What is color correction in photography, and how do you use it?
Asked 3/14/2012
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I’m new to photography and keep seeing the term “color correction.” What does it mean in practice? Is it something the camera does automatically, or is it usually done later in editing? How does it affect a photo, and when would I need to use it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
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Color (or colour) correction is a broad topic. But generally is it trying to get the most accurate colors out of an image.
The basic problem at hand is that your eye automatically color corrects everything you see. A piece of paper looks just as white inside under a lamp as it does outside in the sun. However the two lighting conditions are really very different. When a camera captures images of that same sheet of paper under the same circumstances, you will see that the inside light is most likely orange, and the outside is white or blue.
Your camera will generally do an okay job correcting for this fact, by applying a white balance (the specific color white should be under any given type of light). But sometimes it is wrong or slightly off. Additionally, A photographer may choose to tweak the color of lighting for artistic reasons, or because of a mixed lighting that doesn't match.
There are a variety of ways to accomplish this in photoshop, lightroom, and even in your camera. If you have the option, shoot in RAW for the most flexibility.
Originally by user8843. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user8843
14y ago
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Color correction means adjusting an image so colors look natural and accurate under the light in which the photo was taken. A common example is white balance: our eyes adapt to different lighting, so white paper looks white indoors or outdoors, but a camera may record indoor light as orange/yellow or outdoor shade as blue.
Your camera usually applies some correction automatically through white balance, and it often does a decent job. But it can be off, especially under mixed or unusual lighting. In those cases, color correction is done either in-camera by choosing the right white balance, or afterward in editing by adjusting the image so neutral tones look neutral again.
It doesn’t always “enhance” a photo in a dramatic way—it mainly fixes unwanted color casts and makes colors look more true to life. Photographers can also choose not to fully correct color if they want a warmer or cooler creative look.
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