Getting the proper color balance will often make or break an image. This in-depth video explains a great technique for adjusting color balance in Photoshop using Curves adjustment layers.
In this video from PiXimperfect, Unmesh Dinda explains the differences and similarities between using a color balance adjustment or a Curves adjustment. He also explains that color balance adjustments are not intelligent adjustments, so there is no advantage to using them over curves. As with many things in Photoshop, there are multiple ways to accomplish a task, and this comparison between the two types of corrections will help you understand why you might use one over the other. Curves adjustments are most often used to adjust contrast, but using curves to adjust color balance offers greater control than just the color balance adjustment.
As a landscape photographer, I often use both the color balance or the Curves adjustment layer to remove unwanted color casts. While the color balance adjustment is a bit simpler to use, the Curves adjustment allows me greater creative control of the overall look and feel of the scene. It might be to warm up my highlights or neutralize a blue cast in the shadows, but you’ll see how you can take advantage of the Curves adjustment for your own creative needs. Watch the video above for Dinda's complete comparison.
