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Using Selective Color in Photoshop -- the Basics

by Hugh Stockton

One of the most flexible tools I have found in Photoshop is Selective Color (SC). Not so much for changing colors as for improving the relationship between the colors to provide more exciting or more intense scenes. With it you can remove the source light reflections and zero in on the object generated color.

When you open the SC tool you will see a dropdown "Colors:" menu that allows you to select one of nine Colors (Channels). Once selected, you can use the sliders to adjust one of four Levels of the selected Color. Most of the successful adjustments will be made with the Black Level slider. Attempting to use the CYM sliders will probably produce color casts that you won't like. I will mention some exceptions below.

These settings are particular to the example images. They would be similar for similar images, but very different for different images. Only the SC edits have been done. Several other steps would have been necessary to complete my entire workflow.

By the way, if you'd like an automated version of these color adjustments, plus additional adjustments such as UV Haze reduction, check out our Color Enhancement and Haze Reduction actions for Photoshop.

Notes:
  1. The original images were opened with the Adobe RAW action and downsized to 100 dpi and 8 inches wide. All images here were "Save For Web" at 70%. This also changes the resolution to 72 dpi.
  2. I used the "Absolute" setting in the SC dialog. If you use "Relative," your results will be different.


Here's the original image for the first set of adjustments, before applying any SC edits. Each adjustment below starts with this original. Before applying SC edits
The Red Channel

Cyan -22 to make the red glow
Black +5 to make it redder

To see the original, roll your mouse cursor over the image (your browser must support JavaScript for this to work)
The Yellow Channel (Edits to the original image)

Yellow +14 to make it more yellow
Black -27 to make the yellow glow

To see the original, roll your mouse cursor over the image (your browser must support JavaScript for this to work)
The Cyan Channel (Edits to the original image)

Black +36 to make it darker
Yellow -48 to move toward to blue and away from cyan

To see the original, roll your mouse cursor over the image (your browser must support JavaScript for this to work)
The Blue Channel (Edits to the original image)

Black +21 to make it darker
Yellow -34 to move it toward a more pleasing blue

To see the original, roll your mouse cursor over the image (your browser must support JavaScript for this to work)
Magenta Channel (Edits to the original image)

Black -32 to improve the contrast between the lighter clouds and the sky

To see the original, roll your mouse cursor over the image (your browser must support JavaScript for this to work)
All channels adjusted - Using the settings above

To see the original, roll your mouse cursor over the image (your browser must support JavaScript for this to work)


Note that some of the adjustments are kind of interactive; the Red and Yellow, and the Cyan and Blue particularly. It is occasionally good to tweak one after adjusting the other. Since there was no green in this image, there was no reason to adjust green. I'll do that with a more appropriate image.

Image 2 Original

The Yellow and Green adjustments are somewhat interactive. If you do one, you will probably want to do both. The rest of the adjustments depend on the earlier adjustments so I will be continuing the adjustments without going back to the original each time.
The Yellow Channel (Edits to the original image)

Cyan +23 to make the green more green
Black -54 to make the green glow



The Green Channel (Edits to the image after the Yellow edits)

Cyan +34 to make the green more solid

To see the original, roll your mouse cursor over the image (your browser must support JavaScript for this to work)
Magenta Channel (Edits to the image after the Green edits)

Magenta +25 to add more
Black +10 to remove the glare

To see the original, roll your mouse cursor over the image (your browser must support JavaScript for this to work)
White Channel (Edits to the image after the Magenta edits)

Black +7 to reduce glare

To see the original, roll your mouse cursor over the image (your browser must support JavaScript for this to work)
Neutrals Channel (Edits to the image after the White edits)

Black +7 to add a bit of contrast

To see the original, roll your mouse cursor over the image (your browser must support JavaScript for this to work)
Black Channel (Edits to the image after the Neutral edits)

Black +19 to increase contrast and allow the flowers to glow

To see the original, roll your mouse cursor over the image (your browser must support JavaScript for this to work)


Want an automated version of this and more? Check out our Color Enhancement and Haze Reduction actions for Photoshop.