Photoshop Lesson 5: Color Correcting an Image

pscs6_07.psd 

You can create interesting imagery in Photoshop, including complex compositions, filter effects, and even 3D imagery, but it is essential that you have a great looking image to start with.

What you’ll learn in this lesson:

  • Choosing your color settings
  • Using the Histogram panel
  • Discovering how to use a neutral
  • Using Curves
  • Understanding Unsharp mask
  • Using Camera Raw

Starting up

There are simple steps that you can take to create a brighter, cleaner, more accurate image. In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use the Curves controls and how to sharpen your images. You’ll learn what a neutral is and how to use it to color correct your images. You’ll also have the opportunity to work with a Camera Raw image, using the improved Camera Raw plug-in.

Although the steps might at first seem time-consuming, they go quickly when not accompanied by the “whys and hows” included in this lesson. In fact, the process works almost like magic; a few steps and your image looks great!

Before starting, make sure that your tools and panels are consistent by resetting your preferences. See “Resetting Adobe Photoshop CC preferences” in the Starting up section of this book. You will work with several files from the ps05lessons folder in this lesson. Make sure that you have loaded the CClessons folder onto your hard drive from www.digitalclassroombooks.com/CC/DesignTools ...

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