Running Photoshop Levels, Curves and other Adjustments as a Smart Filter

For as long as I can remember the advise advice  to all Photoshop users is ‘Never use the Levels and Curves from the menu, always use an Adjustment Layer.’ This is good advise, working non destructively is the best plan, but with the update to Photoshop CC 2015 things have changed.

Photoshop Smart Objects

Smart objects have been around for a little while now and with each update they get a little more powerful. With the update to CC 2015 more filters are able to run as Smart Filters. This includes the Levels and Curves adjustments.

To convert a layer to a Smart Object, right click on the layer and choose Convert to Smart Object;

or go to the Filter menu and choose Convert For Smart Filters;

You’ll know if the layer is a Smart Object as it will have a little icon on its Layer Panel thumbnail;

Add a Smart Filter

Scanning through the Filter menu you may notice there’s a lot more available, for Levels and Curves however head over to the Image > Adjustments menu;

Look at all those available to us now! All of those adjustments can be run as a Smart Filter!

Extra Control

Once you have a Smart Filter you can always go back and change it by double clicking on the name in the Layers Panel;

By clicking on the slider icon to the right of the filter name you can change the Blending Options too;