color replacement

[Rosemarie David]

Looking for the QUICKEST way, not necessarily the BEST way,  to replace a color on a small area of an image (the diaper cover between the legs.)  When I use the eyedropper to select a color from another area of the image (the red socks) it brushes on this pink color instead of the selected red.   (The original color of the diaper cover is nude/tan.)  I also get the "out of gamut" warning in many areas of the red.  ??

[Damien Symonds]

I can help with this easily.  But you'll need to post the actual photo for me, since screenshots aren't colour-managed.

[Rosemarie David]

Oh, I hope it IS easy.  I hesitated to ask and take up your time, but I've been fighting with it since yesterday.  Can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.   Any guidance you can give me to point me in the right direction would be appreciated!  This is my first attempt at color replacement.

[Damien Symonds]

Did you shoot raw?

[Rosemarie David]

Yes, raw.   

[Damien Symonds]

Oh, phew.

It's vitally important never to commence any Photoshop work before the raw processing is done.  Because once Photoshop work has commenced, you can't go back, you know?

So go ahead and do your raw processing on this photo, then post it for me again.

[Rosemarie David]

Will do.  THANK YOU!!!    So, send you the jpg as soon as I bring it into Photoshop, not the .psd file....correct?

[Damien Symonds]

That's right, yes.

[Rosemarie David]

I do exposure adjustment in ACR and everything else in PS.  That's where this image is now.....the ACR-processed non-photoshopped image, before I started trying to do anything with the diaper, saved as a jpeg. 

[Damien Symonds]

Oh gee, this is bad.

We can't continue while your photo is so dreadfully dark.  PLEASE buy a monitor calibrator as soon as you can.

[Rosemarie David]

Is this one light enough to be able to tell me how to replace the diaper color?

[Damien Symonds]

No, sorry

While you're waiting for the calibrator to arrive, can you at least compare your screen to prints, and turn its brightness down to match them?

[Rosemarie David]

Ok, I'll work on that.  Thanks!

[Damien Symonds]

When you first lower your screen's brightness to where it correctly matches the prints, you're likely to HATE it.  But I promise, within a week you'll be wondering how you ever tolerated it so bright before.

[Damien Symonds]

How did it go, @Rosemarie David?

[Rosemarie David]

You are so incredibly kind to check back!  Actually, it's my daughter-in-law who is the photographer...we gave up on the color replacement tool method, and we were able to figure out how to accomplish it to her satisfaction this morning with a hue/sat adjustment layer.   Color changing had never come up before, so we had just started to research it for the first time a couple of days ago.  The replacement tool was the first thing we can across, but we couldn't get it to work correctly.  As soon as we switched to experimenting with H/S/L, it took an immediate positive turn and everything just fell into place.  I was going to let you know how very much I appreciated your time and your offer to help.  It's amazing what you do for everyone!!  Thank you!      

[Damien Symonds]

What the heck?????  PLEASE fix your screen brightness problem.

[Damien Symonds]

Also, this: https://www.damiensymonds.net/art_tscs000.html

[Rosemarie David]

I have passed your recommendation on to her.  (It's her monitor we use for editing, not mine.)   And I will look at what you just sent.  Thanks!!