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Red 255, Green 255, Blue 255 is full white. White with detail is equal pixel values less than 255. Only shop with the eye dropper on what should be specular highlights. You may have to tinker. Whether to set the curves from a black point, a white point of a gray point depends upon the image. I've had my best luck with gray point corrections in a curves layer. However shopping around for the proper point can be critical. That's where enlisting a color consultant can help. Alternately, persuade the consultant to learn how to color balance for you.
For example, to balance by numbers, if the original image has fully white highlights (255,255,255 - what some refer to as blown highlights), they tell you nothing about color balance. However, if the original is raw and you can turn down the exposure until what should be a specular highlight shows lower values, the imbalance of the three color values reveals the sort of color imbalance. That's why finding what should be a proper gray is usually an easier and better method because you assume even color values in the mid range. Unfortunately, not every image has a suitable spot that out to be a medium gray. If I were color challenged I'd have probably developed a workflow to compensate based upon such adjustments, ... or I'd have specialized in monochrome because my only available potential color consultant too easily turns cranky.
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