Jump to content
Fly Tying
Kirk Dietrich

Red, tough to capture

Recommended Posts

Does anyone know of a trick to capture red so that it maintains detail but is not de-saturated or bright and crisp without being blown and over saturated? I find red and purple one of the hardest of colors to depict and capture as actually or close to what I saw with my eyes.

 

I'm sure there is a scientific reason, any solutions?

 

Kirk

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Red has the longest wave length of any color and this is critical in a lot of commercial photography applications. Granted, for recreational and even some professional applications, it can be adjusted in post production. This is also the reason that MTF data is so important in lenses. Remember that the professional lenses have higher grades of materials and are engineered for best possible delivery to sensor. During the calibration process, they are also calibrated for the best and tightest transfer of the 3 primary gamuts. This is the real reason that pro lenses cost so much more and is actually the resolution, to this gamuts of red issue.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Kirk what kind of camera are you using? Digital or film? A filter may help if you can get one for your camera (polarizing or red shift)

What kind of additional light(s) are you using when doing your photography? (full daylight lights help)

 

Try getting additional lights to hit from several angles. So the cameras flash doesn't have to handle most of the lighting.

 

If you are working digital use a good program to fix colors after the fact.

 

HTH

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Robert, I've got a Nikon D40, D300 and old Film camera as well as a Canon SD850. Red tends to shoot a bit on the over saturated side especially outdoors in daylight. Indoors with one or both of my SB600 flashes, it does not seem to be as much of a problem. I have a circular polarizer filter for almost all of my lenses but I haven't tried one when shooting flowers in the yard, may have to try that.

I have heard the Nikon cameras in the amature pro level and below tend to lean to the red being a little more saturated. Then again, maybe with the brighter light, I'm not getting a proper exposure although I usually spot or spot with a little area meter when shooting, I rarely use the matrix.

I began using Adobe Lightroom a couple years ago and have been using Adobe Photoshop since version 7 I believe - about seven or eight years ago. I currently have CS4 but have not used it much since obtaining Lightroom. I usaully get resonable results but red flowers especially seem to be a subject that usually needs attention.

The red in flies and smaller bits of red here and there seem to do okay, it is with solid red flowers and shirts that seem to lack detail. I do think I have better luck when using my 105mm Nikon prime lens as well as the 50mm prime. Maybe what Ben is saying makes sense.

 

Kirk

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...