Photoshop Elements >

Raw File Processing > 6

The White Balance tool is located on the top left of the Adobe Camera Raw converter screen.

Do the following.

1) Locate an area in the image that should be gray, but isn't, because of an incorrect color balance.

2) Click the White Balance tool icon, place the eye dropper tip over the should-be-gray area, and click.

You can also use a white area.

However, be careful.

Don't use:

• A white area that's overexposed, such as a sky.

• A specular highlight.

For example, a reflection from chrome on a car, or the reflection of sunlight from a water drop, are specular highlights.

We'll now use the white balance section on the right side of your screen.

The box in the white balance section has several choices.

• As Shot

This choice uses the white balance setting from the camera.

If you set the white balance setting on your camera to match the light in the scene, then this may be the best choice.

• Auto

Camera Raw sets the white balance.

• Daylight, Cloudy, Shade, Tungsten, Fluorescent, or Flash

Camera Raw sets the white balance according to the above color balances.

Use the Temperature and Tint sliders to refine the color balance.

The Temperature slider shifts between red and blue (warmer to cooler).

This slider is especially useful when correcting tungsten light.

The Tint slider shifts between green and magenta.

Use this for fine tuning florescent lighting and skin tones.

When you adjust the exposure, below, the color of the photograph may change.

Therefore, after adjusting the exposure, have another look at the color.

Try the Adobe Camera Raw converter's algorithms.

Click Auto.

If the results are good, make smaller adjustments yourself.

Click Default to start over.

To become familiar with what is possible, click back-and-forth between Auto and Default.

Study the entire image.

Then look at only the shadows, then the midtones (such as skin), and then the highlights, as you click between Auto and Default.