Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

There has been a lot of confusing information floating through....
Smart Color Boost is a simple tool.  I call it a simple tool because it uses virtually one or two clicks to accomplish a color boost that I would otherwise have to do trial and error.

It was not intended to make garish color, but you can if you override the auto mode.
 The Smart part of SCB is that it can determine, on an image by image basis, how much boost can be used without going over the point where a color blows out.
Notice, I said *a* color blows out.
That means that any one color (perhaps yellow for example) when it reaches its maximum, will halt the color boost for the image.
That is why one image may produce numbers like 1.35 all over the grid, and another image produces 2.95 before a color reached maximum...  the numbers being a multiplier.

Have a look at a shot I took yesterday.... nothing extraordinary about it...
But look at the life SCB added to the sullen image... early morning....

It is not for every image, just like adding contrast or saturation is not for every image.

Screen snap 103 shows Before!
Screen snap 102 shows After
Screen snap 105 shows the automatic results of SCB with Blue and Cyan unchecked before applying SCB
Why?
Because I didn't want the sky to get lighter, so I cancelled any boost to the blue family.

Experiment a little and don't let anything scare you away. It's a great tool, and a fun tool.

Have fun,
Fred

I really like the way this works!

Been playing with this on some old images and really like this. Very easy.

Here is an example where SCB worked well - the "Golden Gal".
I little extra tweak was applied to the sky, a useful "trick" to know.
Attached below:
Original image
Original + SCB with Blue and Cyan not ticked.
Original + SCB and sky darkened be reducing Blue & Cyan levels.
Screen shot of Sel Col Table.
Terry