How do you deal with color casts and tint issues in architectural photos in Photoshop?

1 Identify the problem

The first step is to identify the source and extent of the color cast or tint issue in your photo. You can use the eyedropper tool to sample different areas of the image and compare the RGB values. Ideally, you want the values to be balanced and close to each other. If they are skewed or vary widely, you have a color cast or tint problem. You can also use the histogram or the info panel to check the tonal range and color distribution of your image.

2 Adjust the white balance

The easiest way to correct the color cast or tint issue is to adjust the white balance of your image. You can do this in two ways: using the camera raw filter or using the curves adjustment layer. The camera raw filter allows you to use presets or sliders to fine-tune the temperature and tint of your image. The curves adjustment layer allows you to manipulate the individual color channels and create custom white balance points. Both methods require you to find a neutral gray area in your image and use it as a reference.

3 Remove color fringes

Sometimes, you may notice color fringes or halos around the edges of your architectural elements. These are caused by chromatic aberration, which is a distortion of the lens that affects the alignment of colors. To remove color fringes, you can use the lens correction filter or the defringe command. The lens correction filter automatically detects and corrects the chromatic aberration based on your camera and lens profile. The defringe command allows you to manually select and replace the color fringes with a neutral color.

4 Enhance the colors

After you have fixed the color cast or tint issue, you may want to enhance the colors of your architectural photo. You can do this by using the hue/saturation, vibrance, or selective color adjustment layers. The hue/saturation layer allows you to adjust the hue, saturation, and lightness of the entire image or specific color ranges. The vibrance layer allows you to boost the saturation of the muted colors without affecting the already saturated ones. The selective color layer allows you to modify the amount of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black in each color.

5 Match the colors

If you have multiple architectural photos that you want to combine or present together, you may want to match the colors of them. You can do this by using the match color command or the color lookup adjustment layer. The match color command allows you to apply the color and tonal characteristics of one image to another. The color lookup adjustment layer allows you to apply a predefined or custom color profile to your image. Both methods require you to select a source and a target image and adjust the settings accordingly.

6 Save your work

The final step is to save your work in a suitable format and quality. You can use the save as command or the export as command. The save as command allows you to save your image in different formats, such as JPEG, TIFF, or PSD, with various options, such as compression, layers, or metadata. The export as command allows you to save your image in web-optimized formats, such as PNG, GIF, or JPEG, with options, such as size, resolution, or transparency. Both commands allow you to preview your image before saving it.

7 Here’s what else to consider

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