Photoshop’s Variations feature is a variation (so to speak) on the professional photographer’s ring around (a set of color prints, each made with slightly different color balance) or test strip (a single print of an image made so that each section is shown using a different color balance). Both tools let you view several renditions of an image and choose the best one visually by comparing them. You might want to use Variations when you’re unsure about exactly how the color is biased, and you want to compare several versions of an image to see exactly what the color cast is.
Although not as sophisticated as some color correction techniques, the Variations feature has the advantage of being quick and simple, and it doesn’t require a lot of training to use. Here are the components of the Variations dialog box (shown in the Putting-It-Together project that follows):
- In the upper-left corner is a pair of images — the original image and the image as it appears when Photoshop applies the corrections.
- Below these thumbnails is a set of six variations on the original image, each with a fixed amount of correction applied using (clockwise from upper-left) green, yellow, red, magenta, blue, and cyan. In the center of this ring is the current version of the image. As you apply adjustments, the Current Pick thumbnail updates accordingly.
- At the right edge of the dialog box is a stack of three thumbnails showing a lighter version of the image (at top), the current version (in the middle), and a darker rendition (at bottom).
- In the upper-right corner of the dialog box is a control area that includes radio buttons that let you choose shadows, midtones, or highlights for your correction, as well as saturation. Beneath the buttons is a slider that controls whether your correction is subtle (Fine) or dramatic (Coarse).
- Four buttons also let you save the corrections you’ve made for use with the same or another photo, load settings you already stored, apply the current corrections (by clicking OK), or forget about the whole thing (by clicking Cancel).
Correcting Tinted, Faded Photos
In the Putting-It-Together project that follows, I employ the Variations feature to restore the color in a scan of a color print originally made in 1965. Unfortunately, the years have not been kind to this photo; it has a slight, but annoying, greenish tinge that’s a result of the magenta dye layer of the print fading. As the magenta fades, the other two color layers, cyan and yellow, appear proportionately stronger when compared to the magenta that remains and, as you may recall, cyan and yellow make green. I plan to use the Variations feature of Photoshop to restore the magenta layer in this photo that’s green with age, putting the ruddy glow back into the subjects’ cheeks. To correct color cast in an old photograph by using the Photoshop Variations feature, follow these steps:
1. In Photoshop, open an old, fading photo that needs color correction.
In this case, I’m using an old, greenish-looking picture, but any color cast will do.
2. Choose Image-->Adjustments-->Variations from the menu bar.
The Variations dialog box appears.
3. Select the Show Clipping option to tell Photoshop to show any areas of the image that will be “overwhelmed” by the correction you’re contemplating. That is, no new information is added.
4. Save the corrections you made for use with the same or another stored, apply the current corrections (by clicking OK) or forget about the whole thing (by clicking Cancel).
5. Make adjustments with the Fine/Coarse slider.
In my example, the greenish picture needs some magenta, so I dragged the Fine/Coarse slider to the left (the default midpoint is waaay too much). You can also click one of the tick marks to move the slider to that position. Photoshop doesn’t allow setting the control to any of the intermediate positions between the marks.
6. Make sure that you have selected the Midtones radio button, and then click the preview window containing the amount of color you want to add.
Watch the Current Pick thumbnail, which reflects the correction. In my case, I need to click the More Magenta image. Click several times if your initial application isn’t enough or click other preview windows to add other, additional colors. Photoshop applies your corrections only to the middle tones of the image. In many cases, that’s sufficient. However, sometimes shadows take on a particular hue, or the highlights may gain color casts of their own.
7. Click the Highlights and/or Shadows radio buttons to add colors only to those parts of the photo.
Variations isn’t the best tool to make complex color corrections, so be careful. You might be able to see a highlight color in the shadows under the pillow, most noticeable in the More Magenta preview. The highlight is the Clipping indicator showing that the change made by that preview window is too much for that particular area of the picture. That is, Photoshop can’t add any more magenta to the highlighted area without losing detail in the image.
8. Click the Darker preview (in the lower-right corner of the dialog box) to make the photo a little darker.
The Fine/Coarse slider has no effect on the amount of change Photoshop applies. Instead, you can click the Lighter or Darker preview several times to achieve the look you want. In my case, only one click is necessary.
9. Click the Saturation radio button to brighten the colors, and use the Fine/Coarse slider to control how much saturation you add or remove.
The Variations feature also lets you adjust the richness, or saturation, of the colors in an image. Now only three previews appear: a less saturated version, the current choice, and a more saturated version.
10. To save your settings, click the Save button, apply a name to the settings, and store them in the folder of your choice.
I recommend saving your settings, especially if you’re working on a copy of the original image and want to apply the same corrections later, or if you plan to correct several photos that have the same color defects.
Washing Out Color with Desaturate
Sometimes, you don’t want any color at all. Photoshop’s Desaturate command can wash all the color out of a layer or selection, giving you a plain grayscale image. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Use this command with caution because neither the Desaturate command nor Photoshop’s Image-->Mode-->Grayscale command is the best technique for converting a color image to monochrome. What people perceive as contrast, or differentiation, between tones in an image is determined in a color picture by more than the tonal values of the grays. Differences in color and saturation are also perceived as contrast by our eyes. Simply removing the color can produce an image that appears to be too low in contrast, which is another kettle of fish altogether.
However, if you simply want to eliminate the color from a layer or selection image quickly, the Desaturate command does the job. To apply it, select the area you want to operate on and choose Image-->Adjustments-->Desaturate, or press Shift+Ctrl+U (Shift+Ô+U on the Mac).
Although not as sophisticated as some color correction techniques, the Variations feature has the advantage of being quick and simple, and it doesn’t require a lot of training to use. Here are the components of the Variations dialog box (shown in the Putting-It-Together project that follows):
- In the upper-left corner is a pair of images — the original image and the image as it appears when Photoshop applies the corrections.
- Below these thumbnails is a set of six variations on the original image, each with a fixed amount of correction applied using (clockwise from upper-left) green, yellow, red, magenta, blue, and cyan. In the center of this ring is the current version of the image. As you apply adjustments, the Current Pick thumbnail updates accordingly.
- At the right edge of the dialog box is a stack of three thumbnails showing a lighter version of the image (at top), the current version (in the middle), and a darker rendition (at bottom).
- In the upper-right corner of the dialog box is a control area that includes radio buttons that let you choose shadows, midtones, or highlights for your correction, as well as saturation. Beneath the buttons is a slider that controls whether your correction is subtle (Fine) or dramatic (Coarse).
- Four buttons also let you save the corrections you’ve made for use with the same or another photo, load settings you already stored, apply the current corrections (by clicking OK), or forget about the whole thing (by clicking Cancel).
Correcting Tinted, Faded Photos
In the Putting-It-Together project that follows, I employ the Variations feature to restore the color in a scan of a color print originally made in 1965. Unfortunately, the years have not been kind to this photo; it has a slight, but annoying, greenish tinge that’s a result of the magenta dye layer of the print fading. As the magenta fades, the other two color layers, cyan and yellow, appear proportionately stronger when compared to the magenta that remains and, as you may recall, cyan and yellow make green. I plan to use the Variations feature of Photoshop to restore the magenta layer in this photo that’s green with age, putting the ruddy glow back into the subjects’ cheeks. To correct color cast in an old photograph by using the Photoshop Variations feature, follow these steps:
1. In Photoshop, open an old, fading photo that needs color correction.
In this case, I’m using an old, greenish-looking picture, but any color cast will do.
2. Choose Image-->Adjustments-->Variations from the menu bar.
The Variations dialog box appears.
3. Select the Show Clipping option to tell Photoshop to show any areas of the image that will be “overwhelmed” by the correction you’re contemplating. That is, no new information is added.
4. Save the corrections you made for use with the same or another stored, apply the current corrections (by clicking OK) or forget about the whole thing (by clicking Cancel).
5. Make adjustments with the Fine/Coarse slider.
In my example, the greenish picture needs some magenta, so I dragged the Fine/Coarse slider to the left (the default midpoint is waaay too much). You can also click one of the tick marks to move the slider to that position. Photoshop doesn’t allow setting the control to any of the intermediate positions between the marks.
6. Make sure that you have selected the Midtones radio button, and then click the preview window containing the amount of color you want to add.
Watch the Current Pick thumbnail, which reflects the correction. In my case, I need to click the More Magenta image. Click several times if your initial application isn’t enough or click other preview windows to add other, additional colors. Photoshop applies your corrections only to the middle tones of the image. In many cases, that’s sufficient. However, sometimes shadows take on a particular hue, or the highlights may gain color casts of their own.
7. Click the Highlights and/or Shadows radio buttons to add colors only to those parts of the photo.
Variations isn’t the best tool to make complex color corrections, so be careful. You might be able to see a highlight color in the shadows under the pillow, most noticeable in the More Magenta preview. The highlight is the Clipping indicator showing that the change made by that preview window is too much for that particular area of the picture. That is, Photoshop can’t add any more magenta to the highlighted area without losing detail in the image.
8. Click the Darker preview (in the lower-right corner of the dialog box) to make the photo a little darker.
The Fine/Coarse slider has no effect on the amount of change Photoshop applies. Instead, you can click the Lighter or Darker preview several times to achieve the look you want. In my case, only one click is necessary.
9. Click the Saturation radio button to brighten the colors, and use the Fine/Coarse slider to control how much saturation you add or remove.
The Variations feature also lets you adjust the richness, or saturation, of the colors in an image. Now only three previews appear: a less saturated version, the current choice, and a more saturated version.
10. To save your settings, click the Save button, apply a name to the settings, and store them in the folder of your choice.
I recommend saving your settings, especially if you’re working on a copy of the original image and want to apply the same corrections later, or if you plan to correct several photos that have the same color defects.
Washing Out Color with Desaturate
Sometimes, you don’t want any color at all. Photoshop’s Desaturate command can wash all the color out of a layer or selection, giving you a plain grayscale image. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Use this command with caution because neither the Desaturate command nor Photoshop’s Image-->Mode-->Grayscale command is the best technique for converting a color image to monochrome. What people perceive as contrast, or differentiation, between tones in an image is determined in a color picture by more than the tonal values of the grays. Differences in color and saturation are also perceived as contrast by our eyes. Simply removing the color can produce an image that appears to be too low in contrast, which is another kettle of fish altogether.
However, if you simply want to eliminate the color from a layer or selection image quickly, the Desaturate command does the job. To apply it, select the area you want to operate on and choose Image-->Adjustments-->Desaturate, or press Shift+Ctrl+U (Shift+Ô+U on the Mac).
Correcting Color Cast with Variations in Photoshop
![Correcting Color Cast with Variations in Photoshop]()
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