Curves and colour correction

• For the next of the tutorials for Photoshop curves open sample image number 03.jpg.

• This image is too dark and has a red cast.

• Firstly, in the top menu bar, go to Image > Adjustments > Curves.

• Place the cursor on the centre of the curve (the diagonal straight line) and click.
This puts on an anchor point.

• Drag the anchor point up until the exposure improves and more detail can be seen in the shadow area around the subject.

• Press on the double arrows next to Channel: RGB.
There are four options:
RGB, Red, Green and Blue.
RGB is the composite channel and each colour has its own channel.

• Select Red. This curve will affect the red channel only.

• As before, click on the middle of the curve to place on an anchor point. To reduce the red, the anchor point needs to be dragged down. The red must be reduced until the chicken looks white and the steering wheel looks more neutral. Take out too much red and the image will move towards cyan.

• Click OK or press Enter or the Return key.

• How does it look?
Is the colour neutral with no red or cyan cast?
Maybe it is still too red or perhaps too much red has been taken out.
Is it too light or too dark?

To make further changes, go back to Image > Adjustments > Curves and use the same two curves again.
When satisfied, click OK.

• Check the colours with the colour wheel in the Curves 1 tutorial until you are more use to the relationship between them.



Next tutorial on Photoshop Curves

Curves 1 2 3 4 5

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