Selective Color Adjustment in Photoshop
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- Опубліковано 3 сер 2024
- Download the Actions: f64academy.com/3-ways-make-im...
Selective Color in Photoshop, is it the best-kept secret?
The selective color adjustment layer is a tool that can make your images pop off the page. Almost every week someone emails me and says, "Blake, how do you make your photos pop in Photoshop?" I usually respond with a multitude of answers because that is the most difficult question to answer.
You have to assume that by "pop" they mean to make them more exhilarating or attractive. Since the beginning of time, we as humans, have always been attracted to colorful things. Go out into the woods and look around, what do you see? A mix of gray, brown, black, and drab greens. However, when you see a contrasting red berry sticking out of a bush or a lone flower growing next to a tree, you immediately flock to it.
Regarding what I know of humans and the question at hand, "How do you make your images POP," my response is the Selective Color adjustment layer in Photoshop. Before you go running to the HSL layer, hear me out. The HSL Layer is great as a technical tool to get your colors dialed in with the proper hue, saturation, and lightness, but the Selective Color Adjustment Layer is more of a refinement tool.
Selective Color works on the principle of available color and color mixing. It allows you to increase or decrease the percentage of a color within the color in question. For instance, if you have a sunset that is predominantly blue, but you want it to be a bit warmer, you can go into the Selective Color adjustment layer and modify the percentage of the colors available in the given color.
Does that mean you are changing the hue in the color blue? Absolutely, but it is not as heavy handed as the HSL adjustment layer because it does not allow you to change the color property by rotating it around the color wheel. Instead, it removes or adds the percentage of the available color within the color. As you experiment with it, you can go into the color blue, then change the red to 100%. It does not change the color blue to 100% red it just boosts the available red within the color blue.
Are you confused yet?
Good! Watch this video tutorial, download the actions, and experiment with it on your own and I am sure you will realize soon enough why Selective Color is one of my go-to options for making my images "pop."
In this tutorial, I will show you how to use selective color to boost sunsets, make grass a little greener, and make the cinematic effect. Don't forget to experiment on your own and couple the Selective Color Adjustment Layer with Blend If, Opacity, Blend Modes, and Masks! - Навчання та стиль
No matter how "dated" this video is, Blake's are always the best - finally, I understand the nuance of selective color
Phew! This is an old one, huh? Maybe time for a reboot!
Very helpful tutorial as always and loaded with precious, useful information! Thank you so much Blake for the tutorial and the actions!
Oh, about is it the best kept secret? Yes it is. It's almost hidden by being at the bottom of the list. I found it just recently, and now here you are explaining it all. Thanks!
No joke - I was just in Photoshop 20 minutes ago, wondering what I might use the Selective Color adjustment for, and this appears - perfect timing! Thank you!
:) woo hoo! Glad I could help.
A very nice straight forward description of this adjustment layer.
Always a pleasure to watch and learn from your videos, Blake!
:)
Very good tutorial!! Thank you for sharing!
No problem! My sincere pleasure!
I also finish off my images with a selective color adjustment, however a little different method. I have made a saturation preset in selective color where I use opposite color to adjust each color, reds - magenta. Example, reds I decrease cyan -100, yellow +100, greens - 100 magenta, cyan +100 cyan, blues - 100 yellow and magenta +100 magenta.
With the image open, I simply select my selective color saturation preset and adjust accordingly to my desired look. Once I get the image to look how I desire, I make a stamp, go up to adjustments, select curves and a dialog box opens, select options. Another box opens for auto color correction, and than choose the algorithm you like, than adjust the opacity.
You are right, I have found selective color to be the best way to finish off an image. I wish I had discovered this technique years ago because I am now finishing off ALL of my select images from years past.
As always an excellent tutorial, cheers.
Awesome! I like that tip. Presets are a good way to get yourself started without doing the same thing over and over. I appreciate you for mentioning that, I got so caught up I forgot to mention saving presets! Thanks for the tip :)
Anytime, happy to add my two cents. I just wish I had known 15 years ago what I know now.
Thanks for sharing this tutorial, everything was absolutely clear and very useful!
Awesome!
great tip!! i did some experiments with Selective Color, but i wasn't pleased with it, i will try later some of the tips you gave here!!
Great tutorial. I see I'm going to need a color wheel visible to pick my color adjustments. Thanks for the actions. I am sharing with others and hoping to boost your following.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing :)
WOW! The cinematic effect rocks! But on the Hawaiian scene, I liked the green towards the cyan. That looked special to my eyes!
Anyways, YOU WROCK IT, Blake! Thanks for all that you do! It's always helpful, and not only that, it's inspiring!
Brilliant ! Thank you for free action.!Very kind of you!.
You are welcome! thanks for watching!
Blake,
I was thinking about how much you really helped us to learn. In my city, photography schools needs someone like you, I found myself really unmotivated with the old themes to learn that almost all institutes have. I hope not to be wrong but the whole theory that you explains in each video plus a personal search of each one, is really interesting how effectively they are to learn and acquire new theories. Thank you!
+Bruttus1983 thank you very much! I spend a lot of time experimenting so i can report my findings back to you. There is always a better way to do something, you just have to find it! Thanks for watching and giving some good feedback 😀
Very nice adjustments and thank you for the actions.
You are welcome, thanks for watching.
THANK you!!!!!
Very good stuff Blake , thanks .
Thanks! I appreciate it :)
Nice tutorials, dude.
Well done............. Again. Many thanks Blake :)
No problem! Thanks for stopping by.
Nice job
THANK YOU for this great video! I've been searching for this explanation since a friend sent me a "recipe" for selective color for Hubble Palette astrophotography and I wanted to know what was really going on. Excellent, simply Excellent! Do you have thoughts on individual layers for each color vs doing the adjustments all at once?
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed it. Yes. Individual colors is a good idea if you need a mask specific for that color. Or if you want to use different blend modes for different colors. Good way of thinking!
Just wonderful ! So nicely explained .Cant wait to experiment . Thanks Blake. KUMAR
:) I appreciate you stopping by.
Thanks Blake ...
You are welcome.
thats awesome
thanks!
very helpfull
Wow! Is this ever helpful, I feel set free. Thanks.
Liberating, isn't it?
This tutorial is so useful, the basis of a good photography that sometimes we forget. Unfortunately, It clicked over the link but I was not able to download the steps. Is it feasible to update the link? Thanks!
Take a shot everytime he says "magenta" :D
No but jokes aside, awesome tutorial, thanks!
thanks for sharing this. Can you explain why would anybody use the complex selective color instead of simple curves layer for cinematic look?
They are different, but not necessarily complex. The selective Color method is pretty simple really and easier to understand for beginners, simply remove black from black. The curve does almost the exact same thing but the tone curve intimidates some people. It is not necessarily why this or that, but what you are comfortable with.
thank you for your tutorials Where is the link to download the actions?
the link above does not work
thank you
Blake,
is the method set to relative or absolute?
which is best in your opinion or is there times you use either and why?
Yes, Relative protects the white Areas and works less heavy handedly. I rarely change it to Absolute. But there may be times where it is warranted. I would say it is on an as needed basis and image dependent. Experiment :)
Would the greens be the shadows of the yellows? With light emitting off the grass, it would give it more of a yellow tint, making the highlights (the top of the grass) yellow
The greens usually appear to be the highlights of the yellows, especially in this photo. I guess it really depends on the image you bring in and what information is available in the given photo.
Hi there,
Is there any of your video about the selection of difficult shapes by sky or hair without creating halos? If yes, can you please share the link or if not then kindly make the video about it.
Thanks,
Is there a way to use selective color in ON1?
Not at this time, but you can submit a request to add features on the ON1 website. I can't recall where though.
The actions wouldn't download
I am not able to get the action after signing up Can you help
Certainly. Shoot me an email blake@f64academy.com
Nevermind, I got it :)
Can't seem to get your actions. Nothing seems to happen after putting in my email.
Here is the blog page that has the actions above the video: f64academy.com/3-ways-make-images-pop-selective-color-photoshop/
Hello Blake, I'm realy a fan of your video's and I try to learn how I can work with photoshop (for example). I have only one problem. I'm not perfect in english (I came from Germany) and sometimes you are to quick for me to follow you in your video's. Maybe it is possible that you will speek a little bit slower and that you will work a little bit slower. It will be help me (and maybe any more people) to follow your video's easyer. I hoop it is possible. With kind regards, Ralf Köhnke
Thanks for having the tenacity to learn, I like that! However, there is a reason for my pace. I tend to cater to an audience that already knows quite a bit about the basics of Photoshop. Sometimes I go on "deep dives" into a topic, but for the most part there is some assumed knowledge based on the advanced topics.
I also move a little faster because that is my natural pace. I dont like dramatic pauses and slow mouse movement because they lose the attention of the viewer.
If you feel it is moving fast, pause the video and reflect on the topic. You can also press the 1/2 and 1/4 speed buttons on the UA-cam playbar and the video and talking will be slower and may be more manageable. While there are a handful of people who find the pace a bit fast, there are hundreds of others ho appreciate the pace. Thanks for the feedback.
f64 Academy Thank you for your reaction. I understand your point clear and goed explained. Also thank you for the tip with 1/2, I don't know that. I will stay to look your video's and I am sure I will learn step by step. Also my English will get better. So thank you for learning from you. With kind regards, Ralf Köhnke
Ralf - you could also try switching on subtitles, it's on the playbar to the left of the cogwheel where you set the speed - I find it very useful if Blake (or any other tutor) raises a point which I'm not quite sure what was said / meant, so I just play the section again (and sometimes again) until I do understand.
Can't seem to get your actions. Nothing seems to happen after putting in my email.