Some workflows require that we work the images without going through a developer previously. This sometimes happens when you have to correct a client image or edit some images during sessions where it is not captured in RAW (they exist, although it sounds amazing). Correcting those images requires that we have a neutral base, and thanks to a video from the PTC YouTube channel, we can get it in a couple of clicks.
In the video, Jesus Ramirez teaches us the hidden algorithms found in the self-correction tool for fit curves. These algorithms have different functions that approach a contrast adjustment in different ways.. Most importantly, these algorithms allow us to get neutral images with good contrast with just a couple of clicks.
In the video, the editor shows us how to access these tools and how he uses them in his own workflow. However, the video is in English, so we have applied the process to a stream to demonstrate how it works. Let’s use the image below as an example.
The first thing we must do is create a layer of ‘Curves’ adjustments and next to the presets drop-down we will click on the ‘Auto’ button while pressing the ALT key on the keyboard.
This will open a new panel on the interface. Inside the interface we will see four methods of color auto-correction, a box to obtain neutral colors and a second menu to configure the target color of the black, white and neutral point. Default, the interface is adjusted to improve contrast and brightness in color correction. What this does is try to adjust the image so that it uses the most of the histogram at the general level.
Monochrome contrast is an adjustment that will seek to adjust and balance the overall luminance levels of the image.
Contrast per channel will seek to average between the overall contrast and each channel of the image. Which can achieve more neutral tones on its own.
Finding dark and light colors is the function recommended by Jesus. What it does is adjust the contrast according to the color. This helps to get more neutral tones and balanced contrasts for the start of editing..
Also, when clicking on the get neutral colors box, the algorithm usually finds midpoints or highlights that allow you to neutralize the image to boot with a perfect foundation.
Below you can see how the image looks after applying this pair of adjustments.
The best, this method can also work as a way to balance tones in a photocomposition (as shown in the video by Jesús Ramirez) and can even help us to get an interesting tone base when we want to extract a color style to apply it to another image.
To do this, we just have to remove the selection to obtain neutral tones and change the target colors of white point, black and midtones. In this way we can extract tones to only adjust the contrast manually with the contrast curve.
What do you think of this method of neutralizing images?