Color Corrected Portrait

[Visual Reality]

Looks like you introduced a pink cast over the image globally. I think the first one had the correct color, it was just underexposed. I don't like the last one at all, it harks back to your days of overdoing the tone curves

Exposing enough will bring out the color, because color is a product of light.

[sparkie1263]

Looks like you introduced a pink cast over the image globally. I think the first one had the correct color, it was just underexposed. I don't like the last one at all, it harks back to your days of overdoing the tone curves

Exposing enough will bring out the color, because color is a product of light.

I think you are right. I am just trying to learn more about how to use PS.

Thanks
Frank

[Rooz]

that high contrast verion looks horrific. all it needs is a tiny bump in the mid-high portion in curves. thats it. otherwise its fine from a tehcnical POV. what you really need to work on is the positioning of the subject in relation to evrything else in the frame. not easy, i know, but necessary.

[sparkie1263]

that high contrast verion looks horrific. all it needs is a tiny bump in the mid-high portion in curves. thats it. otherwise its fine from a tehcnical POV. what you really need to work on is the positioning of the subject in relation to evrything else in the frame. not easy, i know, but necessary.

Thanks
Frank

[dr4gon]

This is just with a bump on the contrast nothing else

way too much, that's what the first one Frank posted looked like (from a while back)

[SONYNUT]

Is your monitor adjusted..lol...

The first one is grey

[sparkie1263]

I can distinguish all the shades of gray. I don't know what it is. I just over do the PP. I was doing the same thing with the curves adjustment tool. Every time I learn something new I tend to over do it.

Thanks for all the comments and help

Frank

[Peekayoh]

Frank, VR and Rooz are right, this image doesn't need much correction.

This is a "Levels" adjustment layer. Look at the histogram (top right). To the left are the dark pixels (0) and right are the light pixels (255). You can see there are no light coloured pixels over about 220 and up to the little white marker on the right at 255 (I colored it red). On the left there are dark pixels all the way down to the little Black marker at 0. That means the Dynamic Range is being compressed and as it's "clumping" to the left, you know right away the image is slightly underexposed. This is the same info you get on camera after taking the shot and you could have used the compensation button to lift the exposure a third of a stop or so (+0.3EV) to correct it.

Anyway in PS you can drag the white (255) marker to the left until it shows 225. I think the midrange could use a slight lift, so grab the centre mid tone maker and drag it to 1.07 (or type in the box).

[Peekayoh]

And things are now looking a lot better. I've used the "Levels" adjustment layer to illustrate the technique because it's easier to show what's happening.

[Peekayoh]

In reality I would use the "Curves" adjustment layer because it gives more sophisticated control and allowed me to boost the highlight part of the curve but lock down the dark pixels for better contrast without "muddying" up any important bits. If you need to reminding of using the adjustment layers you can refer to my earlier "Simple Layer Lesson" post.

I don't think it needs anything more than this. Anyways, mess around with it Frank, I'm off for some shuteye.