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Color isn’t just Colorful

Why Color Calibration of Cameras in Essential

By Oliver Mews

Colors in a photograph don’t necessarily coincide with colorful photos. When photographing under conditions with mixed lights, the results strikingly reveal a fact everybody is probably already aware of: each camera interprets colors differently, although the light conditions were identical during capture. One preview on a camera display shows colors with a slight red cast, another preview display seems to show a cold, blue cast. The camera’s automation is not the only factor responsible for this predicament. A camera’s or RAW converting software’s automatic white balance refers to the brightest pixels in a photograph. These pixels work as a reference point for neutral reflections of the existing light.

Oftentimes, this process works fine. As soon as photos are taken from different angles or with different cameras however, misinterpretations in terms of white balance become extremely obvious. Those shooting JPG and choosing to rely on automatic white balance, have to deal with differences in displays of color between their photos. There is hardly a way to correct this discrepancy and a correction automatically results in significant loss of image quality. RAW converters don’t even consider using such color-neutral pixels as a reference for white balancing, as the software allows for a manual definition of a neutral gray reference with just a click during post-processing. Thus, it’s important to always have a gray card on hand. Watch out however, when dealing with photos capturing colorful lighting moods, such as sunsets. These kinds of pictures always require manual adjustments in your RAW converting software.

When a photographer uses more than one camera, it becomes even more obvious that the way colors are being displayed has a lot to do with a camera’s characteristics. Adjusting several cameras in a way that the result is an identical color output is hardly possible when done manually and by visual judgment only. On top of that, such a process requires a lot of time and effort. The RAW format however offers a wide range of opportunities and allows for optimal color characteristics due to a plethora of color sliders. That being said, achieving identical color outputs is certainly not a walk in the park, but a bit of patience along with some dedication and the right tool set allow for perfection.

A white balance correction is the first important step towards color consistency. The next step is taking care of correcting individual colors. A color reference is required in order to match different colors. There are different tools available, all of which are so-called targets, analyzing a camera’s way to display colors and finding a way to neutralize it. In this case, we make use of a SpyderCHECKR, offering a plugin for Photoshops’ ACR or Lightroom.

Once photographed under each respective lighting condition, this target is utilized as a reference within the software. Just a few clicks, and we are able to create customized settings, which are available in our RAW converting software of choice. Each camera and each lighting condition requires its own customized correction setting. Our case study shows a mixture of photos taken with a Canon 5D MkII and a Nikon D700. We utilized one customized setting per camera for general daylight, which was applied to all pictures taken during daytime. It is important to consider each slight change of ambient light as well as different reflections in certain settings.

How to achieve consistent color:

1. Photograph the color reference frontally as precisely as possible and make sure to avoid reflections.
2. Prepare the target in your RAW converting software, using the sliders for white balance, lighting and shadows
   1. Instead of going for white, use a medium shade of gray as a reference for your white balance. Gray is the better choice, as it doesn’t reflect ambient colors the way white does.
   2. Now go ahead and adjust this white reference to a saturation of 90% (RGB 230, 230, 230), using the respective sliders
   3. Proceed by adjusting the reference for shadows to a value of 4% (RGB 10, 10, 10), using the slider for blacks.
3. All color references in the chart will now be retrieved by the plugin and thus automatically used as a basis for correction processing.
4. Finally, the software saves a customized setting, containing detailed color corrections.
5. Given the lighting conditions were identical, this customized setting can now be applied with just one click as a color correction on the other photos of this series.

Datacolor Spyder color solutions make it easy to ensure consistent and accurate color within your workflow.

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The 2018 Video Creators $10,000+ Giveaway prize list is as follows:

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• COLOR GRADING CENTRAL / Academy Membership*
• VANGUARD / Reno 48 Backpack
• MEFOTO / Backpacker Tripod
• HURLBUT VISUALS / Inner Circle Membership*
• ZOOKKI / GoPro Accessories
• RODE / Video Mic
• WESTCOTT / Flex Daylight LED 2-Light Cine Travel Kit
• ADOBE / Creative Cloud Subscriptions* (draw in October)
• NIKON / D3400, 18-55 VR Kit (draw in October)
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Loupedeck, the photo-edit console, continues to see a growing community and happy customers in 2018. The reason is simple: for those in the photography business, where the editing of multiple images has always proved a huge drain on time and energy, the console has been an absolute game-changer.

It is becoming increasingly true that time is perhaps the most valuable commodity for professional photographers and creatives, as well as for amateurs too. To that end, Loupedeck is a photo-editing console that’s been custom-made to ‘supercharge’ the experience of using Adobe Lightroom – and rapidly improve the process of selecting and editing shots more quickly and more intuitively.

Loupedeck is a device explicitly designed to make the editing of photos so simple that photographers of all skill levels will have greater time and increased energy to devote to the creative aspect of their work.

Simply put, no more disruption to your workflow, there’s no more looking for ‘hidden’ controls and furthermore, the smart looking and smart-acting Loupedeck console can cut down editing time by up to a quarter. In short, this is the device to make light work of Lightroom…

Internationally renowned fashion and documentary photographer, Ger Ger, says of Loupedeck, “It speeds up the editing workflow considerably and it feels very organic to use.”

Pep Williams’ gritty inner-city and prison photography has recently been breaking new artistic ground in the US. He calls Loupedeck, “A killer product.”

Jessica Zollman, an influential L.A based photographer says, “Using Loupedeck makes me feel like I am a photo-editing rockstar.”

And for countless other hobbyists, enthusiasts and entrepreneurs (like wedding photographers, for example), Loupedeck has been hailed as a simply indispensable tool.

All-in-all, the last two years have been quite a journey for Loupedeck – the best-selling console device dedicated to bringing out everyone’s A-game when using Adobe Lightroom photo-editing software. Since the console arrived on global markets in late-spring 2017 critical acclaim has been strong.

Ger Ger is an artist, photographer and has worked as a creative director at L’Officiel, Condé Nast, WWD and Hearst, amongst others. With an enviable portfolio, his work has appeared in magazines that include Vogue, and Harper’s Bazaar, as well as for luxury conglomerates that include LVMH (otherwise known as Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton).

Of Loupedeck, Ger Ger says, “I’m really a big fan of great design, haptics, and attention to detail. I really like it if people, designers, developers and companies care. Well, I’m a perfectionist myself. I feel with Loupedeck that I really love to use it on a daily basis and this feeling does not get old. Aside from my actual computer hardware and hard drives, this is the one and only other device that in my eyes can make a huge difference and improve a professional photographer’s workflow substantially.”

Pep Williams describes himself as a ‘street photographer’. His work has been seen in magazines and exhibitions across the world. Recently, Williams did a major photoshoot entitled ‘Out of Bounds’ in a California State prison.

Of Loupedeck, he says, “It truly performs. It actually makes me want to get more in detail with my images… and because it makes it so easy, I now spend time editing more. For me, what I love about it, is that it goes where I go. It’s super-lightweight and fits in my bag perfectly. It’s easy to use and it’s fast.”

Jessica Zollman, an acclaimed Los Angeles-based photographer and influencer, is well-known as one of the original core team at Instagram, which she joined (as employee #5) back in 2011. Forging her own successful professional path since 2013, of Loupedeck, Zollman says, “As a long-time Lightroom user, it makes editing intuitive, quick, and – most importantly – extremely fun.”

The $209 Loupedeck is available for purchase at B&H Photo Video and Amazon.

Enter to win a Loupedeck exclusively from Canon Rumors

You can also enter to win from Loupedeck, simple enter your email address (make sure it’s one you check), and Loupedeck will notify you if you’re a winner.

When Prints are Darker than the Display

By John Walrath

If your print seems too dark, this is an issue with the brightness, or luminance, of your display. Controlling the luminance of your display and the brightness of your working environment is essential to achieve the best consistency from screen to print. It’s important to note that dark prints can also make it seem like color is incorrect in the final print.

For a well calibrated display for photo editing and printing, you will need to adjust the luminance to a specified range of 100-120 cd/m². The Spyder5PRO and Spyder5ELITE can make these corrections. At first, this luminance setting can seem rather dim but with the proper lighting in your work area it will seem natural.

Read more…

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Upgrade to the top-of-the-line Spyder5ELITE+ from ANY brand for $139 through 9/30! Just type in the hardware serial number from your old device for verification and redeem your discount. It‘s as simple as that!

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Why You NEED to Calibrate Your Monitors with Aaron Nace from Phlearn

Top 5 Reasons to Upgrade

1. Bright displays cause dark prints

If the display brightness is too high, this will lead to print outs that are too dark due to the contrast range and brightness of the print out being far lower than that of a display in default settings. The Spyder5ELITE+ will solve this problem.

2. Highly durable sensor with Encapsulated Optics and Integrated Lens Cap

First choice for traveling and calibration of laptops on location in changing light conditions. The sensor is highly protected and sealed. Combined with the sensor lens cap, this makes the Spyder5ELITE+ the best protected colorimeter on the market.

3. Match Multiple Displays with the Industry leading method

Verify more precise monitor matching with StudioMatch and take the guess work out of making all your connected displays look the same – including a new visual verification step that assists you by fine tuning your results.

4. Spyder5ELITE+ adjusts as your room light changes

Ensure your viewing and editing of work on-screen is correct with automatic switching of your monitor profile as your room light conditions change. This takes the current ambient light monitoring ability to the next level without any user action required.

5. Full screen Before/After function using your own images

Our sophisticated and unique Before/After function is a great asset for checking the color improvement on your images. You don‘t need to use standard images anymore. See the improvement on your best photos in full screen.