Photo and Image Editing Management
Color Correction using Photoshop

Do you know how to get the best out of your digital images? As every art director knows, even the best photographs (on the best of days) can be plagued by problems such as color casts, unnatural tones, dull highlights, murky shadows, or low contrast. That's why color correction is such a critical step in preparing high-quality images for print or the Web.

In this challenging 6-lesson course, you'll learn systematic techniques for every aspect of color management using Photoshop. By evaluating and correcting literally dozens of images, including some of your own, you'll learn how to identify classic color scenarios and use both comprehensive and quick-and-dirty methods for correcting them.

The course covers every aspect of correction, from how color channels work, to managing color settings and profiles, to Levels histograms and the Curves command, making target-based corrections, and preparing your images for print using sharpening, on-screen proofing, and CMYK conversion.

This course is developed and taught by imaging and print production guru Dr. Taz Tally, who is known throughout the Photoshop world for his information-rich but accessible presentations and seminars. There's truly no one better to teach you these techniques. Taz demystifies the scientific basis of digital colors, showing you how to get the most out of your images, as efficiently as possible.

Taz Tally is an industry-leading author and educator in pre-press and color correction techniques ... get bio

Explain the purpose of color correction and master the vocabulary and concepts associated with this subject.

Explain how RGB and CMYK images are handled by the computer and Photoshop, and how to configure Photoshop to present color properly and consistently.

Configure and use Photoshop's Eyedropper tool and Info palette to measure color effectively.

Use target swatches to create calibration curves that accurately correct image colors.

Apply saved calibration curves to accurately linearize grayscale images and neutralize color images.

Identify specular highlights, diffuse highlights, midtones, shadows, and color casts in an image using measurement tools.

Perform adjustments using Curves and Levels based on the identified problems in images.

Learn specific considerations for correcting skin tone and allowing certain color casts to remain in images.

Learn the appropriate uses and settings for EPS and TIF file output and how to proof and convert images for printing.

Demonstrate professional-quality techniques and decision-making on a wide range of images.

Outline:

LESSON 1 Color Fundamentals Lesson One builds a conceptual foundation for color correction. You'll explore what color correction is and learn why it's an important part of the digital imaging workflow. You'll learn how RGB and CMYK images are constructed by pixels and color channels and displayed on your computer or other output devices, and gain an introduction to main correction terms to know. Projects will explore the resolution and linear dimensions of images as well as auto correction tools. You'll also pool 5-10 photographs of your own, which you will evaluate for issues and correct later in the course.

LESSON 2 Color Settings in Photoshop Configuring Photoshop and your other hardware and software applications is key to getting good color results. Lesson Two introduces you to how to set up color profiles, manage your settings, and set up Photoshop Working Spaces to respond to different projects and workflow scenarios. By the end of this lesson, you'll understand how to work with your own images and those of clients with accuracy and consistency. The projects challenge you to utilize working spaces and synchronize colors settings across CS applications.

LESSON 3 Measuring Color Lesson Three equips you with a scientific approach to evaluation using Eyedropper Tool and the Info palette. You'll learn how to correct grayscale and color images using expert calibration curves that you've created yourself, and explore how linearization and neutralization are achieved. The basics of color calibrating monitors and other devices are also explored. In the exercise, you'll practice measuring RGB values, and creating target-based correction curves.

LESSON 4 Color Image Evaluation Now it's time for the nitty-gritty of colors-identifying diffuse and specular highlights, color casts, midtones, and shadows. Photoshop Levels histograms are explored in detail to help you evaluate these key image components. With professional evaluation techniques, you'll know where your images need to be corrected and how to proceed. The lesson and projects run you through a range of imaging scenarios to help you build your skill in evaluating images.

LESSON 5 Correcting Color Accurately Lesson Five covers techniques for colors, ranging from the most efficient to the most exacting. For quick-fix scenarios, you'll learn how to correct images beautifully with just a little work using Levels. For high-profile or critical scenarios, you'll learn a systematic approach to mangement of colors that removes the guesswork. You'll also explore some of the more subjective areas of correction-how to make skin tone look "right" and when color casts might be used for effect. The exercise puts you through your paces via a range of color correction scenarios.

LESSON 6 Finishing Up Your Color Images Correction of colors isn't the final step in producing your images-once your images are corrected, you still have many important production steps to carry out. In Lesson Six, you'll learn how to sharpen your final images, convert them to CMYK for printing, and preview and proof your print images on-screen. In the exercise, you'll practice working on these production tasks and apply everything you've learned in the course to correcting your own collection of images.