojbect and change the Color mode to RGB
Then you are allowed to add the Exposure Adjustment Layer and change as you desired.
You save the opened Smart Object (it is marked as a PSB file
Optionally close that PSB file and make sure the active document is the original CMYK document with the Smart Object. The opened Smart Object and Exposure Adjsutment Layer are sutomatically converted back to CMYK.
Note: I suggest it would be best to use 16 bit mode when moving between color modes (and therefore also color spaces) to preserve the best fidelity.

With this second technique you get to use the normal adjustment Layers that you normally could not use in CMYK

Hope you line this second alternative.
John Wheeler