How to Color Match Images in Photoshop
Follow these steps to match the color of one image to another inside a single Photoshop document. You’ll place the source image, run Match Color to transfer its color, and fine-tune the look with Levels and a Color Lookup adjustment. Adjust opacities as needed for a natural blend.
Step-by-step instructions
Place the source image into the target document
Go to File → Place Embedded… and choose the image you want to match from.
Position/scale it as needed and press Enter/Return to place.
Match the target layer’s colors to the source layer
In the Layers panel, select the layer you want to recolor (e.g., Background).
Go to Image → Adjustments → Match Color…
Set Source to your current document name; set Layer to the placed image layer.
Increase Luminance to 108 and Fade to 5.
Click OK.
Refine tones with Levels
Create a Levels adjustment: Layer → New Adjustment Layer → Levels…
Set Shadow Input Level to 8 and Highlight Input Level to 240.
Add a warm tone with Color Lookup
Create a Color Lookup adjustment: Layer → New Adjustment Layer → Color Lookup…
From the 3DLUT File dropdown, choose Crisp_Warm (Crisp Warm).
Lower the layer Opacity to about 13% for a subtle effect.
Fine-tune if needed
Adjust the Match Color Fade slider (rerun Image → Adjustments → Match Color…) if the transfer is too strong.
Tweak Levels sliders or lower adjustment layer opacities for a perfect match.
