Matching colors

The Match Color command matches the colors from one image (the source image) to another image (the target image). This can be useful when you're trying to make the colors in different photos look consistent, or when the colors of a specific element (like skin tones) in one image must match the colors of an element in another image.

In addition to matching the color between two images, the Match Color command can match the color between different layers in the same image.


Original images with different skin tones (above), and Match Color applied (below)

To match the color from one image to another image:

1. (Optional) Make a selection in the images you want to match. This is useful when matching a specific region (for example, facial skin tones) in one image with a specific region in another.

If you don't make a selection, then the Match Color command matches the overall image statistics between images.

2. Make the image that you want to target active, and then choose Image > Adjustments > Match Color.

If you're applying the Match Color command to a specific layer in the target image, make sure that layer is active when you choose the Match Color command.

3. From the Source menu in the Image Statistics area of the Match Color dialog box, choose the source image whose colors you'll be matching in the target image. Choose None when you don't want to reference a different image to calculate the color adjustment. With None chosen, the target image and the source image are the same.

If necessary, use the Layer menu to choose the layer from the source image whose colors you want to match. You can also choose Merged from the Layer menu to match the colors from all the layers in the source image.

4. If you made a selection in the image, do one or more of the following:
• In the Destination Image area, select the Ignore Selection When Applying Adjustment option if you're applying the adjustment to the entire target image. This option ignores the selection in the target image and applies the adjustment to the entire target image.
• In the Image Statistics area, select the Use Selection in Source to Calculate Colors option if you made a selection in the source image and want to use the colors in the selection to compute the adjustment. Deselect this option to ignore the selection in the source image, and use the colors from the entire source image to compute the adjustment.
• In the Image Statistics area, select the Use Selection in Target to Calculate Adjustment option if you made a selection in the target image and want to use the colors in the selection to calculate the adjustment. Deselect this options to ignore the selection in the target image and compute the adjustment by using the colors of entire target image.
5. Select the Neutralize option to automatically remove a color cast in the target image. Make sure the Preview option is selected so your image updates as you make adjustments.
6. Move the Luminance slider to increase or decrease the brightness in the target image. Or, enter a value in the Luminance text box. The maximum value is 200, the minimum is 1, and the default is 100.
7. Move the Color Intensity slider to adjust the color saturation in the target image. Or, enter a value in the Color Intensity text box. The maximum value is 200, the minimum is 1 (which produces a grayscale image), and the default is 100.
8. Move the Fade slider to control the amount of adjustment applied to the image. Moving the slider to the right reduces the amount of adjustment.
9. Click OK.

To match the color from one layer in an image with the color in another layer of the same image:

1. (Optional) Make a selection in the layer you want to match. This is useful when matching a specific region (for example, facial skin tones) in one layer with a specific region in another.

If you don't make a selection, then the Match Color matches the colors of the entire source layer.

2. Make sure the layer you want to target (apply the color adjustment to) is active, and then choose Image > Adjustments > Match Color.
3. From the Source menu in the Image Statistics area of the Match Color dialog box, make sure the image in the Source menu is the same as the target image.
4. Use the Layer menu to choose the layer whose colors you want to match. You can also choose Merged from the Layer menu to match the colors from all the layers.
5. If you made a selection in the image, do one or more of the following:
• In the Destination Image area, select the Ignore Selection When Applying Adjustment option if you're applying the adjustment to the entire target layer. This option ignores the selection in the target layer and applies the adjustment to the entire target layer.
• In the Image Statistics area, select the Use Selection in Source to Calculate Colors option if you made a selection in the source image and want to use the color in the selection to compute the adjustment. Deselect the Use Selection option to ignore the selection in the source layer and use the colors in the entire source layer to compute the adjustment.
• In the Image Statistics area, select the Use Selection in Target to Calculate Adjustment option if you only want to use the colors in the selected area of the target layer to compute the adjustment. Deselect this option to ignore the selection and use the colors of the entire target layer to compute the adjustment.
6. Select the Neutralize option to automatically remove a color cast in the target layer. Make sure the Preview option is selected so your image updates as you make adjustments.
7. Move the Luminance slider to increase or decrease the brightness in the target layer. Or, enter a value in the Luminance text box. The maximum value is 200, the minimum is 1, and the default is 100.
8. Move the Color Intensity slider to adjust the range of color pixel values in the target layer. Or, enter a value in the Color Intensity text box. The maximum value is 200, the minimum is 1 (which produces a grayscale image), and the default is 100.
9. Move the Fade slider to control the amount of adjustment applied to the image. Moving the slider to the right reduces the amount of adjustment.
10. Click OK.