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Instead of RGB, you can use Lab color mode to increase hue contrast in your images in powerful ways that no other color space offers.
How do you do it?
In Lab color mode use Curves to accentuate contrast by creating s or reverse s curves for the a and b but not the L channels without moving the midpoint.
It’s that simple. (Yes, I promise I’ll expand on this.)
However, when you use this technique there are many details that it pays to be aware of.
When To Use It
While this technique can be used on any image, it’s particularly useful when you are processing files that are predominantly one color – forest greens, oceanic blues, sandstone reds, etc. The resulting hue contrast gives these images more life by making subtle variations in hue more pronounced and more three dimensional by accentuating the differences in hue between highlights and shadows.
Original
Saturation increased
Lab a and b channels adjusted
Comparing It To Similar Techniques
This technique is similar to split-toning or cross-toning images, introducing one color into the highlights and another into the shadows, except that the hues are the captured colors accentuated rather than colors that are arbitrarily added. (For this reason this technique won’t work with black-and-white images.)
This technique is similar to increasing saturation or vibrance, which also makes different hues more pronounced but sometimes intensifies them to the point of making them appear unnatural. By comparison the modest increase in saturation boosting hue contrast in Lab produces is surprisingly naturalistic – and you may choose to keep it or not.
To the untrained eye the differences between this technique and others may seem subtle but once you train your eye you’ll appreciate the color richness it offers; they can approximate but never equal it. It’s like comparing the sound qualities of low and high fidelity audio recordings. Lab offers hi-fi color.
What The Heck Is Lab Anyway ?
The power of color offers you extraordinary creative capabilities and you’ve never had more control than today.
Strategies
Infinite Variations
The possibilities are almost limitless. Explore your options before you commit to a solution.
Use Presets To Find Variations Quickly
Speed your workflow and visualize many possibilities for your images.
Why Achieving Neutrality In Your Images Is So Important
Make your color more believable, saturated, and three-dimensional.
4 Ways To Achieve Neutrality
How you achieve neutrality sets the foundation for future color moves.
How To Key Your Images Expressively – Go High, Medium, Or Low
Set the mood for your images with tonality.
The Key To Lively Images – Midtone Contrast – And How To Get It
6 Ways To Get Better Shadow & Highlight Detail
Increase separation in the darkest and lightest values.
5 Tools You Can Use To Make The Most Of Shadows & Highlights Without HDR
You can extend the dynamic range of your images without bracketing exposures.
How To Avoid Making Viewers Squint At Your Images To See Their Highlights
Preserving detail and setting brightness are important first steps.
3 Qualities Of Light You Can Use To Make Your Images Glow
How To Use Simultaneous Contrast To Make Colors Even More Lively
9 Ways To Tell If Your Images Are Overcooked
How To Make Day Look Like Night In Your Images
How To Enhance The Illusion Of Space With Atmospheric Perspective
Deciding Where To Make Your Images Glow And How To Do It | Coming Soon
Raw
What In The World Are Raw Files?
Dive in to the strange and wonderful world of Raw files.
Why You Should Shoot Raw
Get highest quality images from your digital camera.
Why You Should Profile Your Camera
Improve the clarity and saturation of the color your digital camera creates.
How To Get More Than The Maximum A Slider Allows
Get 150%, 200%, 500% or more out of sliders.
5 Reasons You Still Need Photoshop
1 Fine Retouching, 2 Precise Masking, 3 Advanced Color Adjustment, 4 Creative Sharpening, 5 Plug-Ins
Tools
How To Evaluate Color Adjustment Tools
Identify the go-to, exotic, and redundant tools.
Blend Modes
Make all of Photoshop’s color adjustment tools more precise.
Curves
It’s the most precise tool for adjusting luminosity and hue.
High Pass Contrast
Make your photographs appear more three-dimensional.
High Pass Contrast Or Sharpening – How To Choose An Optimal Setting
Choose between planar contrast or edge sharpening.
Curves, Clarity, Dehaze, High Pass, Texture and Sharpening Compared
How do you choose between so many ways to control luminosity contrast?
Curing Dehaze Color Artifacts
Try this quick fix to eliminate Dehaze color artifacts.
Hue/Saturation & Vibrance & HSL Compared
They’re the most powerful tools for adjusting saturation.
White Balance, Photo Filter, Color Overlays, and Curves Compared
How do you choose between so many ways to control color temperature?
Selective Color
It makes very precise changes like no other tool.
Use LAB Color Mode To Increase Hue Contrast
Use LAB mode for greater hue separation.
Blending Channels
Use the information in one channel to improve another.
Adobe Camera Raw Filter
Using ACR on layers lets you use Photoshop’s precise masking with it.
Color Lookup
Color grading can give many images a similar look or individuals a unique one.
Color Grading
Make the color in your images more expressive with this easy split toning solution.
Gradient Maps
Add new color into specific ranges of luminosity.
Match Color
Transfer color from one image to another.
Synthetic Profiles
Make big changes non-destructively by redefining color values.
Before You Mask Use The Tool’s Selectivity | Coming Soon
The results are faster and sometimes better.
What You Can Do With Raw That You Can’t With Photoshop Unless … | Coming Soon
Adjust Raw files and individual layers with the most robust color adjustment feature.
What Is Color Temperature ?
Of the three elements of color (luminosity, hue, and saturation), hue is the one most closely associated with temperature. This is a psychological temperature, not a physical temperature. Most people associate red with fire or blood (warm things) and blue with sky, water, and ice (cool things), where physically a blue flame is hotter than a red flame. You can identify which hues are warmer and which are cooler by their proximity to the absolute poles of red (warm) and cyan (cool) on the color wheel. When comparing any two hues, you can always ask, “Which one is warmer and which one is cooler?”. Even when comparing two variations of the same hue, very often one will be slightly warmer or cooler. Color temperature is part of what creates color variety, which is one spice of life, a very important one, especially when it comes to visual communication.
The Things You Can You Do With Temperature
Many photographers think of color temperature as something to "get right" during exposure, but you can also use color temperature creatively in post-processing. You can produce many compelling color effects with color temperature. You can make distant close layers feel closer by warming them and distant layers more distant by cooling them. You can make objects feel more three-dimensional by warming highlights and cooling shadows. You can add a warm glow that simulates early morning or late evening light. You can You can even make day look like night by dramatically cooling it. And every one of these moves will change the emotional tone of an image. Temperature is a critical element for communicating with color.
Lightroom & Photoshop
There are many color adjustment tools in Lightroom and Photoshop that adjust hue. Having used them all since the day they were released (or before), I regularly use four and consider them go-to tools worth mastering.