Beginners frustration

[holliek45415331]

I'm looking for a beginner friendly tutorial on the following scenario.

I took a photo of an all black object on a white background, I need to gray out some of the black selectively, while leaving other parts black. I have looked all over for a tutorial or video on an easy way to do this but I'm having no luck.....can anyone help me?

[Norman Sanders]

Make a Selection of an area you want to make lighter. Then go to Curves and drag the shadow end point of the curve vertically.

[JJMack · Accepted solution]

add a new empty layer on top of your image (Alt+Ctrl+Shift+N) Select the Paint brush tool selevt gray paint.  Pant your gray area.  Any gray you paint over the wribg ares can be erasewith the eraser tool you will be paint on the empty layer not actually changint you image at all.