Sometimes, a photo just needs that extra bit of vibrancy to make it stand out. Whether you’re a designer or photographer, mastering how to make colors pop in Photoshop can transform your images from flat to vivid. Here’s a simple step-by-step process that takes just a few minutes but makes a huge difference.

Step 1: Select the Luminosity

First, we’ll begin by selecting the brightest areas of the image. This allows us to enhance the lightest parts of the image without affecting the entire photo.

• Shortcut: Press Cmd + Alt + 2 (Mac) or Ctrl + Alt + 2 (Windows). This selects the luminosity, focusing on the light areas of the image.

Step 2: Create a Vibrance Adjustment Layer

Now that you’ve selected the luminosity, it’s time to boost the colors in those areas.

• Go to the Adjustments Panel and select the Vibrance adjustment layer.
• Set Vibrance to +60. This increases the intensity of the less-saturated colors.
• Set Contrast to +40. This will enhance the overall difference between light and dark, making the colors pop even more.

Step 3: Invert the Selection

Now, we’ll work on the darker parts of the image to balance out the adjustments.

• With the selection still active, press Cmd + Alt + 2 (Mac) or Ctrl + Alt + 2 (Windows) again to re-select the luminosity.
• Right-click within the selection and choose Inverse. This now selects the darker areas of the image instead of the bright ones.

Step 4: Adjust the Brightness and Contrast for Dark Areas

To finalize the effect, we will lower the brightness and tweak the contrast of the dark areas.

• Go to the Adjustments Panel and select the Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer.
• Set Brightness to -30. This darkens the selected areas, adding depth and richness.
• Set Contrast to +20 to enhance the details in the darker parts of the image.

Final Thoughts

With just a few simple adjustments, you can take your images to the next level by making colors pop while keeping the balance between light and dark areas intact. These subtle changes give your photos a professional, polished look in no time.