In Adobe Photoshop, channels are a way to store and manipulate color information in an image. Each channel represents a particular color component, such as red, green, or blue (RGB), or brightness (grayscale). Channels can also be used to create masks and selections, allowing you to isolate and edit specific parts of an image. In this tutorial, I will be using Adobe Photoshop 2021, but any version of Photoshop will be able to perform these actions.
Viewing Channels
Step 1: Open Adobe Photoshop, and load up an image. Go to the Window menu on the top menu bar.
Step 2: Click on Channels.
Step 3: The Channels tab appears on the right. Click the “eye” icon beside every color and view the different color components, with which you can edit specific parts of the image by isolating them.
Adjusting Individual Channels
In Adobe Photoshop, you can adjust the levels or curves of individual channels to change the overall color balance and contrast of an image. To adjust the levels of an individual channel:
Step 1: Select the specific channel that you want to adjust from the channels list.
Step 2: Go to Image > Adjustments > Levels (Ctrl+L) or Image > Adjustments > Curves (Ctrl+M).
Step 3: Use the sliders or tools in the Levels or Curves dialog box to adjust the brightness and contrast of the selected channel.
Step 4: You can also make selections using individual channels and use them as a mask to adjust only the selected area in a non-destructive way.
Thus, Channels in Adobe Photoshop is a very powerful feature and can help you to achieve a more specific color correction or stylization. It provides a gateway to a huge world of photo editing and manipulation.