- 1). Open the photo in your image-editing program. Click "File > Open" and select the image from its folder.
- 2). Find the color balance controls in your specific image-editing program. These are likely found under menu items labeled either "Image" or "Adjustments." The color balance controls usually display three sliding scales labeled "Red/Cyan," "Yellow/Blue" and "Green/Magenta." These are the sets of complementary colors available to adjust your photo.
- 3). Click the box that says "Use Preview" if present. This lets you see the color changes immediately as you drag the scales so you can preview the changes before you commit to them.
- 4). Select whether you want to change the color of the shadows, midtones or highlights, if the image-editing program gives you such a choice. You likely need to adjust all three values. If your eyes are not used to looking for color imbalance, start with the highlights.
- 5). Use the eyedropper tool to sample the color from a highlight area in the photograph. Observe the resulting color in the foreground color box.
- 6). Drag the sliding scale toward magenta if the resulting color looks green. These two colors are complementary; adding one color reduces the other and creates a more neutral value. A green cast in a photograph can result from making an image under fluorescent light and not using the same white balance settings on your camera. If the photo looks magenta, as some aged photos can, drag the scale toward green.
- 7). Pull the scale toward yellow if the highlight color appears blue. Blue casts occur in photos that are shot in outdoor daylight without using the proper white balance settings. Conversely, a yellow cast can happen in photos made under lamp lighting indoors; pull the scale toward blue in this case.
- 8). Drag the scale toward cyan if the resulting color looks pink (red). Photos that are shot under candle lighting often have red casts. Cyan has more green in it than blue does, and it can take some practice to sort out whether you have a blue cast or a cyan cast. Images made on cloudy days can sometimes have a cyan cast.
- 9). Repeat the color adjustments for the shadows and midtones. You may or may not need to make equally drastic changes with the other two values, but the changes made with the highlights will likely be similar to those you need to make here.
- 10
Press "OK" when you have reached the color balance you desire, to commit to the changes.
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