Filters & saturation (was POST YOUR BEST WEBCAM CAPTURES)

[MilesOfTexas]

I'll start with this one:

Thanks ET!  The folks at the photo lab were WOW'ing over this shot that I took during our April trip, but saying no way the sky could have been that red.  I assured them it was, and now I have proof!

Not a webcam photo, but this is the photo I was referring to above:

[RichardM]

I'll start with this one:

Thanks ET!  The folks at the photo lab were WOW'ing over this shot that I took during our April trip, but saying no way the sky could have been that red.  I assured them it was, and now I have proof!

Not a webcam photo, but this is the photo I was referring to above:

Wow! Another one to remember for next year's calendar nominations.

[TexasAggieHiker]

That's amazing MOT!  Your photography is sickeningly good.   

[MilesOfTexas]

Wow! Another one to remember for next year's calendar nominations.

Thanks Richard, I certainly hope I make the cut!

[MilesOfTexas]

That's amazing MOT!  Your photography is sickeningly good.   

HAHA, thanks TexasAggieHiker!

[MilesOfTexas]

I log on every day hoping to see your work; it is inspirational! I am still hoping to be your "bag man" one day.
Quicksilver

Well, if the canoe tips over on Devil's River, I just might need your help chasing after my bag.   

It is your comments and others' that inspire me, as well as the fantastic photos that I see posted here by others.  TJ has set a very high mark and I hope to grow up (in my photography) to be as good of a photographer as him some day, but in my own way.  I mentioned TJ, but there are a lot of great photographers in this forum, and they all inspire me.

Your photos make me very envious, and you have some really great shots!  But more importantly, you have seen, felt, heard and touched so many wonderful places.  Places that I really desire to experience for myself.  Thank you so much for sharing them!!!

I wish things would cool off some so I could get back out there.  I was really wanting to get to Glacier NP this year, but instead have been busy shooting a lot of rodeos and cowboy/cowgirl portraits, which is new for me (there is a larger demand for that than I ever anticipated!).

That photo that I posted above I had printed the other day, and it looks a million times better in print than on the web.  It is my first BBIE print, and just looking at it had me drooling to be back at BIBE.

[East Texan]

Thanks ET!  The folks at the photo lab were WOW'ing over this shot that I took during our April trip, but saying no way the sky could have been that red.  I assured them it was, and now I have proof!

Not a webcam photo, but this is the photo I was referring to above:

MOT  the people at the lab must have not been to Bibe!  The sunsets were great in April when you and I were there.
Here's some I took on that trip..... take your choice on which colors you want for the sunset.  Never the same.

[MilesOfTexas]

MOT  the people at the lab must have not been to Bibe!  The sunsets were great in April when you and I were there.
Here's some I took on that trip..... take your choice on which colors you want for the sunset.  Never the same.

So right you are, on all accounts!  Not bad for a day which looked like we wouldn't see a sunset because it was overcast from horizon to horizon all day!

Fantastic sunsets you have there! 

Is it time to go back yet?

[tjavery]

Thanks ET! The folks at the photo lab were WOW'ing over this shot that I took during our April trip, but saying no way the sky could have been that red. I assured them it was, and now I have proof!

I'm not trying to come across as a jerk here, my only intent and hope is to educate. That, and my other firm belief is that you can do whatever you want with your photos to your own liking - they're your photos! 

MOT- your sunset photo is not believable, at least to me. And after Don posted his, I get a better feel that it's not realistic.

I'm sure you all have watched plenty of sunsets and have noticed how the clouds change color as the sun goes down. You usually do not see deep reds until the sun is well below the horizon (unless there's some freaky atmospheric thing going on like loads of dust in the air, but that doesn't seem to be the case here). You can see in the photo that the sun has just barely started to dip below the horizon.

Don's photo looks much more realistic. You usually see bright oranges and yellows at that "stage" in a typical sunset (when the clouds are right).



Now, having said that, you can "accidentally" over-saturate and mess up colors when editing in PS. I've done it a lot of times, and I've had to go back and re-edit photos because I wasn't careful and let the colors go beyond what is believable.

When you add Levels and Curves layers to your image (to adjust black and white points and also contrast), if you have the blending mode selected as "normal", then the adjustments created by the layers usually increase saturation. Sometimes it looks okay. Sometimes it looks quite garish.

To avoid this, select "luminosity" as the blending mode for those adjustment layers. They will then only affect the luminosity and leave color alone.

Saturation is a tricky beast. It's way too easy to get carried away with it. I urge you to read this article by Alain Briot:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/composing3.shtml

Again, not trying to be a turd here. Just trying to help. If you want your photos to look realistic, then watch that saturation! If not, and your photos satisfy your artistic and personal requirements, then alright! No problems!

[MilesOfTexas]

I'm not trying to come across as a jerk here, my only intent and hope is to educate. That, and my other firm belief is that you can do whatever you want with your photos to your own liking - they're your photos!

MOT- your sunset photo is not believable, at least to me. And after Don posted his, I get a better feel that it's not realistic.

I'm sure you all have watched plenty of sunsets and have noticed how the clouds change color as the sun goes down. You usually do not see deep reds until the sun is well below the horizon (unless there's some freaky atmospheric thing going on like loads of dust in the air, but that doesn't seem to be the case here). You can see in the photo that the sun has just barely started to dip below the horizon.

Don's photo looks much more realistic. You usually see bright oranges and yellows at that "stage" in a typical sunset (when the clouds are right).

Now, having said that, you can "accidentally" over-saturate and mess up colors when editing in PS. I've done it a lot of times, and I've had to go back and re-edit photos because I wasn't careful and let the colors go beyond what is believable.

When you add Levels and Curves layers to your image (to adjust black and white points and also contrast), if you have the blending mode selected as "normal", then the adjustments created by the layers usually increase saturation. Sometimes it looks okay. Sometimes it looks quite garish.

To avoid this, select "luminosity" as the blending mode for those adjustment layers. They will then only affect the luminosity and leave color alone.

Saturation is a tricky beast. It's way too easy to get carried away with it. I urge you to read this article by Alain Briot:
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/columns/composing3.shtml

Again, not trying to be a turd here. Just trying to help. If you want your photos to look realistic, then watch that saturation! If not, and your photos satisfy your artistic and personal requirements, then alright! No problems!

I do appreciate what you are saying TJ.  In my case, I was using two GND filters (stacked) in order to try to get nice details in the foreground.  Now, the GND filters are not supposed to alter color, but this is the color that showed up on my RAW image (I can send you the RAW image if you can help me figure out how to 'undo' the deep red).  I thought perhaps the GND filter allowed for more saturation.  I am using Cokin P-Series filters.  If there is a better one, please let me know.  I don't intentionally alter color.  In fact, until I saw ET's, I didn't realize there was that much difference.

[MilesOfTexas]

I do appreciate what you are saying TJ.  In my case, I was using two GND filters (stacked) in order to try to get nice details in the foreground.  Now, the GND filters are not supposed to alter color, but this is the color that showed up on my RAW image (I can send you the RAW image if you can help me figure out how to 'undo' the deep red).  I thought perhaps the GND filter allowed for more saturation.  I am using Cokin P-Series filters.  If there is a better one, please let me know.  I don't intentionally alter color.  In fact, until I saw ET's, I didn't realize there was that much difference.

Ok, I just did a quick bit of research and found out Cokin filters aren't all that great.  I found the following, which doesn't make me happy: "Cokin, however, provide the grey versions of graduated neutral density filters rather than pure neutral density filters which is reflected in their cheaper price. If you're serious about color reproduction (i.e. avoiding color casts) then the Lee filters are the better ones to go for."

Quote taken from:
http://www.great-landscape-photography.com/graduated-filters.html

My local camera shop only carries Cokin, and they usually carry really good stuff so I never gave it that much thought.  I mean afterall, "nuetral" is supposed to be non-color affecting, and the darn thing even says so on the package.  So, after this, I think I will give Lee a try.  Besides, I need wider filters for my 24-70mm on a full frame sensor.

[East Texan]

Gee MOT were you standing on my back and clicking at the same time?
Remarkable coincidence....... and remember I was shooting JPGs that day!!!!!  AAAAArRRRgGGG.



TJ thanks for the tip on setting layer to luminosity... never tried that.
Today is not lost, I learned something.

[MilesOfTexas]

Actually, you know what, we couldn't have shot that the same day.  I had set up my camera before you did and didn't budge, so there isn't any way we could have got the same shot (or did I move away at some point?) ... interesting!!!  What is the date for your shot?

Gee MOT were you standing on my back and clicking at the same time?
Remarkable coincidence....... and remember I was shooting JPGs that day!!!!!  AAAAArRRRgGGG.

TJ thanks for the tip on setting layer to luminosity... never tried that.
Today is not lost, I learned something.

[East Texan]

Actually, you know what, we couldn't have shot that the same day.  I had set up my camera before you did and didn't budge, so there isn't any way we could have got the same shot (or did I move away at some point?) ... interesting!!!  What is the date for your shot?

Gee MOT were you standing on my back and clicking at the same time?
Remarkable coincidence....... and remember I was shooting JPGs that day!!!!!  AAAAArRRRgGGG.

TJ thanks for the tip on setting layer to luminosity... never tried that.
Today is not lost, I learned something.

4/1/2010  7:12:26 PM

[MilesOfTexas]

Haha, well, you did a good job of PS'ing me out of your shot! 

Oh well, my memory didn't serve me too well for that day.  It is definitely the same day as mine.  I think I was still pretty tired from the drive in the day before.

Seeing I don't remember it too well, I think it is time to go back!

Actually, you know what, we couldn't have shot that the same day.  I had set up my camera before you did and didn't budge, so there isn't any way we could have got the same shot (or did I move away at some point?) ... interesting!!!  What is the date for your shot?

Gee MOT were you standing on my back and clicking at the same time?
Remarkable coincidence....... and remember I was shooting JPGs that day!!!!!  AAAAArRRRgGGG.

TJ thanks for the tip on setting layer to luminosity... never tried that.
Today is not lost, I learned something.

4/1/2010  7:12:26 PM