How Do I Apply Auto Tone and Auto Contrast to Multiple Layers Simultaneously?

[WordWeaver]

Hello, I have created a movie using my Swift Stellar 1 Pro-B microscope and 16 MP Swiftcam. Using another app, I have converted all frames of the movie to PNG images on my hard drive.

Next, I have imported all of the PNG files into Adobe Photoshop. The reason for this is that I want to apply Auto Tone and Auto Contrast to all of the frames/layers simultaneously.

After that, I will export the layers from Photoshop, and convert the image files back into a movie using another app.

My problem is that I can't figure out how to apply Auto Tone and Auto Contrast to all of the layers simultaneoiusly. I have learned recently how to use adjustment layers, but I can't figure out if there is a way to use adjustment layers with the Auto Tone and Auto Contrast features.

Equally important, once I do apply Auto Tone and Auto Contrast to all of the layers in Photoshop, as I said, I want to be able to export those layers as PNGs or JPGs, with the Auto Tone and Auto Contrast applied to all of those layers.

Is this possible? If so, how does one go about doing it? Can I get a quick step-by-step guide here?

BTW, I am using Photoshop 23.1.0 on an iMac running Monterey 12.1.

Thank you in advance to anyone who may reply.

[Michael Bullo]

Just for clarification, are you wanting to apply potentially different adjustments to each image? Let's say the applied contrast was vastly different for multiple images. When you reassemble this into a movie the flickering could be horrible. Unless I misunderstand the situation, I would recommend applying a consistent adjustment to all of your images.

Is using After Effects an option? Importing image sequences is extremely easy. You could apply a single adjustment and easily export out a movie.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Does this have to be done in Photoshop?

This isn't something I'd do to multiple files combined to separate layers in a single document.

I'd batch apply an action of a fixed adjustment to copies of all separate images.

[WordWeaver]

Hello Stephen. I apologize for the late response. Yes, what I want to do has to be done in Photoshop, because I don't own any other Adobe programs other than Lightroom, which is the version which comes with the Photoshop annual subscription.

Can you please explain more clearly what you mean by "I'd batch apply an action of a fixed adjustment to copies of all separate images."

I have never used actions in Photoshop before.

Are you also saying that I shouldn't be importing all of the image files on my hard drive into Photoshop as individual layers? There are many thousands of them.

If I don't do that, then how am I going to know what my changes look like, and how am I going to be able to edit them all simultaneously by applying auto tone and auto contrast to all of them?

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Please note that video is not my area of specialty.

It seems that you have three choices if using Photoshop:

1) Work on the movie's exported frames as individual layers, then figure out how to apply adjustments to each layer

2) Work on the actual movie and not the frams, then figure out how to apply the adjustments to the movie

3) Record an action and apply the image adjustment, then use Automate > Batch to apply the action containing the image adjustment to each separate frame image, then recombine into a video.

My comment was for point #3. I am guessing that you don't want each frame to be adjusted differently, based on the individual nature of each frame. I am guessing that you want to apply a fixed adjustment value to all frames so that they are all "synchronised" and not differing frame by frame. I am suggesting that you would work out what the particular adjustment that is required based of an average sample image and then record that into the action so that all individual frames are processed with the same value.

More on actions here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/creating-actions.html

More on applying an action in a batch here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/processing-batch-files.html

[WordWeaver]

Hello Michael. No, I just want to be able to use the Auto Tone and Auto Contrast options on ALL layers. All the frames/layers are from a video of my blood under the microscope, so I would assume that there shouldn't be any flickering.

Sorry, but I don't own After Effects.

[gplumblee]

I was searching for this answer, as well. I'm going to try recording an action with Auto Tone and Auto Contrast, then batch process a folder with that action…

…and this worked. I recorded an action with Auto Tone and Auto Contrast. In the File menu, I selected Automate… and then Batch, then selected the action I recorded, folder of images, etc.