Photoshop Introduces Dedicated Clarity, Dehaze, and Grain Adjustment Layers
Adobe Photoshop has rolled out a significant update, introducing three highly requested image adjustments—Clarity, Dehaze, and Grain—as dedicated Adjustment Layers. This move directly addresses a long-standing demand from photo editors for a more streamlined and flexible workflow.
Previously, these powerful tools were exclusively confined to Camera Raw, necessitating users to operate within a modal dialog box. This setup severely restricted creative freedom, making it challenging to non-destructively fine-tune settings later or apply varying amounts to specific image areas without resorting to complex masking techniques or Smart Objects.
New Adjustment Layers: Unprecedented Control and Flexibility
The introduction of these adjustments as dedicated layers dramatically enhances the editing workflow.
These layers are stackable, maskable, and endlessly editable. Users can now apply varying amounts of Clarity, Dehaze, or Grain to different parts of an image using masks, adjust opacity for blending effects, and modify settings at any time without degrading image quality.
This new functionality allows for precise, non-destructive control. For instance, achieving a dramatic effect like applying strong Dehaze to a distant mountain range while completely excluding the foreground is now simplified to adding an adjustment layer and painting a mask.
Each new adjustment layer serves a distinct purpose:
- Clarity enhances midtone contrast, adding definition to details.
- Dehaze improves contrast and removes atmospheric haze, often used for landscape photography.
- Grain adds a film-like texture, emulating the aesthetic of traditional photography.
AI Enhancements Across Photoshop
Beyond the new adjustment layers, the update also brings several significant AI-driven improvements that enhance efficiency and output quality.
Generative AI Tools
Generative Fill, Generative Expand, and the Remove tool now offer improved 2K resolution outputs. This enhancement comes with reduced artifacts and a notable improvement in adherence to user prompts, leading to more precise and higher-quality results.
Enhanced Reference Image Functionality
The Reference Image feature, particularly with objects, has been refined. It now better maintains object identity through geometry-aware adjustments for scale, rotation, and perspective, ensuring more consistent and accurate transformations.
Dynamic Text (Beta)
Currently in beta, Dynamic Text simplifies a previously complex task: wrapping text. Users can now effortlessly make text wrap along circular or arched paths with a single click, saving considerable time and effort in graphic design and layout.
These updates are now available in the main desktop version of Photoshop. Furthermore, the AI improvements are also being extended to Photoshop on the web, broadening access to these advanced capabilities.