How to approximate images to each other

[pixfan]

Hi,

 

I have 6 portrait images which I will collage. The images show the same person, each image in front of a slightly different background and the images show also slightly different exposure and color. Is there a straight way or method to approximate the images to the same exposure, WB and tone or is the only way to adjust (fiddle around) manually?

 

Thanks a lot for your help!

 

Regards

Paul

[Lee D]

Hi pixfan,

With the images placed on the canvas, when you apply adjustments it will apply to all of them below the adjustment layer, unless you nest it in one of the layers to apply it only to that image.

 

**As all the images are different in their exposure, white balance etc. manually editing them will be needed.**

[pixfan]

Thank you for your re. This is true but the adjustment is applied to all layers by the same amount. My images are different in exposure, WB ... but should be as close to each other as possible at the end. I need a tool to help me not to apply one adjustment to all images but to get the same exposure, WB and tone for all images eventually.

[jer]

@Lee D: Reading this string caused a wild idea to pop into my head.

 

What about using Panorama on the 6 portraits to see how the automation for WB & exposure treats them, then use selections to move the portraits back into the areas desired for the collage? Then make more minute adjustments where required.

 

Might this have a chance as a tool?

[pixfan]

This sounds like a weird but interesting idea, but the pano function tries to combine the images so I am unsure if this will lead to an usable result. I will give this a try but I can not believe that in such a powerful tool like AP there is no "gadget" or strategy which helps to correlate a bunch of images with ease.

[Alfred]

Would 'Auto White Balance' and 'Auto Levels' be helpful for this? If so, you could use a macro to get you at least part of the way there.

[verysame]

I would pick one image as main reference and paste the others into the main ref.

Than, I would probably do a combination of saturation mask or curve adjustments per channel. I'd start with the curve first, it could be enough.

The idea is that you would add curve adjustment to each photo and you work off individual channel, comparing blue, red and green between the ref and the image you are working on.

If you can get the three channels as close as possible, you should be able to match the colors of all the photos.

[pixfan]

Thank you all for your help.

 

I mainly oriented on your suggestions, Andrew. It was a slog but finally, it gave rise to a good result.

[verysame]

Awesome,

 

I'm glad it worked.

Yes, it requires a little extra work, but in general it works.

I take no credit for the technique, I read it years ago on an After Effects book.

 

Best