[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: photo colors and techniques
> From: "Roger S. Miller" <rgrmill at rt66_com>
> A couple days ago, Roxanne Bittman (I think) wrote:
>
> > <<
> > I have been trying with little success to photograph my aquaria. One of
> > the problems is that the pictures come out too yellow-green.
>
> I took a series of photos last winter and had them developed and printed
> through a bulk-processing service. They came out *very* green. Then I
> took the developed negatives to a "good" photo shop and had them reprint
> a few of them. They came out looking pretty much like my aquarium.
Even the cheap, bulk places are able to colour correct your pictures to
what you would like as long as you request it. I suggest you take them
back to the place you got them developed and ask them to reprint them
better. They should do it for free.
Also, if you are scanning the pictures for jpegs, you can do all kinds
of colour correction digitally using MS Photoshop or other inexpensive
PC image tools. The difference between a cheap photo place and a shop
that relies on repeat business and charges a little more is that the
professional shop pays more attention to the color balance and what THEY
think it should look like.
As for lighting, it helps if you have 5500K MH or similar FL lighting.
You can also supplement your lighting with one or two halogen spot
lights; these really bring up the red colours. Be sure to keep the
supplemental lighting off to the side. Look at the tank to see if you
can see reflections in the glass. If you can see it, so can the camera.
You can also drape black towels around your tripod, behind the tank and
anywhere else something distracting is interfering with the composition
of your picture. I even use cardboard to prevent excess light from my MH
pendant from shining into the room creating reflections in the glass.
As for film, Fuji works good for me. I like good colours but you have to
work with the lighting to get the reds to come out. Green is not a
problem.
I don't use flash units except for killie fish who won't sit still in
bright light. The flash has to be off the camera to avoid a glaring
reflection.
Steve