"Global" color changing

Question

Level 1

14 points

"Global" color changing

(Apologies in advance for improper terminology.)

Question: Can I select a color in a photo (call it Color A) and then select another color in the photo (Color B) for Color A to globally replace?

Scenario: I do amateur studio photos with single-colored foamboard for background. Using the Color Adjustment, I can change this background color, but only within a narrow range (e.g., a blue foamboard can be adjusted to aqua or to lavender using Hue or Saturation, etc.).

But I'd like to change the blue to, say a red or a yellow (or whatever) out of the blue range. Can I?

Thanks. 🙂

Mac OS X (10.7.5), 3.06 4GB 1TB; 2.53 4GB 250GB;

Posted on Sep 21, 2013 5:32 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 21, 2013 6:28 PM in response to Penman61

You'll have an easier time of it and get better results if you use an external editor like PS or GIMP

Aperture is not really designed to do this type of image manipulation.

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Answer 2

léonie

Level 10

194,785 points

Sep 21, 2013 6:29 PM in response to Penman61

But I'd like to change the blue to, say a red or a yellow (or whatever) out of the blue range. Can I?

You can change the color using the color adjustment over a wide range; only not with the sliders, but by stepping the values with the arrow keys.

For example: I changed the blue sky to a reddish hue by advancing the hue value clos to 180 with the arrow controls.

For more control you would need to brush this adjustment in, to avoid painting the grass red as well.

These kind of adjustments are easier in Photoshop.

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Answer 3

Penman61 Author

Level 1

14 points

Sep 21, 2013 6:40 PM in response to léonie

Awesome. I had no idea about those arrows allowing you to increase the values beyond the sliders.

I tried this, and it accomplished what I'd been aiming to do. Thanks so much. 🙂

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Answer 4

léonie

Level 10

194,785 points

Sep 21, 2013 6:45 PM in response to Penman61

You are welcome. 🙂

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Answer 5

Sep 21, 2013 6:54 PM in response to Penman61

Equally surprising, you can use a mouse scroll wheel (or scroll on a track pad, but it's very tricky) to change the value once the value is selected.

Might be broadly known -- I just discovered this a few weeks ago.

You will likely find experimenting with the Tint Quick Brush worthwhile.

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Answer 6

Sep 22, 2013 4:41 AM in response to Penman61

And of course the problem isn't with the color change (though that is limited in Aperture) the problem is that without a proper selection tool the are changed area will never be precise

As in the image posted not only did the sky change but the mountaints and the figure in the background also changed. And as she pointed out there were also changes in areas away from and in other colors then those targeted.

So while doing this in Aperture may work for simple limited changes to do this properly really requires an external editor.

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