How can I correct an overexposed skin tone in Photoshop?
Asked 9/10/2015
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I have an overexposed portrait and want to adjust the skin tone so it looks more natural and closer to a reference image. What Photoshop tools or adjustments are typically used to fix exposure and color balance for skin tones?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
1
You should be able to "eyeball" this color balance and exposure in Photoshop using:
Menu >Image >Adjustments >Curves Levels Color Balance
A good understanding of all the commands under >Image >Adjustments is imperative to do this kind of color correction. What ever color space you are using; CMYK or RGB , it is important that you get your colors to track (black, grey and white balance) over the entire exposure latitude.
Originally by user44959. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user44959
10y ago
0
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In Photoshop, this is usually done by eye using tonal and color adjustments rather than a single automatic fix. The main tools mentioned are:
- Curves
- Levels
- Color Balance
A practical approach is to first correct the overall exposure with Curves or Levels, then fine-tune the skin color with Color Balance. For believable skin tones, focus on getting neutral blacks, grays, and whites balanced correctly first; that helps the rest of the colors, including skin, fall into place more naturally.
It also helps to understand the full set of commands under Image > Adjustments, since skin-tone correction often requires small combined changes to brightness, contrast, and color rather than one adjustment alone. Whether you are working in RGB or CMYK, the key is consistent color tracking across the tonal range.
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