Project- Optimising tone and colour.
As the course notes say this is a rather important topic. As I have gained experience in taking different images I have seen the problems that can arise if you do not take care when you are shooting.
It does not matter what camera you have better more expensive cameras do not take better quality images on their own. Of course controlling noise and some other things may be easier with a more expensive piece of kit and it will probably last longer but in the end the photographer has a lot to do with the quality of the final print.
What does the term “optimise” mean? Get the most out of something, to make perfect or to make complete. These are phrases that may go some way to describe optimise.
Here again the benefits of shooting raw may come to light. Although as we saw in the last exercise, the difference may not be great, but at least with the detailed information that the raw files hold available for me to change then I have a better chance to “optimise” my images.
With a viewing screen on the back of the camera you are given an indication of what your image may be like. Later when looking at the computer screen you get a further chance to see what the image MAY look like. The important word here is MAY. How many times have I looked at the image on the screen and thought that the printed image, in my hand, looks nothing like it, a few times I can tell you.
So this takes us back to lesson 1- Work flow. Having your equipment set up so that you take the best image possible each time and make sure that your computer screen is calibrated and in a good position for you to view the images.
I was asked to look at an image, shot in both jpeg and raw and make corrections to the following:-
- Contrast
- brightness
- Colour cast
- black and whites ensure they are not tinged with colour.
Image Raw
In the jpeg image I can not see that much difference even after I have made the adjustments. There is a different tone to the orange buoys and the sea and sky look lighter. Looking at the Raw images I can see a greater difference.The sky, the green trees, the sea, the boat, especially the white and blue paint.
I liked working on this exercise. Maybe this is a subject that I have not taken as much notice of as I should have. It is easier in Lightroom rather than Photoshop to alter the images as you have both of the images next to each other.
Conclusion
- Take the best image to can at the time in Raw if you can. (projects the value of Raw and Digital Image qualities)
- Have your kit in working order ie. the screen and camera settings. (project-work flow)
- Edit your images but do not throw any away until you are happy with the final images. (project-Editing)