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OPR Workshops => Difficult => Topic started by: GP on March 02, 2012, 05:33:09 PM

Title: Not sure about colors
Post by: GP on March 02, 2012, 05:33:09 PM
This is my other picture I am currently working on. Margie sent me a note that the strong yellow cast was caused by the copy lights. This is what I came up with:

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l26/gpecht/BabyPortrait.jpg)

I think the baby's skin color looks still muddy and I am also not sure if the jumper should be yellow or white. I created also a black&white version, but I still think the original was in color.
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: Mhayes on March 02, 2012, 05:38:59 PM
GP, I think you have the colors right and yes, the baby's skin looks muddy and the only good place looks like a small strip above the sock on your right side.

Margie
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: Hannie on March 03, 2012, 08:39:25 AM
Gerlinde, I agree with you and Margie that this photos has color.  I looked at some other portrait shots taken at the same time:

(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb18/marijtje2/OPR/trio.jpg)

I think the shoot was in B/W and then one photo was enlarged and colorized.  I don't think you have too worry too much about the colors as the colorizing was done badly.
(I would love to see a good colorized photo, do they exist?  :))

Hannie
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: GP on March 03, 2012, 01:48:05 PM
Thank you Hannie!

I like how you got rid of most of the magenta I ended up with after correcting for the yellow cast. Your skin tones look better too.

This is a tricky one. Maybe I should go for B/W and re-colorize  :huh:
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: Hannie on March 03, 2012, 03:34:20 PM
Gerlinde, what you can try for skin tone is a Selective Color Adjustment layer with
Reds:  cyan -99 and magenta -45
Whites:  black -21

The black and white version looks much better but the owner will want the colorized version too.  There is a tutorial somewhere on the forum that explains how colorize using gradients.  I remember trying it, seemed like a lot of work but the results were so much better than what you see on these studio photos.

Good luck with your restore!

Hannie
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: Pat on March 03, 2012, 04:52:00 PM
Hannie I'm wondering if this is the colorizing tutorial you are referring to:

http://www.operationphotorescue.org/forum/index.php/topic,2790.msg25852.html#msg25852 (http://www.operationphotorescue.org/forum/index.php/topic,2790.msg25852.html#msg25852)

Pat
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: Hannie on March 03, 2012, 06:47:50 PM
Pat, you are a gem! 
That is the tut I was thinking of, I didn't do much of it but I remember that it surprised me how well it worked.  I seem to remember it was a lot of work, will have a look at it tomorrow.

Thanks so much,

Hannie
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: HellZiggy on March 03, 2012, 10:32:46 PM
Quote from: Hannie on March 03, 2012, 08:39:25 AM

(I would love to see a good colorized photo, do they exist?  :))

Hannie

I would have said no before seeing these colorized photos: http://www.buzzfeed.com/burnred/famous-old-photos-colorized-281t (http://www.buzzfeed.com/burnred/famous-old-photos-colorized-281t)
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: Hannie on March 04, 2012, 07:26:31 AM
Very nice Sharon, guess I have to revise my opinion on colorization!    :)

Hannie
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: GP on March 07, 2012, 07:49:38 PM
This is what I came up with, I refrained from re-colorizing.

(http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l26/gpecht/RhoadsM-9done.jpg)
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: Hannie on March 08, 2012, 05:56:03 AM
Gerlinde, you did a great job!

:up:

Hannie
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: Mhayes on March 08, 2012, 01:52:32 PM
Gerlinde,

What an improvement!

Margie
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: Mike S. on March 09, 2012, 09:25:13 PM
A very nice job on this Gerlinde.   I am very impressed with what you were able to do.

Mike
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: GP on March 10, 2012, 01:28:39 AM
It makes me happy that you like the outcome of this restoration  :loveit:

Pat and Hannie, I looked at the link for the re-colorizing tutorial. I think it looks very natural. I have to try it one of these days, but I am not sure if I understand the whole process.
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: Hannie on March 11, 2012, 07:24:20 AM
Gerlinde, I tried the tutorial and the instructions are not always clear, especially the luminosity mask.
Basically you change the image mode to Lab.
For CS5, after you add the Hue/saturation adjustment layer and trash the mask (and set Saturaton to -100):
ctrl+alt+2
click add layer mask button
from Image pull down menu: Adjustments-> Curves and then pick preset Ed's Sat Mask

Then you can add your color layers underneath the Hue/saturations layers.

Hannie


Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: Pat on March 11, 2012, 09:12:56 AM
I thought the results looked beautiful but wasn't sure I fully understood the process either Gerlinde.  When I tried it after posting the link I was sure I didn't.  :D   Thanks for the clarification Hannie.  I'm going to give it another try. 

Your restore turned out gorgeous Gerlinde.

Pat
Title: Re: Not sure about colors
Post by: GP on March 11, 2012, 02:13:51 PM
Thank you for the clarification Hannie. That is exactly the part where my eyes glazed over and I decided - OK maybe next time.  :huh:

Thank you Pat :loveit: