Add Curves and Channel Mixer to PSE3!

[robwill]

You can add Curves and Channel Mixer to PSE3 by going here:
http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips/photoshop-elements-curves.html
I got this download and they work great!
While you are there check out the rest of his site, lots of nice photos and other info!

[Wendy]

There are several ways of adding these features to Elements ... including one that is free.


Wendy

[robwill]

I did not mention it in my original post, but the download from eathboundlight.com is free also.

[Wendy]

Thanks for that tip ... I didn't spot that it was free.


Wendy

[ChrisWPG]

I tried adding the earthbound add ins into Photoshop elements 3.0 and they worked perfectly.

Thanks alot for the info. I was starting to get annoyed when looking at tutorials that ask to add layer masks and not having the ability to do it.

[MikeH]

...but for those who don't want to add Photoshop tools to PE3, there are workarounds for things like the layer mask and channel mixer. :)

If anyone wants help with these please post. :wink:

There are many workarounds in PE3 for things you only thought possible in full Photoshop 8) :wink: :)

Mike

[Teys]

help! i was able to download it to pse3 into the effects folders (it did show this name: ebl-effects inside pse3) but when i tried to use it, there was nothing inside - no effects to choose.. what did i do wrong? pls. help


confused & clueless :(

teys

[philcoo]

Hi everyone,
I've downloaded the Earthbound Light add-ons and they seem to work great. However I'm not sure how these equivilent tools work in photoshop cs - can anyone help?
I do have a more specific explination which I'm sure will help!
I've been trying to follow a workflow on Infrared Photography provided on this web site:
http://victorpinto.smugmug.com/gallery/407270
I'm fine until I get to step 4, applying the channel mixer. With the add-on in PSE3 it creates a new layer. This can't be edited it seems once it's created. I also can't then carry out step 5, Hue/Saturation on that new layer. If I go back to the background layer the Hue/Saturation is available but the effects aren't the same.
Can anyone show me another way of carrying out the Red/Blue channel swap without creating this new layer with the add-in?
I hope all this makes sense, but appologies if it doesn't!

[Wendy]

Phil,

I am not using the same add on (I'm using Grant's free tools) but the problem is that with CS there are two ways of using the Channel mixer. One is directly on the image itself and the other is via a new layer ... the tutorial uses the first method but the add ons use the second method.

The way round it is to merge down before trying to do the Hue & Sat ..

By the way what does apply a red/blue channel swop mean ??

Wendy

[luckyjon]

Treys Like you Im also confused & clueless. Lets hope someone here can help us.

I followed the download instructions. When opening PSE3 I have in Effects Earthbound and see the new curves button.

But when I try to use it and I get a PSE warning message

Could not complete your request file could not be found

Wish I had left well alone, now what do I need to do?

help please

john

[luckyjon]

Still trying to get it working, on checking although I have made three attempts to delete Previews-Cache-Effects Cache, it deletes, but when I go back again to windows explorer the file back in place again.

Darn I have curves in ACDSee7 why did I get into this mess

Please help me keep my sanity

John

[Wendy]

Jon,

The idea of deleting the cache is so that PSE will regenerate it again ... so that fact that it is there again when you look is fine. It does sound as though the addon hasn't installed correctly in the first place ... but as I don't have the same one I am unable to help as I don't know how it installs. Perhaps you could go back to their site and ask for help.

Just one thougnt ... are you waiting long enough for the cache to regenerate, as it does take a minute or two.

Wendy

[philcoo]

I was confused by the Red/Bue channel swap comment but after a bit of playing I've got it sussed I think. Luckily the workflow showed what effect was supposed to happen at this point so I had a good idea when it was right :wink:
This is what I did:
Drag Channel Mixer over image.
Remove tick from Monochrome box.
Select the Red Output Channel
Change the Red slider to 0%, leave the Green on 0% and put the Blue up to 100%.
If you then change to the Blue Output Channel the opposite will have happened. Red will be 100%, Green and Blue will be 0%.
The image doesn't quite match the workflow so maybe the figures need a bit of playing with - it seems like the image now contains too much Blue which the Hue/Saturation layer isn't able to adjust significantly but I'm getting there!

Regarding the installation of the add on I have to say I followed the instructions had have had no problem what so ever. I haven't however got any other add ons installed - maybe there is a conflict somewhere? I liked the sound of the Earthbound Light add-ons as there was very little/no installation and could easily be removed if they didn't work. Sorry I can't be of more help with this. :(

[Wendy]

Phil,

I guessed at that too ... when people write tutorials I do wish that they would include all the steps !!

I do find the channel mixer useful for all sorts of colour tweaking :)


Wendy

[philcoo]

But that's half the fun getting frustrated! I felt so much better when I worked it out myself rather than just following a set of instruction step by step. I feel I understand it a bit more now.
Another quick question for you Wendy (or anyone else who's about!) When you add the Channel Mixer Layer what mode do you pick? This is one thing I really haven't got my head round being new to Photoshop. I've just been leaving it on Normal with 100% opacity but not sure if that's correct. Also should I be ticking the box to group with previous layer? I know your answer will differ depending on what effect I'm trying to get but at the minute I'm just thinking about the case of Infrared Workflow I've been playing with. One step at a time hey! :lol:

[luckyjon]

hi Wendy
Thank you for your reply.

I managed to get it to work, I deleted and then downloaded a second time.

So now I have got working, now just need to learn how to use the new add-ons

Regards
John

[Wendy]

John,

Glad that you have now managed to sort it out :)

The easiest way to learn how to use the addons is to do a google search for Photoshop Tutorials on that subject. I just tried "Photoshop Tutorial Curves" ... and lots of them came up.


Wendy

[Matt K]

Hey everyone,
Just wanted you to know that our currently shipping issue of the newsletter contains an entire column on how to use these tools (Curves, Channel Mixer, etc...). Subscribers will be able to download ones that we've already created and tested. The column went through a thorough technical review so you'll definitely be able to follow along if you want functionality like this but aren't having any luck getting it to work. So sit tight - the new issue is shipping now so you should have yours very soon. Look for the column - its called "Elements Extras". I'll also make a video on the subscribers website that accompanies this to help follow along in case you need to see it live (or almost live).
Hope this helps.

[Wendy]

Matt,

That is brilliant news ... I'm sure that lots of people will benefit from it!!


Wendy

[Teys]

hey jon,

how do you delete the ebl-add on? Eversince i deleted that preview cache thing i've been getting the msg. "Application failed to launch correctly". I notice this comes out when I open up PSE 3 and it says "reading preferences" and then that msg box pops up. Haven't tried to fix it becoz i might delete something that might mess it up all the more. PSE 3 still works fine, even with that message...



baby steps in PSE 3, :?
teys

[luckyjon]

hi Teys,

I simply went to windows explorer and deleted the new file, then I downloaded again from the link here above. This time I made sure I opened the zip file before closing the download box. Of course you must download it into the right folder. print off the download instructions and follow exactly it worked fine for me the second time around.

Hope that helps you

John