Most colour edits affect the whole photo. Raise saturation, and every colour becomes stronger. Shift white balance, and the whole scene changes. Selective Colour in Photomator works differently. It lets you adjust individual colour ranges without changing the whole image, so you can refine one colour while leaving the rest alone.
This guide explains how to use Selective Colour in Photomator on Mac, when it helps, and how to keep the result natural. Used well, it is one of the most precise colour tools in the app, and one of the easiest to overdo.
What Selective Colour does
Selective Colour targets a colour range, such as reds, greens, blues, or yellows, and adjusts only that range. In Photomator, you choose the range you want to change, then adjust its hue, saturation, and lightness. The rest of the photo stays as it was, which makes it ideal for small, specific fixes: a green cast in foliage, a blue cast in shade, or a red that looks too strong in skin tones.
Think of it as a scalpel rather than a brush. Global colour tools set the overall mood of the photo. Selective Colour fixes one colour that is out of balance. Use it after white balance and exposure are set, so you are refining a good edit rather than compensating for a poor one.
Choose the right colour range
Start by identifying the colour that needs attention. In Photomator on Mac, open the Selective Colour adjustment and choose the range closest to the colour you want to change. If a red jacket looks too orange, work in the reds. If grass looks yellow, work in the greens and yellows separately, checking each change as you go. If the sky looks too cyan, work in the blues and cyans.
Make small adjustments and watch the whole photo, not just the target colour. Colour ranges overlap, so changing one range can affect neighbouring colours. A small shift in hue, a gentle change in saturation, and a light touch on lightness usually achieve more than a large adjustment in one direction. Check the result at full size and on a neutral background where possible.
Common uses in everyday photos
Selective Colour is useful in many everyday situations. In portraits, it can soften an overly red skin tone without desaturating the whole photo. In landscapes, it can deepen a sky or clean up foliage without changing the colour of rocks or buildings. In product photos, it can bring a colour closer to the real product without shifting the background.
It is also useful for removing a colour cast that affects only one part of the scene. A photo taken in mixed light may have a green cast on one side and a warm cast on the other. Selective Colour lets you address the green range on its own, while white balance handles the overall warmth. Keep the adjustment subtle, so the fix does not create a new cast elsewhere.
Keep the result natural and consistent
The most common mistake with Selective Colour is pushing too far. A colour that has been shifted heavily looks artificial, and the boundary between the adjusted range and neighbouring colours can become visible. Work in small steps, compare the before and after often, and step away from the screen for a moment before deciding the edit is finished.
For a set of photos, keep Selective Colour adjustments consistent. In Photomator, note the settings that work for one photo, apply a similar approach across the set, and refine each photo for its own light. When you are reading other Photomator how-to guides, you will see the same advice. Precise colour control works best when it is restrained, and the photo should look like itself, only better.
Frequently asked questions
What is Selective Colour in Photomator?
Selective Colour is a colour adjustment that targets individual colour ranges, such as reds, greens, or blues, and adjusts their hue, saturation, and lightness without changing the whole image. It is listed among Photomator’s colour features on photomator.org.
When should I use Selective Colour instead of saturation?
Use saturation for the overall strength of colour in the photo, and Selective Colour when one colour range is out of balance. If only the reds are too strong, or only the greens look wrong, Selective Colour fixes that range without affecting the rest.
Can Selective Colour fix a colour cast?
Yes, when the cast affects one colour range. Set white balance first for the overall cast, then use Selective Colour to refine a remaining cast in a specific range, such as green in foliage or blue in shade.
Why does my Selective Colour edit look artificial?
It is usually pushed too far. Reduce the adjustment, work in smaller steps, and check the whole photo at full size. Colour ranges overlap, so a large shift can create a visible boundary or a new cast elsewhere.
Can I use Selective Colour on a set of photos?
Yes. Note the settings that work for one photo, apply a similar approach across the set in Photomator, and refine each photo for its own light, keeping the adjustments consistent and restrained.