I use Photoshop Elements and have very good luck just using the "Remove Color Cast" tool. Although, sometimes you have to select different points in the image to get the result you want. But, since I don't know what I'm doing, it works well for me.

To save dark areas in the image, I make a duplicate layer (using a mask) and then "screen" the layers. This can be a lifesaver at times.

You have a lot greater control with using "Add new adjustment layer" and adjusting each function separately. I tend to use exposure, contrast/brightness, and level more often than curve.

If you're photoshop-savvy enough to feel confident playing around with adjustments there's a better way. Using the info panel sample areas with the purest white, purest black, and neutral gray. Then you can use adjustment layers to target those specific values which makes a world of difference. It's a tiny bit more putzy, but way more accurate.

PaigeP,
And she made it worse by blowing out skin tone in adjusting the color. But this lesson isn't about masking all those areas and correcting exposure in Photoshop. It's a basic primer in color correction and getting your feet wet in color editing. I would like to see a follow up lesson more in shooting with proper color balance and adjusting the camera.

If your going to have many lessons on retouching you might want to discuss shooting RAW vs. Jpeg.

Though I understand the intent here is to demonstrate Photoshop capabilities, taking the picture correctly the first time is always preferrable to correcting it on Photoshop. Taking the time to adjust lighting, exposure, and camera angles can allow one to avoid the issues exhibited in the photograph and can often open up whole new perspectives on a subject and/or their environment.

The man should never have been photographed directly beneath a light source which irreversibly overexposed his face, and the woman should never have been photographed in front of a light source, resulting in her underexposure.

Photoshop is a great tool and one that should be used sparingly.

Oh dear lord, the photo geeks are out in force! I think the goal of this post is to give a brief tutorial on how to make sure your photos accurately represent the color schemes of your interiors, and how to polish up candid shots- people will occasionally stand near a light source, and if you're photographing the moment, then yes, that is a perfectly acceptable place to photograph them.

@talby,
word

I understand not everyone has a camera that shoots raw, especially if you are not a professional. You can actually do all three of the colour corrections suggested in this post with just a curves layer and make it much easier. The "channel" drop down gives you adjust each individual channel the same way Color Balance does, and the eyedroppers below the curve allow you to change off-white to true white or neutral grey depending on which one you pick. No need for the other adjustments!

That is a fantastic video!! Thank you Leela! I'm trying to teach myself Photoshop/Gimp and am still struggling with things like that, or how all those hipstery-lifestyle-cooking blogs get that neutral, clean look on their photos.

More tutorials like that one please! :)

Or, you know, white balance first? Would save you a heap of trouble and it's so easy to do.