Colour help...please!

Aug 21, 2012
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So, this might be me being stupid, and may be in the wrong part of the site (didn't know where to put it)
I've recently gone up to the 5dMkIII but had the same issues with the 7D and the 450D.
I can't get the colour the way that is pleasing to me. I love shooting black and white, and the more contrast, the better. I also like punchy colours, but can never get skin tones to look just right to me. I know the trick about lifting red, orange and yellow luminance to stop it crunching the skin tones while bumping contrast.

Attached are two versions of the same image, this is the most to my liking I can get the colour. I almost like the black and white, apart from some composition things.

Can anyone help me here please? I can see other people's work where the skin tones appear perfect. Do I need a better diffuser? Or is the image fine?
Many thanks for any replies
Elliot
 

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Ewinter said:
So, this might be me being stupid, and may be in the wrong part of the site (didn't know where to put it)
I've recently gone up to the 5dMkIII but had the same issues with the 7D and the 450D.
I can't get the colour the way that is pleasing to me. I love shooting black and white, and the more contrast, the better. I also like punchy colours, but can never get skin tones to look just right to me. I know the trick about lifting red, orange and yellow luminance to stop it crunching the skin tones while bumping contrast.

Attached are two versions of the same image, this is the most to my liking I can get the colour. I almost like the black and white, apart from some composition things.

Can anyone help me here please? I can see other people's work where the skin tones appear perfect. Do I need a better diffuser? Or is the image fine?
Many thanks for any replies
Elliot


There is no ISO standard for skin tones ... it is a matter of taste...
I just looked at your website - lots of right looking skin tones to me.

In the image you've shown here, there are very large areas of light tone (her clothing and the building) ... I think these have an effect on how her skin looks...
 
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it looks as though you at least popped a bit of flash into the scene (bit of a catchlight in the heel of her shoe). was there another strobe source lighting her?

the reason i ask is that you can gel flashes/strobes with a straw colored gel to get better/healthier looking skin tones. she does look rather pink in the first shot but there is a bit of coolness to her skin tone that could use some warming up. fair skinned people often shoot like this and benefit greatly from a straw colored gel.

the 2nd shot she starts to look washed out. any chance you can link to some photos that you find the color pleasing so we have a better frame of reference?

nice shot regardless though. and your b&w interpretation is nice.
 
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