The Targeted Adjustment Tool in ACR

The Targeted Adjustment Tool - It's been there forever, Blake

I take a lot of pride in knowing as much as I can in Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop. I spend countless hours experimenting with features from the most basic to the incredibly advanced. The other day I was in Adobe Camera Raw and I saw this brush I had never used. It is called the Targeted Adjustment Tool. I immediately took to the internet and looked up when that slipped into Adobe Camer Raw.

2009... yep, 2009

I was a bit shocked and embarrassed when I realized this powerful tool had been sitting in ACR for over 8 years and I never experimented with it. Go ahead, point and laugh, I deserve it :)

The Targeted Adjustment Tool took me a bit by surprise at first. I selected it, clicked on my image and moved my mouse. My image was getting darker and lighter but I had no idea why. As it turns out, the Targeted Adjustment Tool (hotkey is T), is a shortcut to things like the parametric curve, hue, saturation, and lightness.

The tool itself does not change the parameters. Instead, it acts as a shortcut to the Curve and HSL panels in ACR (in Lightroom this tool is found in the respective modules). If you select the tool and right click anywhere in the editing pane, you can edit the tones and colors "on the fly".

For instance, if you are in the basic exposure module you may not see any sliders moving as you wave your hand back and forth. That is because the targeted adjustment tool acts as a dynamic shortcut to the other editing modules. It really expedites the editing process in Camera Raw and Lightroom.

In the following video tutorial, I will show you how to use the Targeted Adjustment Tool and give you some helpful tips along the way. But then again, you may have been using this for the last 8 years :)

[arunvgiri]

You tutorials are not just tricks. You do a great job in explaining the concept behind each trick. Would you please do a tutorial on white balance tricks for portraits & landscapes !

[emilianojoanes]

Hi Blake, you never fail to amaze me with your tutorials.The Targeted Adjustment Tool in ACR is a fine example. Frankly, I never knew this tool existed. Now that you brought it to light I and going to tinker with it. Thank you very much for the wonderful work you are doing. Muchas gracias!

[HMaxTube]

Another worthwhile tut. Thanks for pointing out the tricks this tool can do.

[JezLerman]

Perfect tutorial, thank you for posting. Short, informative, wonderfully delivered. Subscribed.

[ralphpayne]

Another string to the editing bow that makes for more natural changes - quickly and easily. Thanks for great tip.

[paulbroderick]

Very well explained. I am in a mode of recapturing some rusty skills in photoshop so this was perfect. Thank you.

[scotimages]

Thanks Blake !! Been Using Photoshop since version 4 and have never used into until 2 min before I found your video. Good, straight to the point explanation

[randydietmeyer]

I never knew that tool was in Adobe RAW, although I do use the Target Adjustment tool when using a Hue/Saturation adjustment layers -and use it in virtually every photo I run through PS. It also works great when using Curve adj layers. And like you said, when running it within PS you have access to all the blending modes, opacity and masks.

[joareza]

old feature that I just discovered! thank you!

[celsoaz]

Nice tip!! i just miss more control in where to use some of the feathures of ACR... Thanks for Sharing!!

[eriksvoboda]

Thank you very match, it`s good knowledge

[charlesdup]

Another great one Blake! I have a semi related question to the lesson. My work flow uses ACR first then I go back to PS and perform several changes with masks etc. Sometimes not every time when I go back into ACR and attempt to apply sat the Adjustment tool the magnifying tool zooms into the exposure and the adjustment tool will not work at all. This also happens with other tools I attempt to use. Whats up with that? Any ideas? I use a PC / latest version of cc / very fast

[bob.]

HI Blake..quick q for you. By using ACR and Photoshop, would using On1 Raw be need in the work flow process?

[amirhizbullah]

Thank you very much for the lesson :D (Y)

[honeycat]

Hoo Tats nice Blake grt jb
but I need few color profiles (icc) files Turquoise-Sepia, Sienna-Blue, Pastel 8 Hues, Green-Red,
send me On link please :)

[JezLerman]

Perfect tutorial, thank you for posting. Short, informative, wonderfully delivered. Subscribed.