Color Balance for Photos

Photoshop has so many powerful tools, it can be a bit confusing and overwhelming as you decide what to use. The photo below has an obvious red cast. Using the Color Balance tool as a Adjustment layer should help correct the problem.

1. I open the file and created a copy of the original art work. Next I access the adjustment layer icon at the bottom of the layer palette and select Color Balance.

2. The Color Balance window appears. Place it to the right of your original image so you can see the effects as you move the sliders. I am currently adjusting for midtones, which is usually the area which produces the most dramatic effect. I move the slider away from the Red and away from Magenta. Here are the settings I selected.

3. I now see a new layer has been added to the document, all items placed BELOW this layer will reflect the color balance corrections. I want to encourage you to use adjustment layers to perform color correction, instead of correcting the photo directly. My original art work is preserved, the layer can be removed at any time. Also, if a series of photos had been taken and all suffered from a similar color problem, this one layer could correct several photos at once. It may initially seem like more work to create an adjustment layer, however in the long run this solution gives you more options.

4. Next I adjusted the highlights and shadows. These settings are more subtle. I looked at the white shirt for guidance.

You can use the color sampler eyedropper and the "Info Palette" to measure the values for the white areas of the photo.

I found that I only needed to enter a setting of -10 on the Cyan - Red slider to remove the pink cast. In comparing these photos, I check the skin tone and the white shirt to see how effective my color correction has been. The original image and adjusted photo are displayed below.

     

To view this file as a Photoshop document access the CD > CIS 58.53B Advanced Class > PSD > photos > woman-flowers.psd

If you want to try this at home, simply download a copy of the reddish woman shown above.