The dialog “Variations”

The upper part (1) of the window is clear: “Original” and “Current Pick”.

“Original” stands for the original, and “Current Pick” represents the snapshot, that is after all the clicks that you have already performed at that time. If you want to go back to the original, after all your clicks, just click on the box Original.

The same for the right part (2). “Lighter” and “Darker” are pretty clear.

At the top right, we find four fields:
“Shadows”, “Midrange”, “High Lights” and “Saturation” (4). Plus, a slider “Fine” – “Coarse”. By default, the “Midrange” is checked, and I think it is the best choice.

The “Midrange” refers to the average color, not too dark nor too light. “Shadows” are the darkest colors in our picture. And

“Highlights” are the lightest colors in our picture.

“Saturation” gives you an image, how should I say, in “vivid” mode.

With the slider, we apply the colors fine or coarse.

But what are all these things in the middle?

The only states, that are there, are “more green”, “more yellow”, more this and more that.

For example, click on the box “more yellow”, it means of course that you would like it more yellow and you also want it less blue.

So if we want less green, then we click the button “More magenta”.

But I can imagine you thinking that there are more colors than green, yellow, red, magenta, cyan and blue.

To explain this I have the following chart:

Let’s us say, our picture has too much of the color Cobalt in it.

So we need to add more Orange color.  How do we do it?

For this, we click twice on “More Yellow” and twice on “more red”.

For my example photo, I had a bit too much Red / Orange.

And after all operations in the Variations window, it looks a little better.

I do have to say that I’ve made some changes in the “Midrange”, “Shadows” and “saturation”.

Save the image when you are satisfied.

Click on File – Save from the menu bar.

Or save the file under a different name, so you keep the original.

Click on File – Save As … on the menu bar.

By the way before you start, first create a copy of the original.

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