:: Color Correction with Adobe Photoshop - Part 2

Photoshop Color Adjustments

Photoshop is a very powerful tool that can virtually perform any digital enhancements and tricks to your underwater images. However, understanding each of the color adjustments tool is crucial in order to obtain the optimal correction results for your underwater images.

To make color and tonal adjustments:

Use the histogram to check the quality and tonal range of the image. For information on using the histogram.

Adjust the color balance to remove unwanted color casts or to correct oversaturated or undersaturated colors.

You can choose from the following color adjustment methods:

Auto Color command

Quickly corrects the color balance in an image. Although its name implies an automatic adjustment, you can fine tune how the Auto Color command behaves. For more information, see Using the Auto Color command .

For most underwater images, Auto Color will handle only very basic correction.

Match Color command

Matches the color from one photo to another photo, from one layer to another layer, and from a selection in an image to another selection in the same image or different image. This command also adjusts the luminance and color range and neutralizes color casts in an image. For more information, see Using the Match Color command.

This function is recommended for scuba divers who are well versed in color correction.

Color Balance command

Changes the overall mixture of colors in an image.

Hue/Saturation command

Adjusts the hue, saturation, and lightness values of the entire image or of individual color components.

Replace Color command

Replaces specified colors in an image with new color values. This option is hardly used for underwater correction

Selective Color command

Adjusts the amount of process colors in individual color components. This option is hardly used for underwater correction

Channel Mixer command

Modifies a color channel and makes color adjustments not easily done with other color adjustment tools. This option is hardly used for underwater correction

Levels command

Adjusts color balance by setting the pixel distribution for individual color channels. This option is often used for underwater correction

Curves command

Provides up to 14 controls points for highlight, midtone, and shadow adjustments for individual channels. This option is often used for underwater correction.