The Affinity Photo Curves Secrets You Need to Know

[@vincejenkins1143]

Thank you so much. This is the video I have been looking for the last 2-3 years. Excellent!

[@RobinWhalley]

You're welcome. I'm glad that it's helped.

[@CarolinePicking]

I actually use curves quite a lot. But about half the time, I delete it because I just made things worse and that’s because I’ve never really understood *exactly* what I was doing (beyond a vague “making bits lighter and darker”). Your video is like a blaze of light! 😆 Finally, I understand it. Robin, you’re a superstar! Thank you so much for your videos.

[@RobinWhalley]

Your very welcome. I remember when I first worked out what was happening and it was like a lightbulb going on. I hope that it helps you for a long time to come.

[@CarolinePicking]

@@RobinWhalley I just wanted to add that there was a photo I really loved. Got it printed. But it just wasn't quite right; came out a little orange in places, and a little too dark in the mid tones. I used curves to adjust colours individually as you suggested and a second curves adjustment to make a tiny set of adjustments using the Picker tool. (I got too muddled with all the lines from the individual channels on the Master tab and couldn't hit the right 'line' - too small and cramped together - so a second adjustment got me a clean slate for overall luminance) Now it just looks "right". And I didn't know about either of those techniques yesterday! Sorry to bug you, but that's a second 'thank you' sent your way! :)

[@RobinWhalley]

It sounds like it’s been a good help. That’s great to hear.

[@chrismichaeluk]

Same here

[@baldermash]

Thank you for your clear output at a perfect pace. Happy to have found your videos.

[@RobinWhalley]

Glad you like them. Thank you

[@JeffStudley]

Great way to color correct by graph, not by perception or memory. Fast and efficient. Another great video, Robin!

[@RobinWhalley]

Glad you liked it. Thank you very much.

[@chrismichaeluk]

Didn't know any of this Robin. Great work as always

[@RobinWhalley]

Excellent. Thank you very much.

[@bobmay3936]

Robin, thank you so much for this video. I have just started learning how to use AP. I started learning about curves this week. I found this video very clear and helpful; it expanded my knowledge and understanding of this powerful feature within AP.

[@RobinWhalley]

You are so welcome. Curves is one of the best tools to learn for photo editing.

[@AudioVisualRomance]

I am coming back to your video after trying what you have explained here and would like to file a complaint... To all others which never managed to explain this properly. I bow to you sir, thanks to you my photos just jumped from almost there to stunning.

[@RobinWhalley]

Thank you. I love it when someone understands how the Curves tool works and just how powerul it is. It's one of the greatest editing tools for adjusting colour and tone. I'm planning to do something similar for Dodging & Burning. Too many people ignore the technique and yet it can transform most photos.

[@AudioVisualRomance]

@@RobinWhalley I am so subscribed

[@ianyorke2617]

Just about the best explanation of curves I've seen 👍

[@RobinWhalley]

Wow, thanks. I'm glad you think so. I've been holding off releasing this video because I wasn't sure that it was good enough.

[@reelfeedback1834]

I concur with this remark. I’ve been using Photoshop for three decades and now I see that action where I can actually use curves to set the endpoints of the histogram which would be the same as using levels at the same time. And individually working the channels is brilliant

[@timculler1454]

Really helpful, Robin!

[@RobinWhalley]

I'm glad you think so. Thank you.

[@chrisc.7972]

Thank you so much for this tutorial. I didn't understand what I was doing with the Curves adjustment and this has helped me to understand, thank you 👍

[@RobinWhalley]

Glad it helped. Thank you

[@MrSanTang]

I totally enjoy your videos. In a just few minutes I learned a lot. I also like your calm and reserved tone. By accident I had unsubscribed from your letter. I quickly corrected this after one or two videos.Thank you.

[@RobinWhalley]

Thank you. It's good to know my videos help and that you like my style. Thanks also for resubscribing. I hope that I continue to help you.

[@brianc5788]

Excellent tutorial! Thx Robin for making the curve straight!!!!! 😂😂👍👍😷😷

[@RobinWhalley]

Thanks. Glad you liked it.

[@AndersRingman]

Well explained. If you learn curves, and understand how it works, it is a very good tool for image editing. You can do a lot with this function.

[@RobinWhalley]

Thank you and I totally agree with your comments about Curves.

[@thulsa_doom]

Thank you so much! I've started using Affinity Photo 2-3 months ago and your videos are being very useful. Keep up the good work! :)

[@RobinWhalley]

Happy to help. Thanks

[@EsseCi5]

Thank you, so useful and more clear now

[@RobinWhalley]

Glad it was helpful. Thanks

[@luiskaj2434]

Very well explained - thank you for the excellent lesson!

[@RobinWhalley]

You're very welcome

[@zoltanpuskas4722]

Thanks, Robin, for another information video!

[@RobinWhalley]

Thanks. It's great to hear that you think so.

[@thomastuorto9929]

I have been using curves for a while now but didn't know some of the tips you have given here. Thanks!

[@RobinWhalley]

Happy to help. It's always good to hear that someone has benefited from a video.

[@klyiu2006]

Me too. I just moved the curves up and down and never quite understood the niceties of the tool and how it really worked. Thanks, Robin, as always for the great video.

[@jacquesverschuren8527]

A good video, but what I miss in Affinity when adjusting the RGB curves individually (or in the Master mode) is that especially for the top right node (when moving it), there is no corresponding temporary 'line' that moves along with the node. When there would be this straight line it would eventually touch the very place where there would be information that is adjusted and thus make it more visible and more accurate than now just adjust the node visually and thus less precise. Maybe this can be fixed in an upgrade..?

[@RobinWhalley]

I agree with you. We see this line in the Levels dialog and it would be useful to have something similar for Curves. Unfortunately there is nothing I can do as I don't work for Serif/Affinity. The best place to raise it is in the Affinity Forum (forum.affinity.serif.com/). The staff at Affinity read and respond to requests. You might get lucky.

[@jacquesverschuren8527]

Thx, already posted it on the forum

[@metalmick99]

Beautifully explained. I had some knowledge of this tool, but feel now that I'm far better equipped to use this tool should I have a need. AP has its own UI and as someone who is new to it, I have a bit of learning ahead of me, but with each of your clips I step further forward. Thanks for taking the time to put this up.

[@RobinWhalley]

Glad it was helpful for you. Thank you.

[@frankieg7575]

Beautifully done Robin - thank you. Subbed.

[@RobinWhalley]

Thank you and you're welcome

[@frankieg7575]

I have affinity v1 and v2 - with a view to finding the time to learn how to use this properly. (each V on a different PC - I was surprised V2 was a completely separate product) @@RobinWhalley

[@BruceLR57]

Excellent explanation

[@RobinWhalley]

THank you very much.

[@seanohaimheirgin1047]

This is brilliant, thank you!

[@RobinWhalley]

Glad you liked it. Thank you.

[@SKYST0RY]

Is there anyway to actually make the tool bigger?

[@RobinWhalley]

Not that I know of. The dialogs are a fixed size.

[@RodolfoVanzini]

Awesome!

[@RobinWhalley]

Thanks!

[@BONLKWD]

How can I convert a curve setting from Photoshop to an Affinity Photo image? Photoshop is 0-255. Affinity is 0 - 1 ??? Since I can't import asd file from Photoshop, how do I convert the numbers to the Affinity curve settings?

[@RobinWhalley]

You shouldn't need to. If you save your editing as a Photoshop PSD file with the layers in place, Affinity Photo is able to read it and will covert the layers for you.

[@BONLKWD]

@@RobinWhalley Thank you. I do understand that. However, I no longer use PS. I just use Affinity exclusively. Using alt photography methods (cyanotypes for example), there are established PS curves that are recommended when making adjustments to photos prior to processing. I would like to be able to apply those curve specifications to the curve tool in Affinity photo. Can't do that bc... 0-1 vs 0-255. Am not able to import acv settings into AP either:-( Looking for a workaround.

[@RobinWhalley]

@@BONLKWD I'm assuming from the way you describe this that you know the input and output values on teh Photoshop Curves line that you want to reproduce. Based on that, divide the Photoshop number by 2.5 to get the same value in Affinity Photo.

[@BONLKWD]

@@RobinWhalley Duh. Thank you!!! Of course.

[@RobinWhalley]

@@BONLKWD 😂 No problem.

[@JulesMoyaert_photo]

As usual, 👍👍👍🙏

[@RobinWhalley]

Thank you

[@marcoshuayai3995]

It is difficult to understand.

[@RobinWhalley]

It is but it's worth the effort.

[@marcoshuayai3995]

@@RobinWhalley it will be better if the put HDP or something like that. Doing it like Affinity photo 2, it takes time and hard it, well that is the way i think