EASY color correcting with curves

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

1. 1 & @3 match each other on the two different printers.....proofs match finished prints....wow!

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Bill Collins Photo said:

the only difference in these files is some fine tweaking in the
individual channels to produce slightly different balances for the
different printers I use.

http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash1.ACV Epson 1270
http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash2.ACV Kodak DS8650
http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash3.ACV Kodak DS8650 tweaked

1. 1 & @3 match each other on the two different printers.....proofs match

finished prints....wow!

Just take your file, open it in Photoshop....then go to the "curves menu"
and click on "open" and open one of these files and click on "OK" to
apply it to your image. I imagine you could batch this to an entire
folders of images at one time.

printed out my color checker on 1270 on heavyweight matte paper, so flash
wouldn't produce a shiney spot...and mounted it on thick mount board.

bill

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Bill Collins Photo said:

the only difference in these files is some fine tweaking in the
individual channels to produce slightly different balances for the
different printers I use.

http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash1.ACV Epson 1270
http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash2.ACV Kodak DS8650
http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash3.ACV Kodak DS8650 tweaked

1. 1 & @3 match each other on the two different printers.....proofs match

finished prints....wow!

Just take your file, open it in Photoshop....then go to the "curves menu"
and click on "open" and open one of these files and click on "OK" to
apply it to your image. I imagine you could batch this to an entire
folders of images at one time.

printed out my color checker on 1270 on heavyweight matte paper, so flash
wouldn't produce a shiney spot...and mounted it on thick mount board.

bill

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Stanton said:

SK

Bill Collins Photo said:

the only difference in these files is some fine tweaking in the
individual channels to produce slightly different balances for the
different printers I use.

http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash1.ACV Epson 1270
http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash2.ACV Kodak DS8650
http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash3.ACV Kodak DS8650 tweaked

1. 1 & @3 match each other on the two different printers.....proofs match

finished prints....wow!

Just take your file, open it in Photoshop....then go to the "curves menu"
and click on "open" and open one of these files and click on "OK" to
apply it to your image. I imagine you could batch this to an entire
folders of images at one time.

printed out my color checker on 1270 on heavyweight matte paper, so flash
wouldn't produce a shiney spot...and mounted it on thick mount board.

bill

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Dean Bradley said:

Bill Collins Photo said:

the only difference in these files is some fine tweaking in the
individual channels to produce slightly different balances for the
different printers I use.

http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash1.ACV Epson 1270
http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash2.ACV Kodak DS8650
http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash3.ACV Kodak DS8650 tweaked

1. 1 & @3 match each other on the two different printers.....proofs match

finished prints....wow!

Just take your file, open it in Photoshop....then go to the "curves menu"
and click on "open" and open one of these files and click on "OK" to
apply it to your image. I imagine you could batch this to an entire
folders of images at one time.

printed out my color checker on 1270 on heavyweight matte paper, so flash
wouldn't produce a shiney spot...and mounted it on thick mount board.

bill

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Bill Collins Photo said:

Try the saved curve files listed and apply them to some of your
uncorrected flash (28dx) pics and see how well it works. (Althought, it
may be even better to make your own curves correction files, as there may
be slight differences in how one D1 sees color and another D1 sees color.
(These are adjusted my MY D1.)

Bill

Dean Bradley said:

Bill Collins Photo said:

the only difference in these files is some fine tweaking in the
individual channels to produce slightly different balances for the
different printers I use.

http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash1.ACV Epson 1270
http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash2.ACV Kodak DS8650
http://www.proweddingphotos.com/D1Flash3.ACV Kodak DS8650 tweaked

1. 1 & @3 match each other on the two different printers.....proofs match

finished prints....wow!

Just take your file, open it in Photoshop....then go to the "curves menu"
and click on "open" and open one of these files and click on "OK" to
apply it to your image. I imagine you could batch this to an entire
folders of images at one time.

printed out my color checker on 1270 on heavyweight matte paper, so flash
wouldn't produce a shiney spot...and mounted it on thick mount board.

bill

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Bill Collins Photo said:

bill

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Eugene Powers said:

Eugene

Bill Collins Photo said:

bill

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Bill Collins Photo said:

Photograph the color checker you've printed out with the D1 and then
color correct that image using curves' three eyedroppers in photoshop, as
described here. Then print out the photo and you can lay original and
workflow output side by side to compare how exactly all the primary
colors and their opposites reproduced through the entire work flow
process. (Proof of the pudding!)

Bill

Eugene Powers said:

Eugene

Bill Collins Photo said:

bill

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Paul Manuel said:

You haven't mentioned the target values you have used for each eyedropper
so I presume that
they are white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black (0,0,0)
as in the colour
checker. Am I correct in this assumption.

Paul

Bill Collins Photo said:

Photograph the color checker you've printed out with the D1 and then
color correct that image using curves' three eyedroppers in photoshop, as
described here. Then print out the photo and you can lay original and
workflow output side by side to compare how exactly all the primary
colors and their opposites reproduced through the entire work flow
process. (Proof of the pudding!)

Bill

Eugene Powers said:

Eugene

Bill Collins Photo said:

bill

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Paul Manuel said:

You haven't mentioned the target values you have used for each eyedropper
so I presume that
they are white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black (0,0,0)
as in the colour
checker. Am I correct in this assumption.

Paul

Bill Collins Photo said:

Photograph the color checker you've printed out with the D1 and then
color correct that image using curves' three eyedroppers in photoshop, as
described here. Then print out the photo and you can lay original and
workflow output side by side to compare how exactly all the primary
colors and their opposites reproduced through the entire work flow
process. (Proof of the pudding!)

Bill

Eugene Powers said:

Eugene

Bill Collins Photo said:

bill

Bill Collins Photo said:

I discovered a really simple way to color correct images and get rid of
the dreaded magenta skin-tones using curves.

Download the file I've posted on my website. (see smaller sample below to
get the idea of what it looks like.) It is a color checker I've made up
(8"x10" in size at 164 dpi.

It has 2" squares for red (255,0,0), green (0,255,0), blue (0,0,255),
cyan (0,255,255), magenta (255,0,255), yellow (255,0,255)...2"x4" square
for an average skin tone (cymk values of: 8,25,30,0). Across bottom are
big rectangles of white (255,255,255), mid grey (127,127,127) and black
(0,0,0).

Print out this file on your printer and include it in your photos once
for each of the various lighting conditions you encounter on
assignment...as a reference frame for that condition.

Open that reference file in photoshop and go to the "Curves" menu. Click
the black eyedropper in the curves menu on the black square in your
reference image file. Click the white eyedropper in the curves menu on
the white square in your reference image file. Click the grey eyedropper
in the curves menu on the mid grey square in your reference image file.

THEN CLICK ON SAVE and title the curve file to be saved and applied to
all other images taken under these conditions! Presto, color correction
done and the dredded magenta skin tone gone! And all images match each
other under the same lighting conditions!

Now that you've saved the curve file with a meaningful name, go ahead and
click OK in the curves menu and kick the print out to the printer! And
save the file with the corrections applied...(with a slightly different
name, so as not to overwrite your original image.)

I couldn't believe how well this worked when I tried it. I did a flash
exposure under real low lighting conditions in the studio and it printed
out perfectly. When I "applied the same flash exposure curve" to my
wedding images from last weekend....it blew me away...perfect color,
underexposures and color casts automatically corrected!



here is the url for the 8"x10" color checker:
proweddingphotos.colorchecker.jpg

enjoy,

Bill

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...