How do I get this 'remove colour cast' tutorial to work.

[JohnB47]

Hi folks. My first post here.

I have Photoshop CS5 Extended and I'm relearning lots of things I knew how to do but have now forgotten.

I have been trying to follow the tutorial (a written one, not a video) that I link below, to show how you can select a colour in an image and then remove that colour. I get to the point where it says to use the eye dropper tool to sample an area. When I click with the sampler, the sample is always pure white.

Curiously, I did get this working once but I forgot which buttons I pressed to get to that point! I then closed the image down and tried again, but no go. (I thought it was because I had a brush tool selected last, rather than the hand tool, but no).

Can anyone tell me where I'm going wrong? Thanks.

https://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-editing/photo-filter/

 

[IamSam]

Hello and welcome.

Which step? 2?

 

[JohnB47]

Hello and welcome.

Which step? 2?

Blimey, that was quick.

It's at the end of Step 2 - "Rather than choosing a color from inside the Color Picker, move your mouse over the image, and you'll see your mouse cursor change into the Eyedropper icon. We're going to sample the color that's giving us our problem. To do that, click on an area inside the image where the problem color is most noticeable. I'm going to click on the horse's mane to sample the orange color: "

When I click on the image, it always selects pure white.

 

[IamSam]

What layer do you have selected/highlighted when you're sampling the color?

 

[JohnB47]

What layer do you have selected/highlighted when you're sampling the color?

The adjustment layer. If I highlight the background layer, I loose the adjustment layer controls. The only way I can use the adjustment layer controls is by having that layer highlighted.

 

[JohnB47]

Hold on hold on. I've spotted the problem. See next post

 

[IamSam]

OK............hold..........I'm testing.

 

[psleon]

Duplicate the bg layer or unlock the layer. It wont sample from the bg layer

 

[JohnB47]

OK, I see now that when you create a new adjustment layer, it comes with an inbuilt mask, which is selected by default. If I click on the leftmost Icon on that layer (layer thumbnail?), it deselects the mask and all works OK. So the tutorial missed that step out - I was trying to select colours on a white mask!

Thanks. You did help me spot that. Excellent quick response.

 

[JohnB47]

Duplicate the bg layer or unlock the layer. It wont sample from the bg layer

It does for me actually.

Please see my last post for the answer. Thanks.

 

[IamSam]

Sorry, got called away!

OK, I see now that when you create a new adjustment layer, it comes with an inbuilt mask, which is selected by default. If I click on the leftmost Icon on that layer (layer thumbnail?), it deselects the mask and all works OK. So the tutorial missed that step out

Yes...............that's the problem. It works on the original layer, no need to duplicate..............even though it's a good idea.

 

[psleon]

Yeah, always a good idea to duplicate the layer. But you're right, that isn't what's causing the issue in this case.

 

[IamSam]

Also, check out this TUTORIAL on color cast removal.

 

[JohnB47]

Yes, I understand.

What a great forum. Thanks for such quick replies.

On another subject - is this a good forum to discuss scanning from negs/slides - particularly the subsequent adjustments that can be done in photoshop? I'm about to get a scanner as a present and there will probably be loads of questions as I get used to it. Peoples advice on workflow would be very useful. I'll create new threads for my questions, of course. Just asking while I have your attention.

Oh - just saw the post about your tutorial. I'll certainly try that.

Thanks again.