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Darken Images Without Curves Tutorial Here
The Adjustment Curves editor is possibly the best way to adjust the brightness of photographs - it affords a sophisticated way of deciding what the impact value of a pixel should be adjusted to: Either by adjusting the combined RGB channels together, or by adjusting individual channels. Where brightness control simply adds a number to each pixel, and each channel - without order - the Curves command can for example,
increase, or reduce, the values of pixels in a non-linear fashion, and as a consequence, the middle values are adjusted leaving the extremes unaffected.
This is how Curves can darken/lighten an image whilst leaving those colours close to solid black, and solid white, unaffected. To do this you click near the midpoint of the straight diagonal line, as shown below.
 
And nudge it downwards to create a curve. However, you can do more than that by creating additional points on the line to change how different ends (of the image) are adjusted - and even combining a change to the combined RGB with individual adjustments to the separate Red Green and Blue channels.
While Curves are an excellent combination of power and simplicity, they are not a perfect solution - photographs will always react uniquely; therefore, experiment with alternative methods - such as the Brightness and Contrast filter.
Curves Editor CS3
The Curves editor looks a little different in CS3. Most noticeable, is the histogram
(graph) displayed behind the Curve. Additionally, CS3 has a Curves Preset tab, and a couple more tabs to play with.
Tip
Most photographs will benefit from the following S curve. To create an S curve, click two points, (as shown below), then gently nudge the right-side point upwards, and the left-side point downwards. Don’t be afraid to play with the S curve, and find a contrast that works well with your photographs!
 
 Click Auto return the Curves editor to its default settings!
Undo and Navigation Steps
Two ways of undoing steps are from the top menu, Edit then Step Backwards. Alternatively, click a previous snapshot in the History Palette.
Navigate (zoom in and pan) your image using the Navigator Palette,
or the Zoom Tool. 
Activate The Hand Tool by tapping the Spacebar, keeping the Spacebar pressed, pan your image in the usual way. 
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Open your image onto Photoshop’s workspace.
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Then from the top menu, choose Image then choose Adjustments then choose
Curves. Now, working on the RGB Channel darken your image by gently nudging the curve downwards: Nudging the curve upwards brightens your image.
 
You will notice that the Input and Output settings (above left) alter according to the arc’s position. Experiment with the curve until you are happy with the brightness of your image.
The Channels Tab. 
This tab allows you to effect all three colour channels at once (RGB), or, if you prefer, you can work on the Red, Green or Blue channels, separately.
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Alternatively, click the Set Grey Point dropper. 
Then move it over a grey area (as shown below), and left-click.
This darkens your image to the darkness of the pixels you clicked - similar to the Levels Editor - Chapter 6.
Whether you darken your image by nudging the diagonal line downwards, or by using the dropper method - depends upon the image, and your preferred method.
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From the top menu, choose Image then choose Adjustments then choose Auto Contrast - this further darkened my photograph. Alternatively, use the manual contrast by choosing Image then Adjustments then Brightness/Contrast.
5/ Options
Clicking the Options tab.
Displays the following dialogue box - it affords further (Curves) control - if needed.
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