In Focus Vol. 2 No. 2

Chasing the Sun

When lighting and color need to be consistent for output after an outdoor photo shoot, here’s how to synchronize the time of day in Photoshop.

By Kim Herrera

Losing daylight and still trying to get those last few shots in? Try these quick and easy steps in Photoshop to pull the details out and match color to an image shot an hour or more before!

1. Open the image that needs to be adjusted

2. Open the image with the target color

3. Click back on the image that needs the correction and go to Image>Match Color, and click OK

But now my sample has lost its gorgeous sky colors. No problem. You can brush back what ever original colors you want with the stroke of a brush… the History Brush!

Here's how:

1. First, show your History Palette (Window>History)

2. Select the History Brush (Y on the keyboard)

3. Choose a previous history state, which is found on the left side of the History Palette.

4. Now select a big fuzzy brush (I used 100px) and set the blend mode of the History Brush to Normal, 100%. I made one big brushstroke across the sky. The sky is returned to the previous history state selected. You can use this for retaining hues in bridal bouquets as well as sunsets. This procedure is recommended for event photography images shot within one to two hours of each other.

Kim Herrera is the color management expert for Logan Photography at Studio Exchange, Santa Ana, Calif., and runs KCH Digital, a digital artistry, education, and consultancy firm.