Color issues / contrast

agetupkiddan · 03-17-2008, 02:37 PM

This is my first post, I have been reading this forum for quite some time now, and i have found it to be a great resource/community.
I've been practicing this hobby for a couple of years now, and am learning something new everyday, so i hope to gain some insight through some critiques here.
My main question is, i do most of my my post-editing on my laptop (using an external lcd monitor to work on)... the monitor is older now (3 years old), and i often wonder what the results are on other monitors...
Here is one shot i did recently with a friend, i wanted to do 3 poses of her in one photo (I'm not a huge fan of doing a lot of post/photoshopping, but i wanted to push my abilities with this shot in terms of setup, ex. small bathroom, hiding lights, ensuring the model was out of frame for each individual shot)
Name: The Range.jpg
Views: 307
Size: 43.3 KB

Name: The Range.jpg
Views: 307
Size: 43.3 KB

ps. this is a reduced size of the image to follow guidelines, i hope it isn't too distorted.

so any critique would be wonderful, in addition i have the following questions:
- it might be a tad overexposed... i wanted it to appear bright and i guess "clinical" rather than dark.. but did i go overboard?
- is there too little going on in the right side of the frame? i was hoping the glass would add an interesting element... not sure if it did.

cheers!

vievetrick · 03-17-2008, 06:00 PM

First post and wow!! You don't like to PP pictures but this is great in my eyes. I will say I would like to see it a little larger but it is not mangled or distrorted as is. On my monitor it looks good overall. The only area that looks like it could use work is in the upper left corner. The door seems pretty blown out near the hook thing. I like the windows and it give something to the right. While typing I am scrolling up an ddown and I almost think you could recrop at the top of the mirrow in the mirror and lose the stuff above it. just my $.02 nice start and look forward to more.

agetupkiddan · 03-17-2008, 07:12 PM

Thanks for the kind words!
Yes the door is blown out, i used a light facing a closed white door right beside that one to get more light into the room. I never noticed how much light bounced onto that door! (Every shoot i learn more and more to take my time and soak it all in... yet i always overlook something!!)
I will take your advice and try some cropping, thanks for the suggestion!

Cheers
-daniel

hhays · 03-18-2008, 06:32 AM

Are you calibrating your monitor? Colorimeters are getting very cheap and are the best investment you can make for monitor accuracy. I like the photo, especially the reflections. On my monitor (calibrated this morning) the whites do not look blown out near the door.

agetupkiddan · 03-27-2008, 09:50 AM

hmmm no i've only manually calibrated my monitor, using like those printed things you can find online... How cheap are these colorimeters? i'm a poor student with what seems like too many expensive hobbies, haha.

hhays · 03-27-2008, 05:15 PM

I got one for $65 (US).

agetupkiddan · 03-28-2008, 09:27 AM

oh wow, ok, i was thinking they're all like 400 - 500$ like the spyder 2 pro... or maybe i'm thinking of a different type of calibrater? what kind is the one you purchased?

hhays · 03-28-2008, 01:33 PM

I purchased the spyder 2 express.

Item Detail - CV3320 - Spyder2 Express Monitor Calibration Software

I got it on sale.

agetupkiddan · 03-28-2008, 02:45 PM

Very nice, i didn't know they had consumer level stuff, thank you for the link/advice!

03-17-2008, 02:37 PM	#1
agetupkiddan Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 8	Color issues / contrast This is my first post, I have been reading this forum for quite some time now, and i have found it to be a great resource/community. I've been practicing this hobby for a couple of years now, and am learning something new everyday, so i hope to gain some insight through some critiques here. My main question is, i do most of my my post-editing on my laptop (using an external lcd monitor to work on)... the monitor is older now (3 years old), and i often wonder what the results are on other monitors... Here is one shot i did recently with a friend, i wanted to do 3 poses of her in one photo (I'm not a huge fan of doing a lot of post/photoshopping, but i wanted to push my abilities with this shot in terms of setup, ex. small bathroom, hiding lights, ensuring the model was out of frame for each individual shot) ps. this is a reduced size of the image to follow guidelines, i hope it isn't too distorted. so any critique would be wonderful, in addition i have the following questions: - it might be a tad overexposed... i wanted it to appear bright and i guess "clinical" rather than dark.. but did i go overboard? - is there too little going on in the right side of the frame? i was hoping the glass would add an interesting element... not sure if it did. cheers!

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03-17-2008, 06:00 PM	#2
vievetrick Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Easthampton - Massachusetts - USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,183	First post and wow!! You don't like to PP pictures but this is great in my eyes. I will say I would like to see it a little larger but it is not mangled or distrorted as is. On my monitor it looks good overall. The only area that looks like it could use work is in the upper left corner. The door seems pretty blown out near the hook thing. I like the windows and it give something to the right. While typing I am scrolling up an ddown and I almost think you could recrop at the top of the mirrow in the mirror and lose the stuff above it. just my $.02 nice start and look forward to more.

03-17-2008, 07:12 PM	#3
agetupkiddan Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 8 Original Poster	Thanks for the kind words! Yes the door is blown out, i used a light facing a closed white door right beside that one to get more light into the room. I never noticed how much light bounced onto that door! (Every shoot i learn more and more to take my time and soak it all in... yet i always overlook something!!) I will take your advice and try some cropping, thanks for the suggestion! Cheers -daniel

03-18-2008, 06:32 AM	#4
hhays Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 39	Are you calibrating your monitor? Colorimeters are getting very cheap and are the best investment you can make for monitor accuracy. I like the photo, especially the reflections. On my monitor (calibrated this morning) the whites do not look blown out near the door.

03-27-2008, 09:50 AM	#5
agetupkiddan Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 8 Original Poster	hmmm no i've only manually calibrated my monitor, using like those printed things you can find online... How cheap are these colorimeters? i'm a poor student with what seems like too many expensive hobbies, haha.

03-27-2008, 05:15 PM	#6
hhays Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 39	I got one for $65 (US).

03-28-2008, 09:27 AM	#7
agetupkiddan Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 8 Original Poster	oh wow, ok, i was thinking they're all like 400 - 500$ like the spyder 2 pro... or maybe i'm thinking of a different type of calibrater? what kind is the one you purchased?

03-28-2008, 01:33 PM	#8
hhays Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 39	I purchased the spyder 2 express. Item Detail - CV3320 - Spyder2 Express Monitor Calibration Software I got it on sale.

03-28-2008, 02:45 PM	#9
agetupkiddan Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 8 Original Poster	Very nice, i didn't know they had consumer level stuff, thank you for the link/advice!