Photo Color
Correction
Adobe Photoshop Tutorial
Curves

The second Adjustment Layer in the Photoshop color
management control panel is Curves.
I only used to use Levels (Auto Levels), Curves (Auto),
and Brightness/Contrast. If they helped, I would use
them; if not, I didn't. Those were brain-dead functions:
Photoshop did almost all the work -- virtually no skill
or training was required.
One specific area that others teach or emphasize for
photo color correction but I don't is Curves. In fact,
almost every color correction tutorial I have seen
mentions or teaches Curves.
I find Curves to be awkward and annoying. It doesn't
offer the level of control I want. It is different from
all the other color editing tools. It is the only
Photoshop color correction control panel that doesn't use
sliders.

More importantly, it looks as if there is nothing
Curves can accomplish that cannot be accomplished faster
and more easily with the other Photoshop color correction
tools.
I get results without Curves. Sometimes, I'll use all
the other Adjustment Layers, get a much better looking
image, and return to Curves, to see if it can get better.
Most every time, using Curves only makes it worse.
I don't know for sure when Curves was introduced, i.e.,
which version of Photoshop first had Curves. I am
guessing Curves was one of the earliest color editing
tools, with Levels and Brightness/Contrast, and that it
was added before other color editing tools, like
Selective Color Options.
Although I don't like Curves, I usually try it every
time I am trying to correct a photo, using the Auto
setting. This is quick and simple. If it improves the
image, I'll use it; otherwise, I don't, and just move on
to the next Adjustment Layers.
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