Can I match the color tone of a reference JPEG to my RAW photo in Lightroom or Photoshop?
Asked 1/3/2016
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2 answers
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I’m recreating an existing photo for a class assignment and want my version to match the original as closely as possible. I shot my image in RAW, but the reference image I’m matching is only available as a JPEG. I’ve tried adjusting color in Lightroom, but I can’t quite reproduce the same warm overall tone.
Is there a practical way to copy or closely match the general color look from an existing JPEG and apply it to a RAW file in Lightroom or Photoshop? I’m looking for a method that can work as a general workflow across multiple images, not just this one example.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
7
The first step is to observe. The main diference is a slight color on the first image.
Method 1
Technicly that is a duotone, it is the easiest way to work it anyway.
1) In Photoshop, convert the image to grayscale Image > Mode > Grayscale
2) Convert it to duotone Image > Mode > Duotone
3) Choose Duotone on the dialog box, not tritone, or monotone.
4) Choose a black ink and make the graph straight.
5) Choose a second warm sepia like color and play with the curves. The exact color and curves requires some experimentation.
Method 2
1) Go to curves Ctrl+M.
2) Select the red channel. Move up a bit the graph by the center. For precise control on the input type 128 and the output 138.
3) Now choose the green channel. Again move the graph and now type 128 and 133.
The exact values are a matter of try and error, but the main idea is that that redish cast is on the brown area, so play with the red and a bit less on the green.
You probably need some corrections before coloring it.
I would first of all desaturate my example image and try to correct my image in a general way. Soften the skin and brighten the eyes for example.
Then, play with the curves to match the overall skin tone. Do this in Lightroom to mantain as much info as you can.
After that, I would try to match the color cast.
P.S. In the photo shoot, try a softer difuse light, and use a wider aperture on your lens.
This lens aperture makes a huge diference in the photo.
Originally by user37321. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user37321
10y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—Photoshop can help, but it won’t be fully automatic.
A good starting point is Photoshop’s Image > Adjustments > Match Color, with both images in RGB mode. It compares the source image’s color statistics and applies a similar overall color balance to your image.
For looks that are more stylized, manual grading is often better. In your example, the reference appears to have a warm, sepia-like duotone treatment. Two common approaches are:
- Duotone method: convert to grayscale, then to duotone, using black plus a warm sepia tone.
- Curves method: adjust individual RGB channels to add warmth—for example, slightly raising the red and green midtones.
That said, color is only part of the difference. The reference also appears to have softer light and stronger post-processing (such as skin smoothing), so matching color alone won’t make the images identical.
If you have many images to process, use Match Color or build a repeatable curves/color-grading preset as a starting point, then fine-tune each image individually.
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