Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2006/11/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Tina wrote: >>To me it looks right.<< That is the most critical thing and it should be all that matters. But this discussion of color has me thinking about the importance of color. There are so many variables out there, and everyone has a different set. Color is very subjective. Half the time I can't even agree with myself. We have more control over color than we ever had before. We can change WB on the fly. We can adjust curves and hues with a slider. But sometimes I think we go overboard in terms of assigning importance. I think back to not long ago when we'd look at a proof, add 10M and subtract 5Y filtration, make a final print and be done with it. Things might not have been perfect, but we lived with it and we were content. I was looking at an Osterloh book last night. There was a Noct shot in candlelight. The was a glowing caption, too. The caption made no mention that the person in the photo looked jaundiced. But that was the standard of the day. We were all accustomed to the color balance of daylight film in warm light. It doesn't hurt to aspire for perfect color in every situation. But how critical is color, really (unless we're shooting jewelry, food, or a bride)? The expectation is that 2,500 ASA under dock lights (that put off who-knows-what spectrum of light) had better be right on! Seems to me we expect a lot from digital cameras in regard to color. I look at movies today versus Technicolor movies of 30 years ago. I'll bet color accuracy was far better back then. But nobody complains. Maybe everyone like me just assumes when colors look odd it's done for effect. I think color is, and will always be complicated. daveR