PhotoShop ~ Tutorial #2

CHANNEL MIXER TUTORIAL

This tutorial is on Channel Mixer and what it can do for your photos!!! Channel Mixer is found by clicking on Image on the menu bar. You then scroll down to adjustments and click on it. Another menu will appear with a bunch of options. Channel Mixer is approx. just past half way down the menu - just after selective color. I hope I can demonstrate just a portion of what can happen to your photos if you become familiar with this option. This should also help you to become familiar with the function. Remember - baby steps are actually leaps forward in reality - once you master them :)

Look at the picture posted:
It is a cute picture and acceptable... but I want to make it exceptional. I want the colors to be vibrant and real. I could mess around with brightness and contrast - and that will help it some... but there is a whole new world that will offer you the ability to get it JUST RIGHT! That is where Channel Mixer comes in.

So we have mentioned how to get to channel Mixer - Now how to use it. If you look at the box it brings up it should say Output channel then a box with a color listed. In mine it comes up saying red. Below Output Channel you will see a box that says source channels. In the box is Red - Green - Blue. Each color has a scroll line and percentage box.

If RED is the color listed for Output channel then its percentage will most likely read 100%. Leave it as it is and you can play with the other colors to affect your picture.

Below the source channel is constant with its scroll line and percentage box. I have found that each color will affect the color as it relates to the output channel and the constant will affect it all as a total. You will become more familiar as you play with it. (HINT: if you are scared of what you might do to a picture use either a picture you plan on throwing out or - what I like to do - is save the photo as another name so you have the original, until you are familiar and comfortable enough with the feature.) If you look to your right (looking at the screen) you will see 4 buttons = OK, Cancel, Load..., and Save... Just below them is a box that is usually checked that reads Preview. This button is awesome... because as you work on your photo you can simply uncheck the box to compare the new look to the original photo! It truly is nice for validating your work and choices.

Below Constant is another box = Monochrome. This is one of my VERY favorite features here on the channel mixer - but I would like to save it for the Black and White tutorial if I may ;)

Ok, back to the photo of Nathanya. My Output Channel reads RED. My Source Channel has RED at 100% so I move down to GREEN and adjust it then adjust Blue as well. After changing both of those I choose to adjust the constant slightly.

Green = +14%
Blue = +6%
Constant = +2

Result =

Just to check I uncheck my preview box to see the difference and if it is going in the direction I like. It is so I continue on. I change the output channel to green by checking on the arrow in the box and choosing the Green option. The source channel changes so that green is the one listed at 100%. I leave it alone and play with Red and Blue... then the constant until I get it closer to what I am looking for. (To see what I am looking for I look at the colors in the photos... the flowers, the greenery, the house, Nathanya's skin and hair. I try to get it looking as close to the actual colors as possible.)

Red = +10%
Blue = +2%
Constant = 0% I did not need to change it... 0 is where it looked best this time.

Result =

We have played with Output channels Red and Green - now it is Blue that needs tweeking. Each time before I switch the Output channel, I like to uncheck the preview button - simply to see the direction my photo is going. If I don't like it I may stay on the output channel or I may proceed. I like how this is looking so I am going on to Blue. Once again, I leave the source channel that matches the output channel (in this case blue) at +100% playing only with the other 2 colors left.

Red = -8%
Green = -6%
Constant = -1%

Result =

To know if the results are what I want... I look at my daughter. Her hair and skin look the same in real life. I look at her dress. The purple dots are the same shade as her dress in real life, and the white is as vibrant as well. I look at the siding on the house and door. Yep, right shade. I look at the greenery. It looks as green as it is out here. Then I look at the flowers blossoms, and they look great too.

You can use this feature to do some funky affects to your photos as well, but I recommend becoming familiar in using it the right way and training your eye to what looks right or assists in popping the pictures to your desire before working on the funky styles. I have been told that if you learn how to use a feature correctly or the rules to an art, then you can break the rules more effectively ;) I agree with this.

There are other options for adjusting the colors in photoshop... and I use those as well, but I find that the channel mixer offers more control and fine tuning for your picture than the other options. Besides, once you learn it really well, then you can utilize the other tools more effectively. I will walk you through some fun ways to do that in future tutorials.

Practice this and if you like post your before and after results so I can see how it is working for you. If you have questions then I can help you out with it. I will not forget the monochrome feature, like I said, it will be better suited being addressed with the black and white tutorial.

Have fun TWEEKING!!!!