PhotoshopElements

View a histogram

  1. If the Histogram palette is not open in the Palette Bin, choose Window > Histogram.
  2. Choose the source of the histogram’s display from the Source menu:
    Entire Image
    Displays a histogram of the entire image, including all layers in the multilayered document.

    Selected Layer
    Displays a histogram of the selected layer in the Layers palette.

    Adjustment Composite
    Displays a histogram of an adjustment layer selected in the Layers palette, including all the layers below the adjustment layer.

  3. To view the histogram for a portion of your image, make a selection in your image, and choose an option from the Channel menu:
    RGB
    Displays a histogram that is a composite of individual color channels placed on top of each other.

    Red, Green, and Blue
    Displays the histograms for the individual color channels.

    Luminosity
    Displays a histogram representing the luminance or intensity values of the composite channel.

    Colors
    Displays the composite RGB histogram individually by color. Red, green, and blue represent the pixels in those channels. Cyan, magenta, and yellow represent where the histograms of two channels overlap. Gray represents areas where all three color channel histograms overlap.

    Grayscale images have a single channel option: Gray.

  4. To view the following statistical information about a range of values, drag and hold in the histogram to highlight the range, or to view information about a specific area of the histogram, place the pointer over the area:
    Mean
    Represents the average intensity value.

    Standard Deviation (Std Dev)
    Represents how widely intensity values vary.

    Median
    Shows the middle value in the range of intensity values.

    Pixels
    Represents the total number of pixels used to calculate the histogram.

    Level
    Displays the intensity level of the area underneath the pointer.

    Count
    Shows the total number of pixels at the intensity level underneath the pointer.

    Percentile
    Displays the percentage of pixels at and below the level underneath the pointer. This value is expressed as a percentage of all the pixels in the image, from 0% at the far left to 100% at the far right.

    Cache Level
    Shows the setting for the image cache. If Use Cache For Histograms is selected in the Preferences dialog box, Photoshop Elements displays histograms more quickly but less accurately. To display more accurate histograms, deselect this option.