PhotoshopElements

Correct color casts by comparing variations of an image

You can make color and tonal adjustments in the Color Variations dialog box by comparing and choosing different thumbnail variations of the photo. Color Variations works best for average tone images that don’t require precise color adjustments.

Note: You can’t use the Color Variations command with images in Indexed Color mode.
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Comparing color adjustments in the Color Variations dialog box

  1. Choose Enhance > Adjust Color > Color Variations.

    The two preview images show the original image (Before) and the adjusted image after you’ve made changes (After).

  2. Select an option to choose what you want to adjust in the image:
    Midtones, Shadows, or Highlights
    Specify which part of the tonal range to adjust: dark, middle, or light areas.

    Saturation
    Makes the image colors more vivid (more saturation) or muted (less saturation).

  3. Set the amount, or intensity, of each adjustment by using the Adjust Color slider. Dragging the slider to the left decreases the amount, and dragging to the right increases it.
  4. If you are adjusting the color of midtones, shadows, or highlights, do either of the following:
    • To add a color to the image, click the corresponding Increase color thumbnail.

    • To subtract a color, click the corresponding Decrease color thumbnail.

      Each time you click a thumbnail, all thumbnails are updated.

  5. If you are adjusting color saturation, click either the Less Saturation or More Saturation buttons.
  6. To undo or redo adjustments, do any of the following, then click OK to apply the adjustments to your image.
    • Click Reset Image to start over and undo all adjustments.

    • Click Undo once or multiple times for each successive adjustment you want to undo. You cannot undo the Reset Image option.

    • After undoing a new adjustment, click Redo once or multiple times for each adjustment you want to redo.