If you want to learn how to get better colors in your photos, then this video by Todd Dominey is for you.
He shows several color grading techniques you can use in Photoshop to improve the look of your images. All of them use layer blend modes, so you will learn not only how to enhance your photos but also how blend modes work.
Typically, I don't get much out of such videos because I've been using Photoshop for nearly 20 years. However, this tutorial is different, as it taught me how the "Subtract" blend mode can help get purer colors. Using a "Solid Color" adjustment layer, you can pick a color you want to remove from a photo. In his video, Dominey uses green as an example. After selecting a color, you set the layer blend mode to "Subtract." It will have an intense effect and make the photo dark and saturated. However, once you drop the layer's opacity, you will see this adjustment's impact on the image's color.
Even with low opacities, the image will be darker than before. Dominey shows a remedy for this later in his video. But if you want to isolate the adjustment to affect only the colors, you can also use this method:
- Press Ctrl/Cmd + Alt + Shift + E to create a flattened copy of the adjusted image.
- Set the blend mode of the flattened copy to "Color."
You can no longer tweak the adjustment because it is now a pixel layer. If you require this flexibility, you can use a Smart Object instead:
- Copy the original layer—the one beneath the color adjustment.
- Select the color adjustment layer and the copy.
- Right-click on one of the selected layers.
- Press "Convert to Smart Object."
- Set the blend mode of the Smart Object to "Color."
You can still open the Smart Object and fine-tune the color later. This technique fits nicely into a non-destructive workflow.
In his video, Dominey shows further color enhancement techniques, including "Gradient Maps," the "Average" filter, and color dodge and burn. So, watch the whole video to improve your Photoshop skills.
