This week's topic was requested by a member of the Yahoo! Group for this site. How do you use the Replace Color command effectively?

Let me start by saying that I am not a fan of the Replace Color command. I prefer to use adjustment layers and layer masks. You can also change the color of image features selectively by using Color Range to make the selection (or some other selection tool, if that's your preference) and then add a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer. Adjustment layers let you change your mind later and finesse the adjustment.

Here's an image of a yellow rose. (No, it's not the "Yellow Rose of Texas.") What if you want a different color for the rose? Say, something like this . . .

I started by duplicating the Background layer. It is always my preference to work with layers. Yes, they consume RAM and harddrive space. They also give me lots of flexibility.

The next step is to open the Replace Color dialog. You'll find it under Image | Adjustments.

You use the eyedroppers and the Fuzziness slider to select portions of the image. It took maybe two dozen clicks with the middle eyedropped to select the entire rose blossom. Often, you will find you need to touch up after you finish. It is not so obvious in the figure above, but the rose hips also wound up being selected.

I'll get to the fix in a moment. Before you close the Replace Color dialog, you need to make your color selection. Clicking on the Result color swatch will open the color picker.

Clicking "Only Web Colors" will limit your choices to Web safe colors.

I clicked on the Custom button and used a Pantone color for the rose.

Now, how do you fix the fact that areas outside of the yellow rose blossom also changed from yellow to coral?

Here's where working with a layer is helpful. You can add a Reveal All layer mask, grab the brush tool, select a soft edge brush, and paint in black on the layer mask where you do not want the color replaced. Just make sure you click on the thumbnail for the layer mask before you begin painting.

The mask does the trick.

Here is a cropped version of the rose before Replace Color.

Here is the result after Replace Color.

All that remains is to sharpen the image a bit. I used a touch of Highpass Filter output sharpening (9 pixels).

No soaking the rose in dye. No waiting. No mess. We changed the color of the rose in just a few minutes with the Replace Color command.

I hope this tip helps with your digital photography.

Cheers!