Correcting Image Colors in Photoshop – Basic Photoshop Lesson

Masks are an important aspect of adjusting colors in Photoshop.  If you have an image that needs colors adjusted you’ll want to take advantage of the masks option.

Step 1 – Choose the tool

Choose between the Image Adjustment Tool and the Adjustment Layer option.  Go down to the bottom of your layers palette and select adjustment layers menu.  It looks like a circle that is half black and white.  It has many similarities to the Image Adjustments tool located at the top of your program.  However, when you use the Image Adjustments tool your changes are applied to the entire photo. 

When you use the Adjustment Layers menu, you have the ability to correct color while working in layers, thus giving you greater flexibility.  If you need to correct the color on the entire image, then by all means, choose the Image Adjustment tool.  However, if you would like to correct color in certain areas of your photo, you will need to use the Adjustment Layers located at the bottom right of your Photoshop program.  Just keep in mind that changes made through the Image Adjustment tool are permanent.  Changes made through Adjustment Layers can be edited and changed.

Step 2 – Choose Hue Saturation

Click on the Adjustment Layers that is half black and half white (if you haven’t already). Choose Hue Saturation.  Determine which hue you need to correct and select it from the drop down menu.  If your image has too much green, then select green.  If it is too red, select red.  Adjust the hue saturation and lightness sliders until the image has an appearance that you are pleased with.  Since you are working with Adjustment Layers, you can easily view between the various layers to see a before and after effect while you work. 

Step 3 – The Masks

Your Adjustment Layer has masks.  You can activate your mask to create any selections on the image that you like and apply your color corrections to those areas.  To activate a mask, you can use a shortcut in Photoshop by clicking on the Quick Mask Mode, by clicking on Q on the keyboard.  Select black for your background color and then use the paintbrush tool to make your selection, or choose the area you would like to work on.  You can paint over the area where you will work. Choose invert to make sure that the area is selected.  The area will turn red indicating that it is ready for adjustments and editing.  By working with masks you can easily correct color on your images.

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