THE MISSION
Change background colours using Adjustment Layers and masks in Photoshop
Time needed
30 minutes
Skill level
Beginner
Kit needed
Photoshop CC
Bold colours can help your portraits to pop, but you might not always find the colours you want while shooting. Thankfully, recolouring parts of a scene is easily done in post-production.
We’ll use simple Photoshop tools here to change the backdrop to a bold blue tone. You can adapt this technique to change the colour of pretty much anything. At the time of the shoot, we found a convenient red wall next to a large window – ideal for portraiture! But after the shoot the reds seemed overpowering, especially as the skin tones and hair also have varying shades of red. So instead, we isolated and recoloured the background in Photoshop. Shifting colours is a fairly simple task, but it’s best to do it so you can choose another colour later on if you want. We’ll use Adjustment Layers here, which allow us to alter the colours on the layer/layers underneath, while remaining editable throughout the process. As well as colouring the backdrop, we also need to think about reflected colour. Light takes on some of the colour of the surfaces it bounces off, so here the light from the original red wall has bounced back to the subject, subtly shifting the skin tones and clothing around the edges of her figure. We need to correct for this with a subtle shift in colour.
You can download our start file ‘change_backdrop_before.jpg’ from the web link on the left.
This story is from the December 2020 edition of PhotoPlus : The Canon Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2020 edition of PhotoPlus : The Canon Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
CANON Speedlite EL-5
With a touch of gold, it's the first Speedlite to feature Canon's new 'multi-function foot' £499/$399
Newo Ikkin
Professional portrait photographer Newo reveals the Canon gear and lighting equipment she can't live without when creating her fantastical photos
EXPOSURES MADE EASY
Learn all you need to know to take better exposures
INSPIRATIONS
STUNNING IMAGERY FROM THE WORLD OF CANON PHOTOGRAPHY
Manhattan makeover
James Paterson shows you how to transform cityscapes into eye-catching artwork with a combination of blending and selection skills in Affinity
Generate AI backdrops in Photoshop Beta
James Paterson demonstrates the new filter that creates backgrounds based on a few words
Enhance portraits with panel sliders
Sean McCormack shows how to combine these controls to great effect in Lightroom Classic
Macro on a budget
Dan Mold shows you how to capture detail without breaking the bank
Clear the streets
Dan Mold shows you how to remove people from tourist hotspots
Flash fungi in forests
Elevate your macro skills with off-camera flash as James Paterson teaches you to capture stunning mushroom photos on the forest floor