FIXING WASHED-OUT IMAGES

There are a number of ways to improve washed-out images using Photoshop 5. This method uses the Multiply blend mode in the Layers palette.

STEP 1: Go to the File menu and Open the image you want to work on. Under the Image menu, select Mode and in the pop-up menu that appears, make sure there is a checkmark next to RGB Color (for color images) or Grayscale (for black & white images). If there is a checkmark next to Indexed Color, CMYK or any of the other modes in the menu, convert to RGB color (or Grayscale for black & white images) by scrolling down the list, and clicking on the mode you want.

This photo of an Acoma pot, for example, needs help:

STEP 2: Make sure that the Layers palette is visible. If it is not, click once on a palette tab that says Layers, or go to the Window menu and select Show Layers.

STEP 3: Select the entire image: Select menu > All
or use the keyboard shortcut: Command A (Control A for Windows)

STEP 4: Copy the selection: Edit menu > Copy
or use the keyboard shortcut: Command C (Control C for Windows)

STEP 5: Now you will create a new layer which is essentially a copy of your original image.

Paste the selection: Edit menu > Paste
or use the keyboard shortcut: Command V (Control V for Windows)

Look what happens to the Layers palette. There are now two thumbnails of your image — one called Layer 1 (which is the copy of the image that you just made) and another called Background (which is your original image):

STEP 6: In the Layers palette, click on the little triangle immediately to the right of the box that says Normal. The Blend Mode pop-up menu should appear. Scroll down and select Multiply:

The settings in the Blend Mode pop-up window allow you to blend layers together in different ways. Using Multiply, darker tones in Layer 1 are multiplied, darkening the image.

However, if you find the effects of applying Multiply too severe, just slide the Opacity slider in the Layers palette to the left (click on the little triangle and a slider will appear) until you get the results you want.

STEP 7: When you are finished, you must merge the layers together in order to save the image in any graphic file format (TIFF, JPEG, etc.) other than Photoshop's native file format. To do this, go to the Layer menu and select Flatten Image.

Here is the before and after of the Acoma pot: