Photoshop Tutorial: Digital White Balance Card at All Day I Dream About Photography

Photoshop Tutorial: Digital White Balance Card

October 22nd, 2006 by Antoine Khater

Just a few days ago, I introduced the Digital grey card adobe photoshop action done by Chip Springer. Here is today a tutorial on how to use it.

CSpringer’s Digital Grey Card Action

This is a short tutorial that explains some of the steps I take with this adobe photoshop action but keep in mind that like ALL Photoshop edits, it DOES NOT work on every picture. If a photo does not have a color cast it will introduce one.

Assign a shortcut “F” key.

Open a file and run the action. Click the Color Bar at the top
of your picture with the Neutral (middle) Eyedropper.

You will see a “Contrast” layer that is disabled. The Levels on
this layer is in “NORMAL” blend mode vs. the “NO CONTRAST”
default layer which is in “COLOR” mode (does not affect
luminosity). If you like the outcome…great. However,
you might find it introduces the opposite color cast. Simply lower
the opacity until you are happy with the skin tones, leaves, etc.
and use the mask for blending.

The Color Tweak Group are also in “Color” blend mode
so it doesn’t affect luminosity. I often use the Selective Color
Adjustment Layer for skin tones. The CYAN slider will add or reduce
RED and I usually add a bit of YELLOW.

The Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer is used to adjust colors on
larger areas such as walls. A white/off white wall may still show
a color cast and by choosing EDIT:(the color…i.e, RED) and then
clicking with the eyedropper and adjusting the color bars at the
bottom, I can neutralize the RED or change colors. Use the mask
if needed.

If I don’t like the outcome of the the “Contrast” or “No Contrast” layers
I disable both and use the COLOR TWEAK adjustment layers and
play with opacities and masks.