This workshop shows you how to remove a color cast from a photograph.

Color casts can result from lamp light reflected from a colored wall, poor quality film, or unusual lighting conditions.

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The sample image you will be working with is a perfect example of a photograph taken under extreme lighting conditions resulting in a bad color cast.

Click here to open a sample image.

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Click Image menu, Adjust, Color Balance.

The range selection allows you to specifically adjust Shadows, Midtones, Highlights or Luminance, and combinations of each.

Adjust the color balance of your image.

  1. Click the eye icon to update the Results window as you make changes.
  2. Enable the check boxes for the tonal range you want to shift.
  3. Enable the Preserve Luminance check box to ensure that the brightness levels are not affected.
  4. Move the Color Channel sliders to set color levels for each of the three channels (Cyan-Red, Magenta-Green, and Yellow-Blue) Add or subtract colors as required, until the color cast disappears.
  5. Click OK when you are satisfied with the results.

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You've just learned how to use the relationship between complementary colors in your image to remove color casts created from scanning or photo processing.


You can also try using the Color Hue Control dialog box (Image menu, Adjust, Color Hue) or the Color Tone Control dialog box (Image menu, Adjust, Color Tone) to remove color casts.

Click here for more Workshops.