The most automatic way to improve photos in Elements is with the Photo Fix Options right here in the Organizer, which you can get to by clicking in the Fix tab in the Task pane on the right side of the Organizer. These are one-click fixes that attempt to correct common photo problems. Because these options are automatic, you don't get a lot of control over the results, but if you're looking for some quick and easy fixes for casual snapshots, you might give these a try. The first step is to select one or more photos that you want to fix in your Media Browser.
I'll click on this photo to select it, and then I want to see it in Single Photo view filling my Media Browser, so I'll double-click on the photo. I think that this photo is a little dark and it could use some improvement to contrast and to color too, so it's a good candidate for the first of the Photo Fix options, Auto Smart Fix. To apply Auto Smart Fix, I'll just click on it here in the Photo Fix Options. And in just a moment, my photo looks better. It has bright whites, it has dark darks, and it has a full range of tones in between.
And the color better reflects what I saw when I took the photograph. So Auto Smart Fix did a great job on this photo, but you should know that the results of Auto Smart Fix aren't always as good on every photo. While Auto Smart Fix tries to fix a lot of things at once, there are some other options over here in Photo Fix that zero in on particular problems. Those options are Auto Color, Auto Levels, and Auto Contrast. To show you Auto Color, I am going to move to the next photo in my Media Browser, by pressing the right arrow key on my keyboard.
This photo has an overall colorcast that I don't want. I think it's too warm or orange, and the color is more saturated than I would like it. To get a more natural look to the photo, I'm going to click Auto Color in the Photo Fix Options, and that's reduced the color cast and reduced the saturation of color, giving the photo a more natural appearance. The next two options--Auto Levels and Auto Contrast--are sometimes handy with a photo like the next one, which I'll access by pressing the right arrow key on my keyboard.
If you have a photo that looks a little dull, like this one, it's usually because the photo doesn't have a full range of tonal values: bright highlights, rich dark shadow areas, and a full range of tones in between. I'll try to fix that by clicking Auto Levels in the Photo Fix Options. That has increased the contrast in this photo, but at the same time, as Auto Levels sometimes does, it has shifted the colors in the photo, so they don't look the way that I remembered them. So I'm going to try Auto Contrast on another copy of the same photo, which I happen to have in my Media Browser.
To get to that second copy, I'll press the right arrow key on my keyboard again. So here's the uncorrected original. Let's try Auto Contrast by clicking it here in the Fix tab. I like this result a lot better. It increased the contrast without shifting the color like Auto Levels did. I'll press the left arrow key on my keyboard to go back and see the Auto Levels result again. There is Auto Levels, and then if I press the right arrow key, there's Auto Contrast. There are a few other options here in Photo Fix, which I'm going to cover in the next movie, but first, I want to remind you of a few things about the Photo Fix Options.
First, Photo Fix automatically saves a copy of the adjusted photo for you, so there's no need to explicitly save after you apply any of these Photo Fix Options. Also, Photo Fix Options can't be undone. And third, Photo Fix Options are cumulative. So if you don't like an option that you've applied, clicking another option isn't going to fix the problem; it's just going to pile another correction on top of the first. That's okay, because I'm going to show you a workaround for changing Photo Fix Options later in this chapter.
Author
Released
3/12/2012- Importing photos from a camera, computer, or iPhoto library
- Adding keyword tags and ratings to photos
- Automatically tagging people
- Organizing photos into albums
- Renaming and moving photos
- Correcting common photo problems automatically
- Retouching photos of friends and family
- Adjusting lighting and color
- Working with layers and layer masks
- Converting photos to black-and-white
- Cropping and straightening photos
- Adding text to photos
- Working with raw photos
- Making a slideshow
- Ordering prints
Skill Level Beginner
Duration
Views
Related Courses
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Introduction
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Welcome54s
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Getting around Elements6m 9s
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Using the exercise files4m 44s
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1. Bringing Photos into the Organizer
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Touring the Organizer5m 35s
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2. Viewing Photos in the Organizer
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Working in Thumbnail view4m 10s
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Viewing photo information3m 36s
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3. Organizing Photos in the Organizer
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Organizing keyword tags4m 25s
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Automatically tagging people8m 21s
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Creating smart albums5m 52s
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4. Finding Photos with the Organizer
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Finding duplicate photos4m 50s
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Searching by text5m 59s
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Exploring the Find menu4m 27s
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5. Managing Photos with the Organizer
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Deleting photos4m 30s
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Renaming photos2m 24s
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Moving photos3m 58s
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Reconnecting missing files4m 37s
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Changing photo dates4m 29s
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Backing up2m 43s
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6. Getting Started with Editing
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7. Working in Guided Edit
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8. Working in Quick Edit
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Correcting color4m 20s
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Sharpening images3m 10s
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Saving in Quick Edit3m 52s
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9. Working in Full Edit
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Customizing panels5m 10s
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Undoing your work6m 22s
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Zooming and navigating4m 41s
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Creating a file from scratch2m 57s
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10. Working with Layers
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Understanding layers7m 3s
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Tips for working with layers4m 25s
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Understanding layer masks6m 55s
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11. Working with Selections
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Understanding selections6m 49s
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Using manual selection tools4m 42s
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Modifying selections4m 20s
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Refining selections4m 50s
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Saving selections2m 8s
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12. Touching Up Photos
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13. Correcting Photos
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Adjusting part of a photo6m 16s
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Removing a color cast2m 11s
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Reducing noise3m 53s
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Sharpening images6m 43s
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Processing multiple photos8m 19s
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14. Changing Photo Size and Composition
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Cropping photos5m 35s
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Straightening photos2m 35s
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Adding canvas around photos2m 43s
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15. Building Photo Composites
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16. Adding and Formatting Text
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Creating text6m 22s
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Editing text3m 49s
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Creating text around a shape3m 51s
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17. Adding Special Effects
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Applying filters5m 24s
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Adding effects2m 6s
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Adding layer styles7m 38s
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Making shapes5m 17s
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Using the Cookie Cutter tool2m 18s
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18. Working in Camera Raw
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Understanding Camera Raw3m 35s
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The Camera Raw interface5m 16s
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Cropping and straightening2m 13s
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Reducing Noise2m 24s
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Sharpening6m 46s
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Outputting from Camera Raw4m 43s
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19. Making Photo Creations
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Creating a photo book6m 50s
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Completing the photo book10m 5s
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Creating a photo calendar8m 19s
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20. Sharing Your Photos
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Printing photos8m 30s
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21. Extending Elements with Online Services
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Signing up for an Adobe ID2m 20s
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Conclusion
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Goodbye40s
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Video: Autocorrecting with the Organizer's Photo Fix options