So, I got up, set up my photo cube outside on the deck, and started shooting. After 300 or so photos, I was even more depressed than when we had cloud cover for two weeks. My photos left a lot to be desired, especially in the color category. So many of the pens and key rings I was photographing were not really the colors that were showing up in my photos.
So I watched the Olympics for about 3 hours and got a headache. But then, a wonderful little miracle. My daughter, the graphic artist, called to say hello, and I told her about my color problems. Well she uses Photoshop, which I know can do anything, but I don't have that program.
However, her 6-year old has a computer with the same program that I have, and she sat down in front of it, took one of my photos that was completely off color, and figured out how to fix it! Now, she didn't just send me the photo... nope - she made me sit there and work with the program until I figured out how to make my photos better. What a relief! I have a zillion photos on my computer that I won't share, because of the color distortion.
Here is where I've begun - this Rose Flower Pen is not blue!! It's a very pretty gray-blue color. But as you see by the first photo, it looks blue. I probably have 20 different photos of this pen - all of them blue.
But - VOILA!!! As you see by the second photo, the blue has been reduced so that the photo (at least on my monitor) looks like the right color! This is wonderful.
So the saying, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime" definitely applies to my new color-correction ability. I'm on my way to much better photos. Thank you, my dear daughter!
Hi Jackie your description of learning how is exactly what would happen to me. I take photos and the col doesnt come out how I would like, so I know here you are coming from.So great that you now have that under your belt so to speak.
ReplyDeleteYes there is definitly a change of col in the 2 pics, so good for you.
Great that it shows up the right color to you now that you havae mastered the technique. Thats great.
I have a prooooooogramme that lets me change all the temps and brightness and a whole lot of things but I still never know if Ive got it right.
I takestil pics of Cindys lessons, put them in a folder and crop them down,put them on a disc, and write down every thing she says, so I dont have to go into the comp every time I want to have another look. How do you work with this I would like to know what others do?.
Bye
Happy fishing,
love
E. XXX
P.S. didnt proof read that did I!. Sorry about the mistakes, must be too late for me.
ReplyDeleteE XX
How wonderful of your daughter to help you! Many wonderful free programs are available these days to help you with photo adjustments, including cropping, color, sharpening, etc. Picnik is one of them. Photobucket also has online tools. And you can download free programs like gimp. As I have said before, even the BEST photo can be improved with a digital imaging program!
ReplyDeleteAren't photos the hardest part? I need someone to teach me how to fish.
ReplyDeleteNo problem on the typos, Elizabeth - I can read right through them. I know that photos are a difficult part of our business - we are artists but we have to have photo taking skills.
ReplyDeleteDonna, I thought of you the whole time I was writing this post, in fact I think of you the entire time I am taking photos! My program has the tools to make the changes, it's just that, like Marie above... I needed someone to teach me how to fish.
Marie - I hear you. I will drop you an email, one really good place to get photo tips is at Etsy. Also at my friend Donna's Cottage Days and Jouneys blog, if you use Photoshop.
That's great. You raised the perfect daughter; smart and a good teacher. Armed with your new knowledge you now have THE POWER and you are the master of your own color tweeking. Somebody needs to write a "Photo-tweeking for Dummies" and I'd purchase the first copy.
ReplyDeleteHi Anita, you could have the second copy - after me! I am sure all the information is here and there on the Internet... but it has to fit each of our circumstances. And since we are first artists, and only secondarily photographers, we are not exactly motivated to make the second thing first. Yay for automatic settings on cameras! f-stops are not for me.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post Jackie,
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to work my way through Photoshop Elements. Do you have any suggestions for a good book to help?