Average blur in Potoshop 7 - possible?

[al606]

I read an interesting article in a magazine about removing color casts but the first step needs "blur/average" which is new in CS. Is there anything in version 7 which can approximate this effect?

Thanks in advance.

[Radtech1]

Nope, sorry but 7 does not have "Blur/Average" or any sort of workaround. So for quick and easy color cast correction you have 2 choices: 1) buy CS at about 800, or around 180 for the upgrade assuming that your version of 7 is registered.

Or, 2) pick up PSElements 2.0 on EBay for about 20 bucks and use its color cast correction feature. It is "eyedropper" based, so just put the eyedropper on an are that needs to be either pure white, or pure black and the rest of the shot is color corrected to match. It is inexplicable why this was left out of CS.

Rad

[Conk]

Gee thanks Rad for that PS Elements tip. :D

[maderito]

I'll assume that the article's color correction technique involved copying a small neutral portion of the image (white, grey, or black) to another layer, applying the blur/average to that sample, and using the resulting sample or its actual color numbers to proceed with color correction.

A not so elegant way to do this would be to make a selection of the neutral area (e.g. with the marquee tool), copy it to another layer, then make a pattern (with pattern maker) of this sample to completely fill the layer. Then apply a Gaussian Blur with the radius set to maximum (250). This willl effectively give you a layer with a blur/average result.

You need to fill the layer with the sample (via pattern maker) or else the large radius Gaussian blur will evaluate areas of the image layer that have no color information.

You have to learn how to use pattern maker - a bit of a pain. :x

As noted, there are simpler alternatives.

[al606]

Thanks for the replies.

fyi the article said:

1. create dupicate copy of bg into new layer
2. choose filter/adjustments/average
3. choose image/adjustments/invert
4. change blending mode from normal to color
5. reduce opacity to taste

Sounded fast and easy; oh well...

[maderito]

fyi the article said:

1. create dupicate copy of bg into new layer
2. choose filter/adjustments/average
3. choose image/adjustments/invert
4. change blending mode from normal to color
5. reduce opacity to taste

Sounded fast and easy; oh well...

Interesting approach to color correction. Seems to work on the principal that the average color of an image should be a shade of gray (R=G=B) and if it is not, the difference in color is subtracted or added to the original image.

If you overlay an image with a mid-gray layer (R=G=B=127) and set the blending mode to color, the hue stays constant with varying saturation/brightness as you change the layer opacity. The technique described in the article is correcting Hues against a average Hue value and allowing you to adjust the "intensity" of the correction by changing layer opacity.

I think some automatic WB algorithms are related to this approach. Like most other things, one size shoe doesn't fit all. All in all, a useful "trick" to remember.

[Radtech1]

Just got home and I tried the method indicated. Just want you to know that you are not missing anything. It kills contrast and saturation. Then you are stuck having to fiddle with those. PSElements is a MUCH BETTER way to go for Color Correction.

Rad