Color Correction and Color Matching With Curves
In this tutorial, we’ll discuss my “go-to tool” for color correction, the Curves Adjustment layer.
This is one of my favorite adjustments, and I use it instead of the widely used Color Balance Adjustment for color correction.
We’ll also take the time to talk about how color works in computer monitors and Photoshop. This is a complicated topic, but I’ll try to simplify it so it’s easy to understand.
Once you have the concepts of RGB and the color wheel, you’ll be able to color correct your images more efficiently.
I’ll end the tutorial by showing you how you can use Curves to color match an image to create a realistic composition. This is the image of the jet on the photo cover for this tutorial.
Also, I’ve created this image to help you better understand how curves work. The image represents what would happen when you drag a point up or down in any channel.
If you have any questions or comments, leave them below!
Final Image
Drag The Slider To See Before & After
Hi,
Thank you so much for your useful tutorials. Although many Dutch speak English not all of them understand English videos with technical terms. Thats the reason why I explain/translate interesting videos into Dutch. I hope you approve I did this one.
http://reinasmallenbroek.nl/photoshop.0003.html
Thanks again
Reina
No problem Reina, as long as you give credit!
Thanks!
Of course! Thanks!
Grtz Reina
Such an awesome tutorial, so simple and well explained. Thanks!
You’re welcome!
Thanks! Great tutorial. Can you recommend more videos about matching colors and photo compositing?
Tom, I don’t know of any specif video, sorry.
I was curious if this was possible with Photoshop Elements. I shoot quite a bit of film and this type of correction would be useful when scanning negatives. Thanks!
jkjod,
I’m not sure. I don’t use Elements so I don’t know what it can or can’t do.
Hi Jesús. First all I’m sorry my English so I’ll try to explain me.
When you used the eyedropper tool to get samples, I think you had selected a Point sample in sample size (option bar). Is better to have selected that size to get samples or maybe the other options could help to get a better result?
Does It in relation with bit’s image (color proof?¿ profundidad de color?)? Thanks and I hope you understand me. 😉
Christian,
It all depends in the image, some of the other settings may work best in your image. Essentially what the other options do is take an are of pixels and averege it out to one color. The size of the area depends on what option you choose.
hey thanks man, now i totally understand the rgb and color correction.thanks
You’re welcome!
Can i get the ps action file of this effects
There is no action for this tutorial, I’m not sure what you’re referring to.
I am not able to download the files for this tutorial, not sure why. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Really enjoy your tutorials.
.
Wayne, if you are still having issues downloading the files please email me through the contact page. Thanks!
Excllent! Great for revising stuff I had forgotton. Just enough infomation, not over explained. Perfect.
Thank you!
You made colour correction very simple to help me understand the complexity behind.
Thanks
You’re welcome!
Is it only possible to see this tutorial once because we would like to see it again and it won’t work.
You can see it as many times as you like.
It’s a regular YouTube video! 🙂
Your tutorials are helping me to understand certain things easily, things and concepts I had been looking for to understand for a long period . Thank you for your time and effort. Sorry for potential grammar mistakes, english is not my first language.
You’re welcome! And no worries, English is not my first language either!
Great tutorial (plus other ones that you made thought me a lot) and with manny, manny thanks for these learning opportunities.
Thank you!
Wonderful tutorial. Regarding the exercise files: I don’t see a download link.