red skin in some of my photos at my vacation. help plz!

When a person is being captured, especially my self, the picture shows some nice color of the skin in the LCD display of the camera.
But when I download the picture to the computer I appear red in my face.
It is very annoying, are there a possibility to put some kind of layer og change the color balance,- that way I will have the same skin color in my face as on the LCD display. (more brown (a tan) and not red)?
I have, of course, checked myself in the mirror several times to check if I am really red and that is not the case.
btw I use photoshop 7.0.
I suspect this is something to do with the flash, and I'll be aware of this next time I take some pictures.
But the problem is that I can't recapture these picture, because this was on a vacation.
I would be extremely happy if you had some kind of and idea how to change this?
I could send one of the pictures, if that would help you?

just make a new layer, make a selection of your face, fill it with the tan colour you want and change the blendingmode to "hue" or "color". Shouldn't be harder than that.

First thing to do in any kind of retouching tends to be colour correction. Don't allow your camera to decide, make the choice yours. I prefer to correct colours by the numbers.

Add a threshold adjustment layer, using the sliding scale find and sample (using the colour sampler tool) the white and black points in your photo. When you have found them the next thing is to discard that adjustment layer and add a curves or a levels adjustment layer. Find on the canvas your white and black points (marked by a numbered crosshair) and using the eyedroppers in either the curves or levels mark the points.

Ideally I would suggest that you look in a SE for 'colour correction by the numbers'

To get rid of any remaining red caste (if it still remains), make a rough selection of your face with the lasso tool and feather it anywhere from 3-5 pixels. With the selection still active add a Selective colour adjustment layer. You will probably need to tone down the yellow and the red.

Do corrections by the numbers and never fear a red face again;)

Thehermit:

What you just wrote sounds very good, but I don't really understand much of it. I'm new to photoshop, could you perhaps take me step by step through the process you decribed?

I could also send you the picture, and you could show me how perhaps?

But thanks for the answer!

Sure give me a lil time to write something up and find the resources for you.

Once again Thank you.

But I'm a fast learner. The only problem is that the last time I used photoshop, was when version 3 got published.

I'll be waiting for your answers.

You will need acrobat or a similiar PDF reading software for some of the following links.


http://www.ledet.com/margulis/PP7_Ch02_ByTheNumbers.pdf

http://ep.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=Archives&Subsection=Display&ARTICLE_ID=76110&KEYWORD=dan%20margulis

http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/13486.html

http://www.adobeevangelists.com/pdfs/photoshop/tipsandtricks/CorrectByNumbers.pdf

It may seem a little boring but read through and try and follow some of the examples and you will begin to understand the process more easily.

The picture I have posted may look a lil confusing (even to me) but I hope I can explain it.

Always use adjustment layers when possible. They have no impact on the actual pixels and therefore don't degrade the quality of the photo by removing or altering pixels. Any direct work you do on the picture actually results in loss of pixel information, but adjustment layers are non destructive.

1) Open your photo. Ctrl+J to duplicate your layer. (always work
on a duplicate layer).

2) In the layers pallette find the threshold adjustment layer (high-
lighted in red). The idea is to move the slider twice, to find the
darkest (black) and lightest (white) part of your image. Do one
at a time. Use the colour sampler tool to mark the point where
the white point of the picture is. Double click your adjustment
layer in the layers pallette and then do the same for the black
point. When you have marked both positions you can discard
(delete) the threshold adjustment layer.

3) You should be left with your original photo with a couple of
crosshairs marking the black and white points.

4) Add either a Levels or a curves adjustment layer (won't matter
that much to you). A dialogue box should pop up with 3 eye-
droppers (black,grey,white), only the white and black droppers
are needed. Press the white eyedropper and position your
cursor over the crosshair in your photo that is the lightest point
- do the same for the black point.

Hopefully you should be left with an accurate(ish) colour corrected photo.

Any other tips, such as selective colour etc can be found here http://members.ozemail.com.au/~binaryfx/PSTV_links.html it may be a little technical but it's packed full of great information.

Hope that helps a little and sorry it so long winded


http://www.thehermit.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk//images/colour-correction.jpg

that's ok.! I very thankfull for your answer.!

I'll try to read it all, and get back to you,- if it works. But I think it will.

But thank very much

np Con23, just hope that it's good advice;)

Out of interest I wouldn't mind a gander at the photo to see the problem myself. Anychance of posting it? (no worries if it private), likewise I would be interested to see your retouch and how you got on (if you care to).

cheers

thehermit

Yeah sure np. It's just my girl taking my picture while I'm eating at a restaurant hehe

But how do I post the picture?