skin color correction

[megan_stone]

<p>For skin color correction, is that done as the first step in post production or as the last? After curves, levels, contrast etc...? I assume tones will change again if one starts with it? Any tips would be much appreciated. Thank you</p>

[megan_stone]

<p>And is the Levels -- eye dropper -- clicking on darkest area and then clicking on lightest area of image an accurate way to color correct ?</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>To get the color right, include a white balance target in a shot that uses the same light you'll be putting on your subject. Shoot RAW. In post, use that target to tell the software you're using what neutral looks like. You can also do this as you shoot, by setting a custom WB in your camera, while shooting a proper WB target. But shooting in RAW gives you total flexibility to correct after the fact without damaging the quality of the image.<br /><br />Clicking on darkest and lightest points will have nothing to do with color accuracy, only with tone. And unless those points you're clicking on are truly all the way black and all the way white, you're probably making matters worse, throwing off the tone curve like that. That will usually tend to push shadow and highlight details right out of sight. <br /><br />Good looking skin tones and colors start with a good exposure of a well lit subject, and the correct white balance for the color temperature of the light source you're using (daylight, tungsten, etc). If you shoot RAW, you can fiddle with WB all you want later. But you still need to get the exposure right as you shoot, to retain the most latitude.<br /><br />Color and tone are not the same thing, though playing with them in post will cause what appear to be changes in the other. For example, if you change the tone curve to boost contrast, some colors will quickly appear more saturated. It won't make red more red, but it will make that red look heavier - so you need to pay attention to saturation as you play with levels. </p>

[megan_stone]

<p>Thank you.<br>

I didn't use the white balance for this particular shoot so wondering what i need to do to adjust skin tone/colour tone etc ? should i do it in RAW ?</p>

[digitaldog]

<blockquote>

<p>I didn't use the white balance for this particular shoot so wondering what i need to do to adjust skin tone/colour tone etc ?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This might help with values:<br>

Here's a video on correcting skin tones without having to resort to CMYK:<br>

Low Rez (YouTube) <br />

High Rez<br />http://digitaldog.net/files/SkinToneVideo.mov</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>Megan, if you face this pretty often, it might be worth it to check CaptureOne - it has a Skin Colour Balance to act alongside (or basically replacing) the white balance. I don't do a whole lot of portrait work, but the times I've used it, I found this tool pretty useful. You need to select skin type, and next set the colour balance the same way you would set a custom white balance. Otherwise, generically indeed, much what Matt said; but in "uncontrolled" scenarios (where a white balance disk or grey card isn't doable, no other neutral target in the photo), this skin colour balance tool makes a good alternative, so it could be what you'd want to give a try.<br>

I tend to set the colour balance as one of the first steps when working on files, mostly to understand how/where all other colours would fall, what the resulting tonality would be like etc. I don't really know if it's better/worse, but I find the easiest way to work.</p>

[Wayne Melia]

<p>Andrew Rodney; thank you. Your continued contributions to digital darkroom education are appreciated.</p>