3 Sep 2012

Fix Colour Casts on Images

by | posted in: Photography | 5
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fix colour casts - Wild Native Perthshire Comfrey Flowers for ColorMe Weekly - Symphytum officinale
Wild Native Perthshire Comfrey Flowers - Symphytum officinale

Here's one of my photography tutorials  on how to fix colour casts on images ...

 

The light was simply glorious and I knew I didn't have much time before it would disappear. The hairy stems were ribbed with that golden light and the purple flowers just seem to glow. I wanted to capture that light illuminating not only on the flowers but also on the stems and leaves to create those lovely green colour hues in the bokeh. Despite being so careful with exposure, composition and using a prime lens I knew that a blue colour cast would appear on the image.

 

Colour casts aren't all that bad though!  Sometimes I leave the blue colour cast on the image. Especially if I want to create a cool feeling when the image is viewed. I'll even enhance it a little if required ...but not this time!

My 'Fix Colour Casts' Technique

fix colour casts - before and after the colour balance adjustment in photoshop cs5

In photoshop after I removed some noise and did a level adjustment layer I went straight to adjustments and selected colour balance.fix colour casts - how to adjust color balance in photoshop cs5

fix colour casts - adjust midtones color balance in photoshop cs5

Then making sure that I had Midtones selected I moved the 3rd slider +20 to the left towards yellow. Then the 1st slider to the right and towards red.

fix colour casts - adjust highlights color balance in photoshop cs5

Then I selected Highlights and moved just the 1st slider to the right towards the Red by +20. Pressed OK. Then I added a little more light around the flowers, sharpened and saved the image.

fix colour casts - comfrey | Symphytum officinale | fine art print by Rosie Nixon

Sometimes +20 is a little too much for the midtones and highlights. Always use your discretion so that your final image doesn't end up with that 'overcooked saturated look' from post editing. As usual with photoshop this is just one of the many ways to remove a colour cast.

 

#1. If you use lightroom here's a tutorial on removing a pink/orange colour cast from a face.

# 2. If you use Gimp here's a video on how to remove a colour cast.

Follow Rosie Nixon:

Photography Tutor and Gardener

Rosie is a garden photographer, writer and nature lover. She enjoys soaking up nature and is easily distracted from doing the weeding by anything that flutters, flies, buzzes, creeps or crawls! She enjoys sharing the beauty of creation through her photography. Rosie has been featured on TV on BBC2's The Beechgrove Garden and she uses the outdoors as her natural light studio. Her work can be seen at one of Scotland's only photography galleries - Close Gallery, 4b Howe Street, Edinburgh.

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5 Responses

  2. Diana Taylor
    |

    Wow, what a difference you've made to the photograph – and thank you so much for sharing your techniques. I love the way you use light in all your photos and this is yet another beautiful, magical image.

  4. smiles, Sharon
    |

    You are so very generous with your talents and time. Generosity is a quality I truly admire in people. When I think of the hours you have spent on your G+ 31 Days, I am amazed that you have given your complete attention to this subject with no monetary reward, just the reward that you know you are helping so many people. Although I haven't done it, I have followed along. When I am ready, I will always know where to go for help. Thank you. Sharon