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Photography Question 

Debi Hom 		 

Can I use Photoshop to make shady snow white?


 
 
I love this photo, but the snow looks a little blue (it was in the shade) and prints even more blue. I tried using the magic wand tool to lighten the snow, but it kept changing parts of the squirrel also. I also tried auto correct and desaturating. Other snow photos print OK, so I don't think it's the printer. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks so much!


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January 25, 2003

 

Tom Darmody 		  The entire image needs to be corrected, not just the snow. Look at the fur on the squirrel's chest.

Curves, will give you the most control and the best resluts.

Use the color sample tool and find a known white that isn't a catchlight or glare, adjust the curve so that the sample equals "white" (255,255,255). Then do same with a known black (0,0,0). Do the same with red, green, and blue in thier respective channels.

This is going to give you the most realistic colors.


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January 27, 2003

 

doug Nelson 		  How timely. The March '03 issue of Shutterbug has an article by Darryl Nicholas that addresses this problem of color correction. His method uses the Info palette and the sampling tools (little eyedroppers). He is offering a CD tutorial on color correction to Shutterbug subscribers for $3, but it is available to anyone for a reasonable cost. As we've said often at betterphoto there are many ways to do everything in Photoshop. That said, Darryl Nicolas' articles is reason enough alone to subscribe to Shutterbug.


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January 28, 2003

 

doug Nelson 		  The article to which I refer above also appeared in edigitalphoto a year or so ago. It may be on their web page still. It is on page 32 of the March 03 Shutterbug. His CD is on matching monitor and printer colors.Talk to Darryl Nicolas at editorial@shutterbug.net.


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January 29, 2003

 

Tom Darmody 		  Doug-

The technique that I explained in my original post was developed by Dan Margulis. His book Professional Photoshop: The Classic Guide to Color Correction explains the process better and in much greater detail than my post. If you only own one PS book, this is the one to have.

This method is pretty much the industry standard for color correction (it was actually on the Adobe ACE test I took).

I haven't read the article that you cited so I can't really comment on it. I can tell you from being a long time PS user that this method is the simplest and most accurate (Margulis has taught a few "color blind" artist's his method with success). It really comes down to the numbers (color values), you have to learn to not "trust" your eyes and just look at the nubers, which is the hardest part of the whole process to learn. But it works, and works very well.


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January 29, 2003

 

doug Nelson 		  Thanks, Tom. Will look for this book.


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January 29, 2003

 

Debi Hom 		  Thanks so much, Tom and Doug, for the info. I could not find a color sample tool in photoshop or Elements 2. The March issue of Shutterbug is not in the stores here yet - I will get it and check out that article when it comes out. That book sounds worthwhile also, I'll take a look at it if I can find it. I have a Photoshop Book (Classroom in a Book) but have trouble finding answers to the questions I have as a beginner. I guess I need to find the time to sit down and learn from the beginning, step by step, instead of just trying to do things as they come up.


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February 01, 2003

 
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