Best way to dim an image in Affinity Photo or Designer?

[codelearner]

What is the best way to dim an image in Affinity Photo or Designer especially for website background so to make a good contrast with the text or font?  Should I use designer or photo?

[Lee D]

Using Affinity Photo you could apply a Fill layer of Black or dark Grey and then lower the opacity, then use File > Export.

[codelearner]

@Lee D please give some of the steps on how to I'm a real newbie.

[gdenby]

Try this in either app.

 

Use a HSL (hue/saturation/lightness) adjustment layer. Decrease the saturation. That dulls all colors down. Makes it grayer.  This similar to adding a semi-opaque grey or black fill layer as Lee D mentioned. Also increase the lightness to wash out the colors. If that is not enough, try contrast/brightness and/or exposure adjustments. Those can wash out the image more. 

 

There are many many more ways to make a good back ground. For instance, using a recolor adjustment to make the background have a sepia or cyan tone would allow text to stand out over it.

[toltec]

6 hours ago, codelearner said:

please give some of the steps on how to 

 

Try this as a quick method. Use Affinity Photo.

 

Open your photo, then go Layer > New Fill Layer. That will completely cover your photo.

 

Don't do anything else, just go to the Swatches panel and click on the white swatch to set the colour of the Fill layer to white.

 

Click on the little down arrow to the right of the Opacity box and drag the slider to about 50% or whatever you like.