Primary Color Correction: Color Control Primer - The Art and Technique of Digital Color Correction - page 71

CHAPTER 3

Primary Color Correction: Color
Control Primer

Many of the concepts discussed in the tonal chapters continue to be appli-
cable as we advance the discussion of how to control the hue and saturation
of the image. These changes in hue and saturation are rarely done globally.
In other words, across the entire image equally, we'll use elements of the
tonal corrections to isolate and “qualify” our corrections as we continue.

Balancing the Image

D e f i n i t i o n
balance: To remove an
unwanted color cast from
an image. To ensure that
the blacks, whites, and
neutral gray tones of the
image are free from any
unwanted color.
color cast: A color
that pollutes the pure
black, white, and neutral
gray tones of an image.
Sometimes these color
casts are desirable, like in
the example of a romantic
close-up of a character
bathed in the warm,
orange tones of a sunset
or the sickly green tinge of
color in a scene with the
psychotic villain. Often,
we want to eliminate this
color cast, but sometimes it
furthers the story.

One of the most basic chores a colorist must accomplish is to “balance”
the image. This means that any unwanted color cast is eliminated from the
image.
Along with spreading the tonal range of the picture, which was cov-
ered in the first chapter, “balancing” the image is the other main aspect
of primary color correction. Balancing involves removing unwanted color
casts from the picture. Notice the word “unwanted” in that sentence. Very
often, color casts are a good thing that provide context, mood, and interest
to the image, such as the warmth of a scene lit by a sunset.
Color casts are rarely of the same strength, or even the same hue, in
each of the tonal ranges of the picture. Just as we started our tonal correc-
tions by working on the blacks or shadows first, we will begin to balance
the image starting with the blacks. Before starting the correction, you
need to analyze the image to know what you need to do.

Analyzing Color Casts

The three standard tools for analyzing color casts are the RGB Parade
waveform monitor (or the YRGB Parade waveform monitor), the vector-
scope, and of course the video monitor itself.

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