01-19-11 – Color Popping Naturally

My understanding is multi-colored subjects are fine, but multiple colored subjects are not.

In my mind, Leica‘s ladder would be great with mopsy‘s suggested cropping of the rust, but the petals in the gutter I’m not so sure about, but not for the reasons suggested. I find the brown tones, both in the concrete to the right and in the straw a bit to much color for a strict interpretation.

rav‘s picture is cool. I’d like to see what happened with a higher f-stop so the background was more in focus and you had a similar gray-scale texture matching the color textures 😉

My own feeling on this is that the pictures will speak for themselves, and if the voters feel that a colour isn’t really popping, they won’t vote for it.
That may be too optimistic of me…

For my concrete shots, I went for the AWB. Sliding back and forth from 0 saturation to 200 (as the Canon software defines it), there certainly is some color there–I can’t imagine any actual color image being without some tonal qualities. But in comparison to the ‘pop’ portion, it’s nil. I found minor color temp adjustments lessened it even more so, though I’m afraid my monitor doesn’t see color the way others do; thus I’ve deferred to Else and Mopsy to preview a page of my wanna-bes for their input.

I agree about letting the pictures speak for themselves. The issue of one color v. many bugs me only in that a brilliant rainbow against a black and white sky seems a color-popping natural fit (it’s nature, right?). In fact, were not ‘Weather’ in the queue, I’d practically insist it be allowed so I could post one I took.

OTOH, I agee w/Else that there must be some line drawn in the color neutral sand. I await the verdict, and am glad this is being hashed out now, so I’ll have time to buy some titanium white gesso and Payne’s grey acrylics for a suitable background, if necessary. (Even that isn’t perfectly neutral, but for hecks sake, it’s damned close enough!)

rav‘s picture is cool. I’d like to see what happened with a higher f-stop so the background was more in focus and you had a similar gray-scale texture matching the color textures 😉

*Oops.* I only took two images, at the same f/, pretty much as afterthoughts as I walked back to my truck. My guess, though, is it wouldn’t be as effective, as the concrete did have some small colored rocks in it, and they’d be more pronounced if clearly shown (you can see this in my image as is; bump the saturation to see it better–or worse, as the case may be.)

But thanks! As far as afterthoughts go, I did think it came out rather nicely–better than the tangerine against the white lattice fence that preceded it for 12 frames…

rav‘s picture is cool. I’d like to see what happened with a higher f-stop so the background was more in focus and you had a similar gray-scale texture matching the color textures 😉

*Oops.* I only took two images, at the same f/, pretty much as afterthoughts as I walked back to my truck. My guess, though, is it wouldn’t be as effective, as the concrete did have some small colored rocks in it, and they’d be more pronounced if clearly shown (you can see this in my image as is; bump the saturation to see it better–or worse, as the case may be.)

But thanks! As far as afterthoughts go, I did think it came out rather nicely–better than the tangerine against the white lattice fence that preceded it for 12 frames…

Gotcha. I was thinking about the juxtaposition of the color against the almost identically textured background (were it in focus). I didn’t realize it would have brought more color in in this case. (think, not criticizing – trying to make good ‘better’ 🙂 )

I’ve only got one shot so far this week, and that one was painful, so don’t feel too bad. I may be lucky to end up with two I’m happy with.

Rav, did you get my answer to your posted question. I’m not always sure I do things correctly on some of the other Fark sites.

Did my brick picture show up? Or is it only on my computer?

I can see it, too, clouddancer, might I suggest bumping the contrast a bit to deepen the red? Or does that bring out colors that aren’t supposed to be there in the gravel?

And yes, mopsy I did get your PM message, I’ve just woken up later in the day as I readjust my clock to nightshift worktimes. I’ve replied. Haven’t checked any other venues yet.

I actually had an idea for this tonight pop in my head thanks to Kestrana’s lovely suggestions and what arrived today via UPS. I might use the shot I come up with out of this, but I won’t be offended or take mine out if someone else also decides to do it.

I’m going to get some fresh herb leaves and put them in the small white marble mortar and pestle we have. Hubby requested a bigger one and his new one arrived today that’s much bigger, and dark/black granite, so if I were to use that one, it’d be something very bright in color. If you have a mortar and pestle that’s not b/w, perhaps putting sea salt crystals or black peppercorns in it or something. Just a thought if anyone wants to use this.