Banish Banding! A 3-Step Guide for Smooth Photoshop Edits

Conquering Banding in Photoshop: A Step-by-Step Guide

In the realm of digital editing, encountering banding in your images can be a common yet frustrating issue. Banding often detracts from the smoothness and quality of your images, leaving behind unwanted streaks or lines. Fortunately, with a few easy steps, you can remove and prevent banding in Photoshop, ensuring your images maintain their pristine quality. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a budding photographer, these tips will elevate your editing game.

Step 1: Embrace the Power of 16-Bit

The first and most crucial step in preventing banding is to work in 16-bit mode. While it might seem insignificant, this simple switch can make a world of difference. Images edited in 8-bit mode are more prone to banding, especially when adjustments stack up. This is because 8-bit images have a limited color range, which can result in visible transitions between colors. Switching your image mode to 16 bits per channel increases the color range, thus smoothing out these transitions and effectively eliminating banding. To change your image to 16-bit, simply navigate to Image > Mode > 16 Bits/Channel.

Step 2: Clever Use of Blurring Techniques

Banding typically occurs in areas with smoother transitions and lesser details, such as skies or backgrounds. To tackle this, a strategic application of blur can be your best friend. However, blurring the entire image isn’t ideal, as you risk losing precious details in more intricate parts of your photo. This is where surface blur comes into play. By duplicating the background layer and applying a surface blur (Filter > Blur > Surface Blur), you can selectively smooth out banding while preserving the details in areas that matter. Adjusting the threshold and radius settings allows you to fine-tune the effect, ensuring a natural and banding-free result. Tools like Luminar Neo and Envato Elements offer additional resources and tutorials for mastering blurring techniques and enhancing your photos’ overall quality.

Step 3: Adding Texture to Maintain Realism

While removing banding is essential, maintaining the realism of your image is equally important. Smooth areas devoid of any texture can appear unnatural. To counteract this, introducing grain or texture to your image can add depth and authenticity. Creating a new layer set to Overlay blend mode and filling it with a neutral gray allows you to add noise (Filter > Noise > Add Noise) without altering the underlying colors. This technique introduces a subtle, natural-looking texture to your image. For those seeking more advanced options, Dealjumbo and GraphicRiver offer a plethora of textures and overlays that can add that perfect touch of realism to your projects.

Enhancing Your Workflow with Professional Tools

While Photoshop offers a robust set of tools for combating banding, incorporating professional resources like Placeit and Envato Elements into your workflow can significantly enhance your results. These platforms provide access to high-quality textures, overlays, and tutorials, enabling you to take your photo editing to the next level. Whether you’re looking to add unique backgrounds or refine your images with expert techniques, these resources are invaluable for creatives aiming to produce top-notch work.

Conclusion

Banding in Photoshop can be a nuisance, but with the right techniques, it’s entirely manageable. By working in 16-bit mode, utilizing selective blurring, and adding texture, you can ensure your images are free from banding and full of life. Remember, the key to mastering photo editing is experimentation and continuous learning. With platforms like Luminar Neo and Envato Elements, you have a wealth of resources at your fingertips to explore and enhance your skills. So, dive in, get creative, and watch your images transform.

Downloads

Sample Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-and-black-mountain-wallpaper-933054/ (Banding Increased for Tutorial)

Timestamps

00:00 Step 1 – Why 16-Bit?
00:57 Step 2 – Selective Blur
05:27 Step 3 – Add Texture
08:13 Quick Recap

Video source: 3 EASY Steps to Remove Banding in Photoshop!