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HOW?? The hell


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The thing is, you can't easily just add a Hue/Saturation layer.  Especially to a cream colour.  Cream doesn't have any particular hue or saturation, you know?  So there's nothing for the layer to "grab onto", as it were.

So the trick is to first use a Levels layer to turn the cream into red, then clip a Hue/Sat layer on top of that, choose Reds, and fiddle with the Hue/ Saturation and Lightness sliders all you want.

(Note that I said "choose Reds".  You can do it on the Master channel, but the Lightness slider does NOT look nice when you use it.  Whereas it is lovely when you choose a colour.)

I'll upload a PSD shortly.

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I forgot to say, the reason you can't simply use a Hue/Saturation layer with "Colorize" checked is the same as I mentioned above - the Hue and Saturation sliders work nicely, but the Lightness slider does not.  It makes things look flat and unnatural immediately you touch it.

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Thanks for your instructions and PSD file Damien! Just a few quick questions.

1) When making your first levels layer and changing the middle sliders in each R, G,an B channels as you have, are those numbers recommended for all images or does it depend on the final colour you're seeking? (or does this become clear in your channel mixer class) and

2) Do you just adjust the red sliders in the hue/saturation layer until you're heart's content and you're happy with the final colour? No rules or recommendations?

Thank you. 

Emma

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4 minutes ago, EB Photography said:

1) When making your first levels layer and changing the middle sliders in each R, G,an B channels as you have, are those numbers recommended for all images or does it depend on the final colour you're seeking?

The numbers should work adequately for any photos with a cream-coloured rug like this one had.  For a photo with a rug of already-vivid colour, you shouldn't need the Levels layer at all - just add Hue/Saturation and adjust the colour channel which matches the existing colour of the rug.

Of course, feel free to start a new thread with your photo any time you're having trouble.

6 minutes ago, EB Photography said:

(or does this become clear in your channel mixer class)

No, the Advanced Levels Class.

6 minutes ago, EB Photography said:

2) Do you just adjust the red sliders in the hue/saturation layer until you're heart's content and you're happy with the final colour? No rules or recommendations?

No rules at all.  Just have fun!

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One more question, sorry! If you have an already vivid colour (therefore not needing the levels layer), do you still recommend moving the red sliders only in the Hue/Saturation layer or play around with the other colour sliders as well? 

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2 minutes ago, EB Photography said:

One more question, sorry! If you have an already vivid colour (therefore not needing the levels layer), do you still recommend moving the red sliders only in the Hue/Saturation layer or play around with the other colour sliders as well? 

No, as I said above ...

2 hours ago, Damien Symonds said:

For a photo with a rug of already-vivid colour, you shouldn't need the Levels layer at all - just add Hue/Saturation and adjust the colour channel which matches the existing colour of the rug.

You'd only use red if red is what it is already.  If it's vivid blue, you'd use blue.  And so on.

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On 4/2/2018 at 3:12 PM, Damien Symonds said:

The thing is, you can't easily just add a Hue/Saturation layer.  Especially to a cream colour.  Cream doesn't have any particular hue or saturation, you know?  So there's nothing for the layer to "grab onto", as it were.

So the trick is to first use a Levels layer to turn the cream into red, then clip a Hue/Sat layer on top of that, choose Reds, and fiddle with the Hue/ Saturation and Lightness sliders all you want.

I guess it goes without saying that you would have more control over the outcome if you used Channel Mixer instead of Levels for the first step.  But that extra degree of complexity shouldn't be necessary for a lot of photos.

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