How to Color-Correct Images in Photoshop CC 2014 Using Camera Raw

This article explains how to color-correct images in Photoshop. Instructions apply to Photoshop Creative Cloud 2014.

Apply Lens Correction

All camera lenses, regardless of cost, distort images. Photoshop recognizes this and helps you remove this distortion.

1. With the image selected, choose Filter > Lens Correction.
2. Making sure the Auto Correction tab is selected, choose the appropriate Camera Make and Lens Model. The image will square off in the corners.
3. Click OK to accept the change.

If you need to change the camera or the lens, just double-click the Filter to open the Lens Correction dialog box.

1. Open the Camera Raw Filter Dialog Box

   Select Filter > Camera Raw Filter. This opens a rather comprehensive window. Along the top are tools that zoom in on the image, set the white balance, add a graduated filter, and more.

   On the right side is a histogram. This graph will indicate that the tonal range of your underexposed image's pixels are clustered on the dark side of the tones. Your strategy is to redistribute them across the range from the left (blacks) to the right (whites.)

   Select the Basic tool, which is the default. 

2. Use the Camera Raw White Balance Tool

   The keyword here is balance. This tool uses the neutral gray you pick as the midpoint. Keep clicking the tool until you achieve the result you want. In this image, the foam and snow were sampled a few times to achieve the result. This is also a great tool for removing a color cast. 

3. Use the Camera Raw Temperature and Tint Sliders

   Think of temperature in terms of “red hot” and “ice cold.” Moving the slider to the right increases yellow, and moving it to the left increases blue. Tint adds green on the left and cyan on the right. Small changes are best; let your eye judge what looks best. 

4. Add Detail to the Camera Raw Image

5. Use the sliders under the White Balance area to make global adjustments to the image. Here, the sliders were adjusted to bring up the detail in the foreground. Again, let your eye tell you when to stop.
6. Keep an eye on the Histogram. You should notice the graph has now spread across the tones.
7. Click OK to accept the changes.
8. If you still feel the need to make further adjustments, all you need to do is to double-click the Camera Raw Filter in the Smart Filters layer. You will open the Camera Raw window and the settings will be those where you left off.