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mos10279273
Known Participant
May 9, 2019
Question

Q. about setting the gray point

  • May 9, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 904 views

I've been asked to process of batch of scans. One of the things on the checklist is to "set the gray point". I'm wondering if I'm doing it correctly. What I do is open the Info panel, call up the "Curves" panel, select the middle eyedropper, then check the control strip in the image to find a middle-value gray that is exactly balanced, i.e. the R, G & B numbers are identical. Then I click that spot. (FYI, my eyedropper is set to a 5x5 sample). Is this the correct technique? What do I do with the images where I can't find a spot that is exactly balanced? This screen shot shows an example: there is no spot on the control strip that shows up as perfectly balanced in the Info panel.

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    1 reply

    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 9, 2019

    Please read this:

    FAQ: How do I capture and post a screen shot or video?

    call up the "Curves" panel

    What is that supposed to mean?

    Are you using a Curves Adjustment Layer or are you trying to work destructively?

    Anyway, it sounds to me like you might have it backwards – you don’t need to find an actually neutral area but an area that should be neutral.

    M
    mos10279273Author
    Known Participant
    May 9, 2019

    Is there something wrong with the picture I posted? Yes, I used my phone instead of a screen shot; I did that so that I could preserve the numbers, which otherwise would disappear.

    By "call up the "Curves" panel, I mean keyboard shortcut command+m.

    c.pfaffenbichler
    Community Expert
    c.pfaffenbichlerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 10, 2019
    I did that so that I could preserve the numbers, which otherwise would disappear.

    Say what?

    By "call up the "Curves" panel, I mean keyboard shortcut command+m.

    I strongly discourage doing that on a full color image because it’s needlessly destructive, instead try using a Curves Layer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves).

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