Photoshop CS4 for Photographers
Illustration by Don Barnett

Choosing your Color settings


Photoshop CS4 for Photographers

with Chris Orwig

Video: Choosing your Color settings

In this movie, we are going to talk about one of the most important aspects of setting up Photoshop and that's setting up your color settings. Color a lot of times can be pretty dizzying, and here we have a photograph that I captured in Times Square. I created this affect on camera; just used a slow shutter speed and then twisted the camera or spun the camera. It's a really fun photographic effect because what's in the middle is in focus, and then as it extends further out to the edges it becomes more and more blurry. Well anyway, what we are going to do is deconstruct the color settings a little bit so that this isn't such a dizzying process.
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  1. 3m 28s
    1. Introduction
      2m 43s
    2. Using the exercise files
  2. 19m 30s
    1. Taking visual snapshots
      2m 34s
    2. What's new in the Photoshop CS4 menus
      1m 24s
    3. The importance of the 30-minute blink
      2m 37s
    4. Isolation
      3m 31s
    5. Taking notes
      2m 29s
    6. Creative memorization
      2m 15s
    7. Verbalize, human, fun
      1m 18s
    8. Lessons from a legend: Douglas Kirkland
      2m 10s
    9. Resources and links
      1m 12s
  3. 30m 43s
    1. Is Photoshop CS4 worth it?
      2m 50s
    2. Seeing the new Tools panel
      3m 22s
    3. Working with the Application bar
      2m 51s
    4. Navigating with the Hand and Zoom tools
      4m 27s
    5. Rotating with the new Rotate View tool
      2m 0s
    6. New ways of arranging documents
      5m 41s
    7. Working with the panels
      2m 34s
    8. Customizing your workspace
      2m 12s
    9. Creating custom keyboard shortcuts
      3m 12s
    10. Creating custom menus
      1m 34s
  4. 39m 39s
    1. Choosing your Color settings
      5m 4s
    2. Setting Image Interpolation preferences
      3m 2s
    3. Zoom preferences
      2m 40s
    4. Interface preferences
      7m 46s
    5. File-handling preferences
      2m 34s
    6. Performance preferences: Memory
      5m 40s
    7. Performance preferences: Cursor
      5m 46s
    8. Performance preferences: Transparency and Gamut
      4m 45s
    9. Reviewing the other preferences
      2m 22s
  5. 21m 14s
    1. Bit Depth 101
      4m 34s
    2. Introducing image size
      2m 47s
    3. Image Resize overview
      7m 54s
    4. Resizing by cropping
      3m 33s
    5. Straightening
      2m 26s
  6. 9m 56s
    1. Introducing color management
      2m 3s
    2. Monitor calibration basics
      2m 29s
    3. Advanced monitor calibration
      2m 36s
    4. Creating a neutral work environment
      2m 48s
  7. 11m 17s
    1. Using Photoshop, Bridge, and Lightroom together
      2m 20s
    2. Bridge as a digital light box
      1m 19s
    3. General Bridge preferences
      2m 49s
    4. Thumbnail Bridge preferences
      1m 38s
    5. Advanced and Cache Bridge preferences
      3m 11s
  8. 28m 2s
    1. Creative tip 1: Discarding, the great selection technique
      4m 6s
    2. Introducing the Bridge interface
      3m 28s
    3. Getting photos from your camera
      4m 14s
    4. Choosing a workspace
      4m 16s
    5. Customizing the workspace and the Synchronized window
      4m 10s
    6. Using Bridge to rate and sort
      4m 3s
    7. Sorting with filters
      3m 45s
  9. 33m 53s
    1. Previewing multiple files
      5m 6s
    2. The Bridge Review mode
      7m 4s
    3. The Bridge Full Screen mode
      3m 8s
    4. Bridge slideshows
      4m 25s
    5. Stacking images
      3m 24s
    6. Renaming and batch-renaming
      4m 11s
    7. Adding favorites
      1m 58s
    8. Grouping images with Collections
      4m 37s
  10. 15m 3s
    1. Setting up metadata
      3m 34s
    2. Customizing the workspace for metadata
      2m 20s
    3. Creating a metadata template to add a copyright notice
      3m 55s
    4. Keywording images
      3m 33s
    5. Filtering images based on metadata
      1m 41s
  11. 9m 54s
    1. Recording an action
      2m 16s
    2. Batch-processing an action
      2m 11s
    3. Simplifying repetitive steps using the Image Processor
      2m 21s
    4. Opening multiple images as layers
      3m 6s
  12. 1h 13m
    1. What is Camera Raw?
      2m 47s
    2. Understanding the Camera Raw preferences
      3m 15s
    3. Opening files in Camera Raw
      5m 23s
    4. The Camera Raw interface and essential controls
      5m 13s
    5. White Balance, Straighten, and Tone
      3m 2s
    6. Crop, Rotate, and Vignette
      4m 43s
    7. Improving color and tone
      4m 46s
    8. Saturation vs. Vibrance
      4m 46s
    9. Converting an image to black and white
      4m 7s
    10. Split-toning an image
      3m 32s
    11. Working with tone subjectively
      5m 56s
    12. Adjustment Brush essentials
      3m 19s
    13. Using the Adjustment Brush
      7m 24s
    14. Working with the Graduated filter
      4m 6s
    15. Sharpening and noise reduction
      6m 10s
    16. Working with multiple images
      4m 45s
  13. 38m 42s
    1. Creative tip 2: Worth the risk
      2m 30s
    2. Introducing layers
      2m 53s
    3. Working with layers
      2m 21s
    4. Working with History and the History Brush
      4m 1s
    5. Aligning layers
      1m 56s
    6. Organizing layers
      4m 17s
    7. Layer style effects
      4m 21s
    8. Creating a clipping mask
      4m 27s
    9. Creating a reflection of an image
      2m 37s
    10. Targeting and moving layers
      5m 36s
    11. Reviewing layers shortcuts
      3m 43s
  14. 31m 31s
    1. Introducing masking
      2m 8s
    2. Creating a simple layer mask
      3m 51s
    3. Masking shortcuts
      3m 25s
    4. Using Color Range to create a detailed mask
      3m 48s
    5. Creating a layer mask with Color Range
      5m 5s
    6. Masking and brightening eyes
      3m 35s
    7. Masking and selective sharpening
      2m 58s
    8. The Quick Mask mode
      6m 41s
  15. 24m 15s
    1. Creating a custom border with masking
      5m 41s
    2. Using pre-built borders
      7m 6s
    3. Exploring sample image frames
      4m 59s
    4. Frame plugin highlight: Photoframe
      6m 29s
  16. 51m 47s
    1. Creating a mask with the Quick Selection tool
      5m 39s
    2. Working with the Quick Selection tool
      4m 12s
    3. Creating color range selections
      4m 46s
    4. Advanced selection enhancements
      5m 1s
    5. Using the Magic Wand
      2m 33s
    6. Using the Lasso tool
      5m 37s
    7. Pen and path shortcuts
      5m 20s
    8. Understanding paths
      4m 7s
    9. Creating path selections
      6m 3s
    10. The Magnetic Lasso tool and paths
      8m 29s
  17. 21m 11s
    1. Introducing the Adjustments panel
      2m 26s
    2. Brightness and contrast
      3m 39s
    3. Understanding the difference between Vibrance and Saturation
      2m 55s
    4. Using the Target Adjustment tool
      4m 10s
    5. Hue/Saturation adjustments and masking
      3m 15s
    6. Hue/Saturation blending with Shadow/Highlight
      4m 46s
  18. 17m 45s
    1. Introducing levels
      1m 58s
    2. Enhancing color and tone with levels
      3m 3s
    3. Modifying color with levels
      3m 47s
    4. Levels and masking
      3m 13s
    5. Using levels and masking to get the most out of adjustments
      5m 44s
  19. 40m 59s
    1. Demystifying curves
      6m 53s
    2. Using curves for contrast and tone
      3m 33s
    3. Midtones and advanced blending
      2m 50s
    4. Curves and general Hue/Saturation
      2m 54s
    5. Enhancing color with curves
      6m 18s
    6. Curves, color, masking, and tone
      5m 10s
    7. Curves and masking
      4m 54s
    8. Creative tip 3: Using curves for publication
      5m 14s
    9. Using, modifying, and saving curves presets
      3m 13s
  20. 24m 7s
    1. Creative tip 4: Ordinary ingredients = extraordinary results
      2m 23s
    2. Introducing blend modes
      5m 36s
    3. Blend modes visualized
      6m 48s
    4. Blending multiple images
      6m 9s
    5. Blend modes shortcuts
      3m 11s
  21. 42m 57s
    1. Correcting color with eyedroppers
      4m 37s
    2. Advanced color correction with eyedroppers
      2m 27s
    3. Color correction with Camera Raw
      3m 3s
    4. Performing difficult color correction with Camera Raw
      3m 1s
    5. Performing easier color correction with a color chart
      2m 31s
    6. Color-correcting skin by the numbers
      3m 42s
    7. Color-correcting by the numbers
      4m 10s
    8. Color correction: Studio shot
      3m 6s
    9. Color correction: Light skin tone
      3m 6s
    10. Color correction: Dark skin tone
      3m 44s
    11. Color correction: Multiple skin tones
      6m 40s
    12. Color correction plugin highlight: SkinTune 2
      2m 50s
  22. 44m 45s
    1. Replacing color with Hue/Saturation
      3m 2s
    2. Replacing a color
      5m 7s
    3. Modifying color with Selective Color
      3m 5s
    4. Color focus
      5m 59s
    5. Experimenting with cool and warm colors
      5m 18s
    6. Enhancing a portrait with sunset colors
      5m 16s
    7. Enhancing a landscape with sunrise colors
      5m 19s
    8. Enhancing a color group shot
      3m 17s
    9. Using photo filters with black-and-white photos
      3m 14s
    10. Using photo filters with color photos
      5m 8s
  23. 22m 3s
    1. Introducing the Burn and Dodge tools
      2m 56s
    2. Using the Burn and Dodge tools
      3m 47s
    3. Darkening corners with the Soft Light blend mode
      3m 0s
    4. Adding contrast to the highlights
      2m 30s
    5. Darkening a portion of an image
      2m 45s
    6. Correcting bright and dark tones
      3m 56s
    7. Reducing highlights with the Multiply blend mode
      3m 9s
  24. 19m 31s
    1. Creative tip 5: Seeing beyond the color - your gear is good enough
      4m 58s
    2. Introducing black-and-white conversion
      3m 37s
    3. Portrait black-and-white conversion
      3m 32s
    4. Landscape black-and-white conversion
      2m 40s
    5. Adding grain and tone to a black-and-white image
      4m 44s
  25. 11m 16s
    1. Introducing Smart Filters
      2m 36s
    2. Applying Smart Filters
      3m 21s
    3. Blending and masking Smart Filters
      5m 19s
  26. 19m 38s
    1. Noise reduction with Surface Blur
      4m 36s
    2. The Noise Reduction filter
      2m 54s
    3. Advanced noise reduction with Channels
      5m 32s
    4. Advanced noise reduction with the Dfine plugin
      6m 36s
  27. 33m 29s
    1. The Dust and Scratches Filter
      3m 57s
    2. Using masking to remove dust and scratches
      5m 10s
    3. Introducing the trio of healing tools
      6m 18s
    4. Using the Healing and Clone Stamp tools
      4m 21s
    5. Using the Patch tool
      7m 40s
    6. Cleaning up an image with what's there
      6m 3s
  28. 58m 59s
    1. Creative tip 6: A beautiful mistake
      2m 51s
    2. Cleaning up a background
      3m 21s
    3. Removing blemishes
      4m 19s
    4. Cleaning up backgrounds and blemishes
      3m 46s
    5. Brightening eyes
      3m 13s
    6. Changing eye color
      4m 55s
    7. Darkening the edge of an eye
      1m 32s
    8. Adding makeup
      2m 25s
    9. Correcting distortion
      2m 19s
    10. Reducing eye wrinkles
      4m 4s
    11. Adding height and reducing wrinkles
      7m 55s
    12. Whitening teeth
      4m 6s
    13. Whitening teeth using Quick Mask
      3m 39s
    14. Softening skin
      5m 5s
    15. Removing red-eye
      2m 21s
    16. The next steps in retouching
      3m 8s
  29. 38m 35s
    1. Introducing Smart Sharpen
      3m 23s
    2. Smart Sharpen demystified
      4m 10s
    3. Smart Sharpen and masking
      8m 46s
    4. Using the Unsharpen Mask filter
      5m 19s
    5. Black-and-white High Pass sharpening
      8m 2s
    6. Color High Pass sharpening
      3m 27s
    7. Sharpening and tone
      5m 28s
  30. 28m 38s
    1. Resizing for email and the web
      3m 1s
    2. Image size considerations
      2m 54s
    3. Preparing files for the web
      4m 37s
    4. Sharpening for the web
      2m 12s
    5. Correcting color for the web
      3m 10s
    6. The Save for Web dialog
      3m 51s
    7. Creating a web gallery
      6m 21s
    8. Sharing your photos online
      2m 32s
  31. 23m 33s
    1. Creating contact sheets
      4m 19s
    2. Presenting your photos as a PDF slideshow
      2m 55s
    3. Desktop printing recommendations
      1m 40s
    4. Preparing to print
      5m 53s
    5. Using Soft Proof to pre-visualize printing
      3m 46s
    6. Using the Print dialog
      3m 31s
    7. Print settings
      1m 29s
  32. 23s
    1. Goodbye


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Watch the Online Video Course Photoshop CS4 for Photographers
14h 50m Beginner Nov 04, 2008

Viewers: in countries Watching now:

Photoshop CS4 for Photographers is an essential course for any digital photographer who wants to master the software's vast array of image enhancement techniques. Professional photographer and instructor Chris Orwig uses his own compelling images to demonstrate how the power of Photoshop can make photographers more passionate about their work. He covers many aspects of the application, such as working with RAW images, using curves and levels, making images snap, and enhancing bland photographs by converting them to black and white. Exercise files accompany this course.

Topics include:
  • Sharpening a photograph to make it more vivid
  • Reviewing the essentials of retouching
  • Understanding the fundamentals of color management
  • Creating a layer mask to brighten eyes
  • Applying advanced noise reduction using channels
  • Using Bridge CS4 to organize and tag the best images
  • Processing photographs for print and web publishing
Chris Orwig

Choosing your Color settings


Well, first of all, where can we find our Color Settings? Well, you can navigate to the Edit menu and choose Color Settings, or in a Mac you can press Shift+Command+K. On a PC that's Shift+Ctrl+K. And that will open up the Color Settings dialog. How can we start to think about colors? Well, you may have heard this described this way. It's my favorite way to talk about color and about color space. Now, Adobe sRGB, you can think of it like a small box of crayons. You have a limited number of colors. There isn't a wide gamut of colors. What's the difference then? Well, another color space is Adobe RGB (1998). Well, you can think of this as a crayon box with that built-in sharpener that never really works, but you have all of these colors at your disposal. Then there is one more color space. It's the ProPhoto color space. And that is the color space where you have the whole bucket of crayons; there are just so many colors there, and therefore you can then work with those colors and reproduce those colors in really interesting ways.

All right. Well, let's go ahead and navigate to Photoshop and here we have this photograph of all these beautiful colors. One of the most amazing things to me about photography is just being able to capture and appreciate color and tone. All right. Well, in order to be able to reproduce this color and tone that we have captured, we need to go to our Color Settings. We can navigate to the Edit pulldown menu and then choose Color Settings, or use that shortcut Shift+Command+K on a Mac/ Shift+Ctrl+K on a good old PC. This will then open up our Color Settings dialog window. Now, by default the Colors Settings are not very good. Check this out, North American General Purpose, sRBG. Do we really want to work on that small color space if we are going to print our images? Well, if we are going to print our images anywhere else besides a lab, which uses that sRBG color space, yeah, we want a wider color space. This color space will work well if we are just going to view our images on a monitor, but we want to take advantage of having more colors.

What's a better option? Well, we are going to go to North American Prepress 2. Now, this is a pretty good color space, Adobe RBG (1998). Preserve the profile, Ask When Opening for a Mismatch or Missing Profiles, Ask When Opening. Great! The one thing we want to change is our GrayGamma. We want to take the GrayGamma to 2.2 for a Mac or a PC. Trust me on that one; it's going to help render the tones and the tonality much better. So now that we have that, now that we have customized this, let's save this one out. I'll go ahead and Save this one out as Orwig - Adobe (1998), because it's my customization there, click Save. Then I can add a little description. What I'm going to do is say, 1998 - rocks! Because it's rocks solid and click OK.

Now, here we can see that I have this particular color space and there is my little description down below when I hover over it. So again, I can choose that from the list here. Well, so far so good, we have that Adobe RGB (1998) color space. Well, there is a color space that I think, in my opinion, is even better. Now, this is much debated. There are people who definitely disagree with me on this one, yet I'm going to go ahead and show you. I'm going to go to ProPhoto RGB. Now, what that color space will do is provide this large color gamut. Now, this color space works really well if you are working with Lightroom, and I'm working with Lightroom a ton, remember, I'm a photographer and I'm all about the image, I'm all about creating amazing photographs. So I want to take advantage of the full wide gamut.

Now, the people who don't like this color space say, you know what happens when you go to print, your image is going to be converted to CMYK, you are not going to be able to print that full wide gamut of colors anyway, so it's not worth it. Yet in my opinion, it is worth it, because that way you when you are processing the image or working on the image, you can take full advantage of that wide gamut, that bucket of crayons, so to speak. So I'll go ahead and save this one out, and I'm going to call this one Orwig - Pro Photo and click Save, and then say some comments here, which I'm going to say Pro Photo - a good friend with Lightroom!!! Basically it works well with Lightroom and just a little description. I have got to have a little bit of fun with it, its fun to have your own words show up in Photoshop, right? Again, as you can see my Color Setting preferences, I'm going to go for that ProPhoto color space, and then make sure you change that GrayGamma to 2.2, and then leave all of these other options as is.

Yet throughout this training I'm actually going to switch back to that Adobe (1998) color space, because in order to make the file size smaller I'm going to use JPEG sometimes, in order to speed up the whole learning process, because I'm not going to be printing these files that we are actually working on in Photoshop. I'm going to take it back to that color space. So my recommendation for this training is to take your color space to the Adobe (1998) GrayGamma 2.2, and that color space is a really good color space. It's solid. So we will go ahead and choose that and we will progress through the rest of our training.

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