Abstract: Described is an image editing application with a novel color modification slider tool. This tool adjusts one or more color attributes of different pixels differently when moved. This tool in some embodiments is a novel saturation tool that produces non-photorealistic effects by treating differently the highly saturated and lowly saturated pixels of an image. The saturation tool performs either (1) a positive de-saturation effect that de-saturates the low saturated pixels of an image while enhancing the saturation of the high saturated pixels, or (2) a negative de-saturation effect that de-saturates the high saturated pixels of the image while leaving intact or slightly modifying the saturation level of the lowly saturated pixels.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a dynamic grain effect tool for a media-editing application that generates a grain effect and applies the grain effect to a digital image. The application first generates a random pixel field for the image based on a seed value. The application then generates a film grain pattern for the image by consecutively applying a blurring function and an unsharp masking function, based on an ISO value, to the randomly generated pixel field. The application then blends the grain field with the original image by adjusting each pixel based on the value of the corresponding pixel location in the grain field. The application then adjusts the grain amount in the previously generated full-grain image by receiving a grain amount value from a user and applying this value to the full-grain image.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a novel method for tempering an adjustment of an image to account for prior adjustments to the image. The adjustment in some embodiments is an automatic exposure adjustment. The method performs an operation for a first adjustment on a first set of parameters (e.g., saturation, sharpness, luminance). The method compares the first set of parameters to a second set of parameters to produce a third set of parameters that expresses the difference between the first adjustment and a second adjustment. The method performs a third operation to produce an adjusted image. The first set of parameters quantify a set of prior adjustments to the image by an image capturing device when the image was captured in some embodiments. The second set of parameters is a set of target parameters. The third set of parameters specify the tempered adjustment of the image.

Abstract: A system and method that receives and edits image data of an underwater scene in a digital image in order to remove undesirable tints from objects in the scene. In some embodiments, colors near the color of the water itself are protected to leave the water looking blue. Removing undesirable tints without removing the tint of the water itself results in images with more realistic coloring of people and objects in the scene, without eliminating the color cues (e.g., blue water) that indicate that the image is a photograph of an underwater scene.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling multiple image editing controls using one master control. The system identifies various characteristics of an image being edited. The system generates, for each of multiple image editing controls, a relationship between the master control and the image editing control. The relationship is based on at least one of the identified characteristics of the image being edited. The relationship is different for different images when the different images have different characteristics, such as different average color component values at a particular percentile of pixels in the images.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide an image editing application with a novel color modification slider tool. In some embodiments, this tool adjusts one or more color attributes (e.g., one or more color channels) of different pixels differently when moved in one direction, and adjusts one or more color attributes of the same pixel differently when moved in another direction. The movement of this tool is in a straight line in some embodiments, while it is along an angular arc (e.g., along the circumference of a full or partial circle or elliptical shape) in other embodiments. This tool in some embodiments is a novel saturation tool that produces non-photorealistic effects by treating differently the highly saturated and lowly saturated pixels of an image.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling multiple image editing controls using one master control. The system identifies various characteristics of an image being edited. The system generates, for each of multiple image editing controls, a relationship between the master control and the image editing control. The relationship is based on at least one of the identified characteristics of the image being edited. The relationship is different for different images when the different images have different characteristics, such as different average color component values at a particular percentile of pixels in the images.

Abstract: An image editing application with a novel color modification slider tool adjusts one or more color attributes of different pixels differently when moved in one direction, and adjusts one or more color attributes of the same pixel differently when moved in another direction. This tool produces non-photorealistic effects by treating differently the highly saturated and lowly saturated pixels of an image. Specifically, the saturation tool performs either (1) a positive de-saturation effect that de-saturates the low saturated pixels of an image while enhancing the saturation of the high saturated pixels, or (2) a negative de-saturation effect that de-saturates the high saturated pixels of the image while leaving intact or slightly modifying the saturation level of the lowly saturated pixels.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a novel user interface (UI) tool that is a unified slider control, which includes multiple sliders that slide along a region. The region is a straight line in some embodiments, while it is an angular arc in other embodiments. In some embodiments, the unified slider control is used in a media editing application to allow a user to modify several different properties of the image by moving several different sliders along the region. Each slider is associated with a property of the image. A position of the slider in the region corresponds to a value of the property associated with the slider.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a novel user interface (UI) tool that is a unified slider control, which includes multiple sliders that slide along a region. The region is a straight line in some embodiments, while it is an angular arc in other embodiments. In some embodiments, the unified slider control is used in a media editing application to allow a user to modify several different properties of the image by moving several different sliders along the region. Each slider is associated with a property of the image. A position of the slider in the region corresponds to a value of the property associated with the slider.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a method that provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for color balancing an image. The method provides a display area for displaying the image. The method provides several color balance modes. The method provides a user interface (UI) control associated with a color balance mode in the several color balance modes. The UI control performs a color balance operation on the image by (1) identifying a color cast in the image and (2) modifying pixels in the image based on the pixels' luminance values in order to reduce the color cast in the image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a grayscale image. The method and apparatus receive a single value. From the single value, the method and apparatus generate a set of grayscale weighting values. The method and apparatus generate the grayscale based on a color image and the set of grayscale weighting values. By limiting the number of values to a single value, the method and apparatus prevents a user from arbitrarily selecting a number of possible weighting values which could result in a grayscale image that is too dim or too bright. This single control method and apparatus quickly and efficiently produces a grayscale image that is neither too bright nor too dim.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the image editing and organizing application described herein provide an automatic enhancement process that includes vibrancy adjustment. The vibrancy adjustment increases the saturation of multiple pixels. The saturation of each pixel is determined by subtracting the lowest component value from the highest component value. The process determines an overall saturation of the image using a histogram. The histogram is generated using doubled saturation values for pixels with blue and green as the highest component value.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed to provide user control over the manipulation of a digital image. The disclosed techniques enable a user to apply various textures that mimic traditional artistic media to a selected image. User selection of a texture level results in the blending of texturized versions of the selected image in accordance with the selected texture level. User selection of a color level results in the adjustment of color properties of the selected image that are included in the output image. Control of the image selection, texture type selection, texture level selection, and color level selection may be provided through an intuitive graphical user interface.

Abstract: A system and method that receives and edits image data of an underwater scene in a digital image in order to remove undesirable tints from objects in the scene. In some embodiments, colors near the color of the water itself are protected to leave the water looking blue. Removing undesirable tints without removing the tint of the water itself results in images with more realistic coloring of people and objects in the scene, without eliminating the color cues (e.g., blue water) that indicate that the image is a photograph of an underwater scene.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a dynamic grain effect tool for a media-editing application that generates a grain effect and applies the grain effect to a digital image. The application first generates a random pixel field for the image based on a seed value. The application then generates a film grain pattern for the image by consecutively applying a blurring function and an unsharp masking function, based on an ISO value, to the randomly generated pixel field. The application then blends the grain field with the original image by adjusting each pixel based on the value of the corresponding pixel location in the grain field. The application then adjusts the grain amount in the previously generated full-grain image by receiving a grain amount value from a user and applying this value to the full-grain image.

Abstract: A method for generating and/or modifying a grayscale image. The method receives a color image. The method generates an initial grayscale image based on attributes of the color image. The method generates a set of hue values for all the pixels in the grayscale image based on color values of the pixels in the color image. The method defines a hue curve across the range of hue values based on input received from a user interface control. The method modifies the grayscale image based on the hue values and the defined hue curve across the range of hue values.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a grayscale image. The method and apparatus receive a single value. From the single value, the method and apparatus generate a set of grayscale weighting values. The method and apparatus generate the grayscale based on a color image and the set of grayscale weighting values. By limiting the number of values to a single value, the method and apparatus prevents a user from arbitrarily selecting a number of possible weighting values which could result in a grayscale image that is too dim or too bright. This single control method and apparatus quickly and efficiently produces a grayscale image that is neither too bright nor too dim.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the image editing and organizing application described herein provide an automatic enhancement process that includes a shadow lift adjustment. The process takes an input image and enhances the contrast of darker parts of the image. The process uses a structure histogram to determine an amount of shadow lift adjustment to apply to the image. The process tempers this adjustment based on an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) value of the image.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer readable media expounding “Structure Histograms” and their use are presented. Structure Histograms may be described as histograms whose individual entries (values) express a functional relationship between a given pixel (or group of pixels) and its neighboring pixels. As such, Structure Histograms capture information about the structure of an image in so far as they record information related to the relative placement of pixels within an image (e.g., are pixels of a common value closely spaced or spaced far apart). Structure Histograms may be generated from tonal pixel values (e.g., red, green and blue values), luminance pixel values (e.g., gray scale pixel values) or cross-channel pixel values (e.g., red-luminance, green-blue, or green-blue-luminance pixel values). Structure Histograms may be used in a number of image processing contexts such as, for example, automated image enhancement operations.