Help with correcting skin tones

[jutei]

Hi!

I have two photos of caucasian models both with transparent background and from different photographers. It seems that the white balance is little off in both of the photos. I need to have exactly the same skin tone with both of the model.

How can I achieve that?

[Steve]

What problems are you having?
Generally speaking correcting the white balance in an image should correct the skin tone.

[jutei]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I think you are right. How do I correct the white balance? I can correct the white balance if there is white background, but in these photos the background has been removed. Both photos are from different camera and have been shoot with different white balance values. What tool/trick should I use to get it exactly the same in both photos?

I'm sorry if my questions are not clear, I haven't use english in many years

[tricky500]

A good skin tone in cmyk is usually around 13% cyan, 33% mag and 38 yellow with little to no k in the midtone / hilite...... I usually make a mask for skin, take color readings and match using curves.

[Steve]

Your english is just fine.

I'm assuming you don't have mixed light sources.
There are a lot of different ways to adjust the color balance but they don't all give you the same results.

I know this is going to be difficult to follow, sorry.

I get the best and most consistent results by using the eyedropper tool to sample the brightest and darkest areas in the image that show details.

You can do this by eye but get much better results if you use the Threshold tool.

With the eyedropper tool selected, and holding down the shift key, click on the brightest and darkest areas in the image that show details.

This should open the Info pallet.
In the pallet you'll see the results of your sample.

There will be an #1 R:, G:, B: and #2 R:, G:, B:

One set will have low numbers (shadows) the other set high numbers (highlights).
Open curves and in the box that says RGB click on red.
You'll see a straight diagonal line.

Grab the bottom corner and move it in until the low R number is 10.
Grab the top corner and move it in until the high R number is 245.

Some times you need to move them up or down just slightly to get the right number.

Do the same with Green and Blue.

Some easier ways (but not as good) are:
Set up ACR so you can edit JPG's and use the white balance tool and the Temperature and Tint sliders
Open levels, use the center eyedropper and click on something neutral, or ....

Go to Edit\Auto Color then go to Image|Adjustment|Variations and see if something look good to you or....

Hue and Saturation and Color Balance are poor choices but you can try them

[jutei]

Thank you for the replys! I tried both techniques and I find them both useful. I'm surely getting better result in future.

Now that I'm talking with pro photoshoppers I would like to ask another question.

If you have photo straight from the camera with some problems with white balance and maybe even exposure. In what order do you try solve problems? White balance or exposure first? What techniques or tools do you use to correct the exposure? I usely use only levels and I'm not sure if that is the best way to get the optimal results.

[Ultiman]

just a suggestion maybe make a new post for a new question might attract help faster but ultimately saves others with the same question searching through unrelated posts to find the answer not that you have done anything wrong just thinking of others

[Steve]

just a suggestion maybe make a new post for a new question might attract help faster

Good point.
Only the people already following this posts are likely to reply.

To jutei,

I shoot in RAW 99% of the time but I also open JPG's in in ACR.
On tour first screen in the Raw Editor is the straightening tool and what balance adjustment tools. I don't think it makes any difference what order you do it in, but that's where I start all my editing, always.