ISO TC42 process for the selection of representative skin tones

Members of several working groups within the ISO Technical Committee 42 (photography) have begun addressing the important topic of providing guidance for which skin tones to use for image quality testing in various photographic applications. For example, when color patches for skin tones are used in TC42 standards, they should be inclusive and represent a broad range of skin types. Skin tones are present in more than 60% of all captured photographs [1, 2] and therefore need to accurately be corrected in digital cameras, properly displayed and printed on various softcopy and hardcopy devices, and the permanence of the printed colors needs to be determined. During the 2023 plenary meeting of TC 42 in Japan, an ad hoc working group (AHG) was initiated to develop such guidance and report back during the upcoming 2025 plenary meeting in Berlin.

The group has investigated existing skin tone studies, including Fitzpatrick, Von Luschan, L’Oreal, PERLA, Monk, Pantone ST, Massey NIS, Verkruysse, Holm and Wueller. It is currently drafting an ISO Technical Report that will document the work and result in recommendations regarding the selection of skin tone color patches and spectra to use for ISO related applications.