Tone and Color Correction

[Mark Sisco]

Hi, I'm looking for the best book/tutorial on tone and color correction, specifically using curves. I've done searches, but for whatever reason keep coming up short (probably user error).

I'm well versed on profiling, setting white balance, and all of those basics, but I can really use help in fine tuning and perfecting skin tone/color (as well as general color enhancement of my landscapes and documentary images).

Thanks! I'm open to other methods, but the more I read most everything seems to point back to advanced usage of curves.

[creativeretouch]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

Mark, you can not expect a single video tutorial answering all your questions in five minutes.
You can rent videos made by professional retouchers on youtube - RetouchPro Channel or you can order books on amazon.com written by Dan Margulis.
You can use all those methods in any kind of photography - if you know what you are doing ...

[sid_v]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

Mark, you can not expect a single video tutorial answering all your questions in five minutes.

Exactly that.

You can take a look at this tutorial here:
http://sidvasandani.blogspot.com/201...of-toning.html

I also have color and tone actions you might be interested in if you need a shortcut:
http://sidvasandani.blogspot.com/201...ns-part-1.html

http://sidvasandani.blogspot.com/201...ns-part-2.html

http://sidvasandani.blogspot.com/201...ns-part-3.html

Hope that helps.

[Mark Sisco]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

Guys, where in my post did I say I expect to learn this in 5 minutes, much less from a single source??????? I asked for the best book/tutorial, because like most things in life, people have their favorites amidst the sea of information available these days.

And CREATIVERETOUCH ... "if you know what you are doing" ... that's the point of my post! I want to learn more advanced techniques.

Geez, you guys sure know how to make someone feel welcome to this forum.

sid_v - thanks for the links.

BTW - while actions are great and much appreciated, I want to learn the art of doing this myself. Not so much creative toning, but fine tuning skin tones to get them "perfect" (and yes, I know "perfect" is subjective for everyone, but hopefully you get my point. I want to learn better techniques using curves, etc. for dialing in skin tones without too much red, too much yellow, etc. or predictably to my taste).

Thanks - Mark

[creativeretouch]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

Guys, where in my post did I say I expect to learn this in 5 minutes, much less from a single source??????? I asked for the best book/tutorial, because like most things in life, people have their favorites amidst the sea of information available these days.

And CREATIVERETOUCH ... "if you know what you are doing" ... that's the point of my post! I want to learn more advanced techniques.

Mark, I gave you few tips and from my point of view those are the best sources to start from if you wish to work seriously. Personally I have learned a lot of things from them and I was not afraid to pay for my knowledge. Yes, I use to ask questions my friends and use to read a lot of different books as well. And I have been watching free videos too

Anyway, you can try to click on the link on the end of my post ...

Filip

[sid_v]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

Well, actions are the best tutorials in my opinion. You have the steps laid out....all you need to do is practice them. Unfortunately, when i started out....all the actions you could get were very dated and some of them didn't work like they were supposed to. None i could trust enough to think it is the right method...so i devote time practicing. They were and many of them are still crap.

I found more help on the internet, here on retouch pro and experimenting on my own.

If you are working for skin and beauty, take a look at the action called 'Beauty Retouch Pro' on my blog. If the images/explanation you see is what you are aiming for, you will save hours(for me years) of internet time searching and implementing it.

It may sound as if i'm pushing my product, but i truly believe in them.

regards,
Sid.

[Mark Sisco]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

Mark, I gave you few tips and from my point of view those are the best sources to start from if you wish to work seriously. Personally I have learned a lot of things from them and I was not afraid to pay for my knowledge. Yes, I use to ask questions my friends and use to read a lot of different books as well. And I have been watching free videos too

Anyway, you can try to click on the link on the end of my post ...

Filip

Thanks Filip. Just wanted you to understand that I definitely was not looking for a "quick fix" answer. And it does often take multiple resources with these things. I often know what I want with regard to getting a skin tone where I want it, but I just haven't locked in on the technique/tool to predictably achieve my desired result.

Oops, just found the link. Missed it the first time. Thanks again.

[Mark Sisco]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

Well, actions are the best tutorials in my opinion. You have the steps laid out....all you need to do is practice them. Unfortunately, when i started out....all the actions you could get were very dated and some of them didn't work like they were supposed to. None i could trust enough to think it is the right method...so i devote time practicing. They were and many of them are still crap.

I found more help on the internet, here on retouch pro and experimenting on my own.

If you are working for skin and beauty, take a look at the action called 'Beauty Retouch Pro' on my blog. If the images/explanation you see is what you are aiming for, you will save hours(for me years) of internet time searching and implementing it.

It may sound as if i'm pushing my product, but i truly believe in them.

regards,
Sid.

Sid, you do make a very valid point. I have often learned things from analyzing actions. I'll look at "Beauty Retouch Pro" in particular. Thanks for pointing me to it.

And by the way, i didn't take your suggestions as pushing your product. I know tons of folks who use actions and are perfectly happy with them, and I use them a ton as well. In this case, I'm wanting to learn the actual technique itself. That's where I was coming from, but again, good reminder that checking the details of an action is a great learning process.

Mark

[creativeretouch]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

You can use all those methods in any kind of photography - if you know what you are doing ...

I think you misunderstand what I wanted to say - maybe I should not write it like this - it was not ment as "attack" - I just wanted to say that if you are aware of all this stuff you can use it anywhere but you need to be careful as there are some limitations.

I did not get a feeling you are looking for a quick solution - this is the reason why I gave you those suggestions - I would not do it if I would think so ... You know, you can say something and be positive but on the other side you can get misunderstood ... And English is not my first language

My link: (it should be visible twice now)
_________________
Learning Resources for Retouchers and Photographers
http://creativeretoucher.com/learnin...ographers.html

[creativeretouch]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

My link: (it should be visible twice now)
_________________
Learning Resources for Retouchers and Photographers
http://creativeretoucher.com/learnin...ographers.html

I am sorry Mark, you are right. I use this link as my signature and I am able to see it from my browser when I am logged in. If I visit this site from the other browser and I am not logged in my signature is not visible. Isn't it strange?

[creativeretouch]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

Yes, signatures are not visible if you are not logged in.

[Mark Sisco]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

Filip, no problems and sorry I misunderstood.

Thanks for the clarification on the link. And you are right, my login had timed out from one of the browser windows I had open and I could not see it.

Appreciate the help.

[creativeretouch]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

Filip, no problems and sorry I misunderstood.

Thanks for the clarification on the link. And you are right, my login had timed out from one of the browser windows I had open and I could not see it.

Appreciate the help.

No probs and hope you will find what you are looking for

[Mark Sisco]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

Thanks. Filip, do you have any opinions on this book by Dan M.?

"Professional Photoshop: The Classic Guide to Color Correction"

[creativeretouch]

Re: Tone and Color Correction

This should be the latest (the newest one and most probably the latest one) version of this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Professional-P...dp_ob_title_bk

It is already several years old but I am sure a lot of people here would agree this is one of the best books ever written (regarding Photoshop of course).

And this is "THE COLOR BIBLE":
http://www.amazon.com/Photoshop-LAB-...d_bxgy_b_img_b

I would suggest to buy both of them