Free online screencasting tool
Note: this demo should really use a low constrast photo for dramatic effect, but I had trouble finding one because the north’s low-angled sun makes for a lot of great lighting!
You can’t always take photos during the magic hours of sunrise and sunset, and sometimes bad lighting makes colours washed out even monochrome.
For these photos, there is an easy fix: Lab colour. The method involves few steps:
- Go to drop down menu: Image>Mode>Lab Color
- Go to drop down menu: Image>Adjustments>Curves (Cmd M on Mac)
- Click Curve Display Options and make sure the grid of 10% increments is selected
- Find a and b channels (along with Brightness) under the Channels drop down – this is where the magic happens
- Adjust the Input levels along the bottom and top, either 10 or 20 per cent depending on how much colour boost needed
- Change your image back to RGB or CMYK once you are happy with the contrast. Lab colour files save as PSD, so’ll you’ll know if you forget this step.
This method can work wonders on washed out scenes for times when you can’t get reshoot and it takes 2 minutes.
