This is one trick I learned while I was still using film cameras.  Digital cameras are now a lot more common than film cameras, but I still use technique to tweak my pictures.  I’m actually surprised that a lot of digital photographers who use computers to enhance their pictures don’t know this.

The problem stems more from the white balance of a camera.  For most users this is set to auto mode.  And this results in pictures with funky colors, this fault is specially evident with skin tones.  The solution is to adjust levels using an image editor.  In most instances this would be Adobe Photoshop.  I use an open source software called GIMP which comes with Ubuntu Linux.  Either way, the method is the same.

After loading the picture in the image editor, go to “Levels.”  On Photoshop, it’s under the Image menu.  On GIMP, it under “Colors.” Among other things, the levels dialog box shows a graph of the gradation of color.  Say for instance, for red, the graph would show the amount or volume for a tint of red, from darkest red to lightest. On the Levels dialog box, there’s a drop-down menu for Channel (for “All”, red, green and blue).  For each of these values, you move the left and right slider so that the these sliders are at the edge of the graph.  This means that for the left slider, no graph values remain on the left.  And for the right-hand slider, it is at the right side limit of the graph.  Much like book-ends.  Repeat this for the red, green and blue values.

The resulting picture is more vivid and with better contrast than the original.  However, this is not needed for all cameras.  Some cameras have built-in levels which is computed while you compose the shot.  In most instances, there’s very little gain from this exercise.  Most specially for pictures with levels encompassing the whole spectrum.  Or if the camera white balance was set correctly.

Still, I take a look at the levels every time I load up a picture for enhancement or editing on Photoshop or GIMP.  Force of habit, I guess.