Color Correction By the Numbers
September 16th, 2006
I’m terrible at color correction. I just don’t have an eye for it. I’m not color blind, but I just really can’t eyeball a photo and fix the color with any degree of accuracy. Recently I stumbled across Chris Nicholson’s “Even a color-blind person can color-correct a photo.” Sounds perfect, and actually it is perfectly correct color, although the method is a little slow. Chris outlines a method for using PS’s eyedropper tool, info palette, and curves do color correction by balancing the numerical inputs and outputs for Red, Green and Blue. It sounds more complicated than it is, and with a little practice it gets to be pretty intuitive. If you’ve struggled with color correction, give the article a look:
Uncorrected image, as shot
Image “corrected” via PS auto color
Corrected via Crhis’s method. See a larger version of this image on my photo blog
September 16th, 2006
Nikon eh?
What lens are you using? Are you doing any other sharpening other than the incamera stuff?
I’ve been pondering a 30D or a used 20D as of late, mostly because, as you predicted, the small viewfinder is beginning to irk me. How is the viewfinder on the D80?
September 17th, 2006
Yeah, Nikon. I just can’t seem to pick a brand.
While we were in Tokyo I was able to handle just about every DSLR out there. Discounting things I couldn’t afford, 5D, 1 series, D2x, Hassy H2, the D200 had the best viewfinder. The D80 has the same viewfinder and similar AF and sensor, so I got one of those.
I’m sharpening in PS, but I still need to sort out my workflow.
The lens is a Sigma 30 F1.4. Apart from barrel distortion, it’s pretty good. I’ve had a lot of questions about it, so I’ll write up a review when I’ve used it for a while.
September 17th, 2006
Matt, At first seeing the 3rd photo above on the Leica Forum, I was going to ask whether this photo was taken with film or digital. Then, goint to your blog I realized it’s digi. My comment is that the color correction in #3 (via Chris’s method) is great, right on, at least or me. I prefer color portraits realistic. I like to see and show people as they are (”sono mama”, or “as-it-is” philosophy in Japanese
aesthetics). Could you comment whether or not this #3 version is in fact realistic? Does it accurately reflect her skin tone hues, hair color, sweater color, etc.? Plus, I like the background bokeh and shade. It lends a pleasing contrast to the lighting on her, which looks natural, not flash. Nicely done!
September 17th, 2006
Steve, to answer your question, the color in the third version is very realistic. Hair, eyes, skin tone etc for the given light are all as I remembered them. I am incredibly pleased by this; getting accurate color out of digital has been a major stumbling block for me.
BTW, I’m finding that the Sigma 30 is a very nice lens indeed if you can get over a little barell distortion and some flare.