Two images of the same subject, yet different colour tones. The irritating result of using different lighting sources or different cameras. Sometimes it’s the automatic light metering or automatic white balance within the same camera. Nevertheless, we want some consistency and we’d like to do it using PaintShop Pro.
Corel PaintShop Pro 2019 Ultimate, in this instance.
PaintShop Pro has a tool that isn’t in the menu or on the toolbars, tucked away in a category labelled “Unused Commands” called Manual Color Correction. It can be added to the toolbar and menu via a drag-and-drop. We learned of this from a forum.
THE PROCEDURE
In a nutshell, when matching two images, one image is designated the Reference Image, while the other needs correcting. The Reference Image is tweaked to its best state, then the other image is set to match using the Manual Color Correction tool. The tool calls the Reference Image the Target, and the image needing correction the Source.
In Microsoft Windows 10
- Turn Windows Night Light (blue light filter) off – in case we have it on.
Curves… Tool (Adjust / Brightness and Contrast / Curves…)
Can adjust the dark, mid and lighter tones all at once. This tool improves the look of the image, it doesn’t match the colours.
We use this tool to adjust the Reference Image to suit our tastes, then we match the other (off-coloured) image with this Reference Image.
- Adjust the white balance first by selecting on a white region (within the tool, left viewpane)
- Then toggle the curve to achieve desired aesthetic.
Notes:
- Due to full frame light metering:
- For photographs taken far from the subject (subject occupies fraction of the frame), pin the highlights and shadows, up the mid-tones for more vibrance.
- For photographs taken near to the subject (subject occupies entire frame), drop the midtones for deeper tones, maybe drop the very bright tones as well.
Manual Color Correction Tool (Toolbar)
This tool isn’t in the toolbar or menus by default – as mentioned earlier. Enable it through toolbar customisation.
- Need a Reference Image to provide the Target colour.
- A freehand method of Source colour selection (via checkbox enabling) allows a region to be selected (in the left viewpane) and returns an averaged colour for the selected region patch.
- Calibrate using different colours within Reference Image to see which produces best overall match. Matching colour on the subject itself sometimes messes up the surroundings, try matching the colours on the surrounds instead – it might yield better overall results.
- Might have to use Curves tool afterwards to balance out the tones.
Note: the colour match shows notable improvement after the first adjustment (Target colour selection – on the Reference Image), however subsequent Target selections tend to cause colour divergence. To reset: re-select the source colour in the left view-pane of the tool.