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Emphasizing What’s Important
Another important aspect of the color correction process is the ability to make adjustments to emphasize or de-emphasize specific elements within the frame. It’s similar in concept to
equalization in audio mixing, in that you’re choosing which color values to boost or suppress using a variety of techniques.
This can be done to direct the viewer’s gaze, for example by surrounding a specific part of the image with a window, which lets you restrict specific adjustments made to the inside and outside of the window’s shape.
Drawing a window to isolate a region of the picture to highlight
Specific alterations can also be made to prevent audience distraction. For example, a low-saturation monochromatic tint may be a pleasing look overall, but in the soft wash of color, the viewer might lose track of the watch that’s preoccupying the protagonist. Using tools such as the Hue curves and HSL Qualifier, you can quickly and easily tune the color of the woman’s hands and of the watch to guide the viewer’s eye, and bring some needed depth to the scene.
Source image Curves and HSL qualification used to distinguish hands and highlight watch
For more information on Power Windows, see Chapter 135, “Secondary Windows.” For more information on Hue curves, see Chapter 132, “Curves.”