With our light levels matched, we can move on to color. Now that we can see the light levels easier, and can see that our subject is a little too light compared to the background, we can use a Levels (or Curves) Adjustment Layer, clipped to the subject, to dial-in the light levels we need to match the environment. Keep in mind that this Black & White Adjustment is not meant to be permanent–once we use other tools to match the lighting of our subject to our background, we can disable or delete it. This will remove color from the equation, making it much easier for our eyes to gauge the differences in light levels from Layer to Layer. So once the subject is in place in the scene, where do we start? Begin by creating a Black & White Adjustment Layer over the top of every element in the Layers Panel. It’s much easier to try and take a cut out subject and then match them to the background lighting. It’s very difficult, and usually impossible, to make the lighting look different in a background that was photographed outside in bright, natural light. One thing to keep in mind when making composites like this is to use your background as the guide for adjusting the light and color. In our example, we’re placing our subject into a new scene and environment. The two types of Check Layers we’ll be working with today are the Black & White Adjustment Layer, and a Solid Color Fill Layer set to the Saturation Blending Mode. Compositors use the term Check Layers to describe and categorize a handful of Adjustment Layers that help us check our work. But you won’t find ‘Check Layers’ listed anywhere in Photoshop. We use Check Layers to help guide our eyes as we dial-in the correct light and color levels. But there are only a few that can help us see things more clearly. From selection tools, to Adjustment Layers, to Blending Modes. There are countless tools in Photoshop that can help us create composite images.
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