# Fix Exposure or Color

Part of the Photography Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/photography/guide/index.md)

*6. Editing for Impact*

> **6b.** Adjust the exposure or make a color correction.

Sometimes the camera gets close, but not quite right. Maybe the picture is darker than the scene felt in real life, or maybe indoor lights made everything look yellow or green. This option is about correcting that kind of problem.

### Exposure adjustments

Adjusting exposure changes overall brightness. You might also change highlights, shadows, contrast, whites, or blacks depending on the software. Small changes are usually better than huge ones.

### Color correction

Color correction often involves white balance. That means telling the software what should look neutral so the whole image shifts warmer or cooler in a believable way.

Examples:

- a snowy scene that looks too blue can be warmed slightly
- a room lit by tungsten bulbs may need a cooler correction
- a backlit portrait may need shadows opened so the face is visible

> **Tip**
>
> If people start looking orange, gray, or unnatural, you have probably gone too far. The best corrections often feel almost invisible because they make the image look right, not edited.

When you present your work, describe the problem in the original image and the exact fix you made.

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