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Adobe™ Photoshop™, Lightroom™, Elements™, Camera Raw™, Bibble™, The Gimp, Aperture™, Paint Shop Pro™. All of these color management software can be used with the Scuadra TrueColors White Balance card. For most of them, we propose you complete educational guides. The basic principle is:

1/ Shoot a first time your scene or your subject with including the Scuadra TrueColors White Balance card. This is the reference image. It is essential that the card should be exposed to the same light as your scene or subject. Continue your shooting normally, without the card but in the same light conditions.

Be carefull: it is essential to turn the card onto the camera to avoid any glares. The thin bright layer of black and white spots is destined to show the glares: if the layer is bright or reflect any light, turn the card until no glare is visible.

2/ Open the reference image in your usual color management software. Select the neutral grey point pipette, click to put in the card the white balance and the true colors are restored.

3/ Transfer this setting on the others pictures of the series with batch processing or any automatic script, for example.

	Photoshop CS3 (jpg)		Camera Raw (raw)
	Lightroom (jpg & raw)		The gimp (jpg)
	Aperture (jpg & raw)		iPhoto (jpg & raw)
	Elements (jpg)		Capture NX (raw et jpg)

PHOTOSHOP CS (all versions)

If your image is a tif or a jpg format, we advise you to not work on the original file. To keep original colorimetric data, use a copy.

1. Open your image, then open the level tool with: image, setting, level or Ctrl+L. You can use too the curve tool, Ctrl+M.

Note: On Photoshop, using a script and/or the function “batch processing” permits to correct quickly an image series (if the images have been realized in the same light conditions).
When you have few images to correct, it is not always faster to use batch processing. Another tip consist to open the others images and to load the correction already saved (“save and load” button of the levels window) when touching up the reference image.

2. Select the grey pipette on the right bottom of the window (the pipette in the middle), then click on the grey of the card: the white balance is automatically corrected.

Note: The Photoshop level (or curve) window is characterizable. The principle is: the “grey, white and black” values of the chart are known. They are written on the back of each card. As pipette tools are characterizable, it will be possible to give accurate target values for the grey, the white and the black.
For example, if the L.a.b values of your TrueColors are: 70, -1,5 and 0 for the grey, you will need to use this values in the option menu (“option” button of the window) and to enter them manually. However, be careful to round off your values because Photoshop won’t accept anything but whole numbers. For example if your value is -1,5, enter -2; if your value is 0,4, enter 0.

LIGHTROOM

1. On Lightroom, switch on "Developpement" mode. The selector of the white balance setting (pipette tool) is in the upper part of the "Basic settings" window. When activating, the tool is taking off his base and permits you to adjust the white balance with clicking on the grey area of the chart.

2. Note that the floating zoom offers an extended vision of the pixels under pipette, which permit adjustment pixel by pixel. Furthermore, RVB values are expressed on percentage (than a 0 to 255 scale). The more neutral tint will be the one with nearest values for the RVB layers. Click in your image on the grey of the chart: the white balance is automatically corrected.

PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS

We advise you to not work on the original file. To keep original colorimetric data, use a copy.

With Photoshop Elements, you only need to use an adjustment layer. This layer will be applied on the others images which need a setting of their white balance.

1. Create an adjustment layer “Levels” with: Layer > Adjustment Layer > Levels and click on Ok.

2. Select the pipette tool on the right and click in your image onto the grey of the chart: the white balance is automatically corrected.

Note: to apply this correction on others pictures of a same series, keep the reference image containing the chart open, and open your others images. In the panel Layer of the reference image, you will need to click on the adjustment layer and apply it on the images to correct.

CAMERA RAW

1. Open your image in Camera Raw. Select the pipette tool called " White balance tool" on the upper part on the left of the window (the 3rd).

2. Click in the image onto the grey of the TrueColors chart: the white balance is automatically corrected.

THE GIMP

We advise you to not work on the original file. To keep original colorimetric data, use a copy.

1. Open your image in The Gimp. Open the levels window and select: Colors > Levels.

2. Below on the right, select the pipette tool called “Pointing the grey spot” then click in the image onto the grey of the TrueColors chart.

3. The white balance is automatically corrected.

Capture NX

1. Open your image in Capture NX (all versions). Select the neutral control spot (grey pipette).

2. Click on the image onto the grey of the TrueColors chart: the white balance is automatically corrected.

Notes: after applied your corrections on your reference image (white balance and even saturation), keep the Levels window open and click on Save. Name the preset of the correction and save. The Gimp then saves the modifications applied on the reference image.

To correct others images of the series shoot without the chart: open next image to correct, choose Colors > Levels > Open. Then, select the backup and open. The image is corrected, and then you have to confirm and save before working on the next image.

Aperture

1. Import your image in Aperture. Select the neutral control spot: the pipette tool in the left column below “Temperature”.

2. Click onto the grey of the TrueColors chart in the image with the pipette tool. This will specify the reference neutral grey.

3. The white balance is automatically corrected.

iPhoto

1. Import your image in iPhoto. You need to select the Edition button in the menu below (pencil).

2. Then, again in the menu below, select the Adjusting menu.

3. The window of the Adjusting menu is open. Select the pipette tool and click onto the grey of the chart.

4. The white balance is automatically corrected.