I'm looking into changing my RAW converter from Lightroom to Capture One pro (4.8.2). The reason for the move is for better skin tones, so I'm very interested in the Skin Tone adjustment panel in Capture One. However, I can't seem to figure out how it works from the PDF manual. Any info on how to use this adjustment properly would be appreciated, as would any links to resources describing how best to do RAW conversions in Capture One.

Thanks!

The skin tool adjusts the white balance (color) of a image. It's deceiving to call it a skin tool because it can used for any color in an image, to define the color balance for the entire image. The difference between it and the white balance tool is you're not trying to neutralize the color.

So I'd use use it in a similar way to a gray card in the shot and the white balance tool? Maybe process two variations (one for skin, one for background) then mask out in post. Interesting.

I have to say, with almost no idea of how to use Capture One, I've made some conversions with better skin tones, better contrast and less colour casting than I've been able to pull from Lightroom / ACR which I have used for a long time now.

The real purpose is to keep a given model's skin (read make-up shades) all the same color when shooting across several different sets with different lighting. So you use it like a gray card, only pick off the same spot of skin in each frame.

You can assign custom colors and they do not have be skin-toned. As a landscape shooter for example, I use the skin tool with a custom color to set the skies in a folio of images all to the same blue

Huh. The 'real' purpose is for skin tones but you use it for skies.

As opposed the what I said, "It's deceiving to call it a skin tool because it can used for any color in an image..."

Interesting.

Well yes you could do that. But the idea is that you can select a color in one image, of skin tone or anything in the image, and transfer that color to another image.

Shoot a model with a red shirt in a couple of different lighting setups. Open the images together in C1. Go to color/skin color and check the 'Pick to create new' box. Then use the dropper tool that's to the right of the skin tone drop down menu and click on the red shirt in one image. Save the color selection, call it Red Shirt. Select another image with the read shirt, click in the same point on the shirt and match it's red.

It will shift the color balance of the entire image, so yes, you would have to layer and mask two images if all you wanted was to change a skin tone.

Under the Color Editor you have a dropper tool that will let you make selective color changes as well, but not save them as presets.

No need to fight friends. You're both right.

In our online classes we call this the Consistent Color Tool. As noted twice above it changes the WB (kelvin and tint) to ensure that the same subject (whether it is sky, skin, suade, or saxophone) appears the same color even when the light source changes. It's also great to match a particular subject color between two or more cameras.

The Color Editor can also be used to manipulate skin tones and is both harder to use and more powerful.

Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
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A much better value, the Calumet hands-on class is half the price and includes a copy of C1.

http://tinyurl.com/lwb4l2

That looked great, there's a class next week in Chicago (3 hours from me) BUT (there's always a but!!!) it's for the standard version, not the Pro version. And there's no discount for the Pro version either (from what I could tell, there's no contact info direct to the seminar, only the Calumet shop floor......).
Anyone know any further info?

Yes it's only the standard version of C1. You'll need to spend $199 to upgrade. So for $50 you get 3 hours of instruction and the Pro version for half price. Not a bad deal at all.

Actually a great deal (without training of course) is on the website. If I remember right, the download is $199 with a copy of Expressions, the DAM software. That's a fantastic price. The PDF manual is pretty spotty (actually, pretty horrible which is why I ended up asking on here how to use the Skin Tone Tool instead of using the manual to find out), but I'm sure I'll figure it out once I get into it.

That is a great offer, but it's not the C1 Pro version.

Phase 1 also have some podcasts you can find on Itunes. One of them deals with this tool.