Project 2 Adjustments/Color and Balance/Color 1 and 2

Here is the original image:

Here is the target image:

Here are my adjustments:



I first tried adjusting the colors using the Levels command and adjusting with the individual Red, Blue and Green channels. That didn't seem to make a huge difference and was frustrating because I couldn't seem to isolate the individual objects in the room. I couldn't seem to change the color of the bedspread from the warm orange to the cool red. I liked how Marlene's image turned out so I decided to try adjusting the reds using the Hue/Saturation like she did. That made a big difference with the bedspread, but I could not get any Hue/Saturation change for blues, greens or cyan.

What I ended up doing was first adjusting the Levels Blue channel. I changed the input white slider triangle to 64, which brought out the blue in the curtains, table, and part of the couch.
I then adjusted the Green channel middle grey slider to 1.29.

I then went into Hue/Saturation and adjusted the red hue and saturation. I discovered that adjusting the Blue Channel in Levels first made it possible to make some adjustments Hue/Saturation for blue. I then adjusted the blue hue and lightness to bring it out a little more.

I went back into Levels and adjusted the Red and Green channel midtone grey slider. Then back to Hue/Saturation to adjust the yellow saturation. Then back to Levels to adjust the Green channel again.

Next I went to Shadow/Highlights and adjusted the tonal width for highlights to 5% so I could reduce the amount of light coming from the lamps. This exercise made me understand the tonal width adjustment more than what was explained in the text. Finally I went back to Hue/Saturation and adjusted the yellow saturation and lightness.

It didn't end up perfectly. I couldn't get the enough of a greenish cast for the light on the wall around the lamp and ended up with a reddish cast in the light and the curtains. But not enough red on the sofa!

I think what I have learned most from our text was using the individual color channels in Levels to adjust colors in the photograph. I had used Levels before with just the RGB Channel but not the individual color channels. I am finding the Curves command tricky. I was able to follow the example in the text but I am not sure I could utilize this on my own yet.