What Color is Water? Color correction fun

Swampy · #1 12-11-2005, 07:50 AM

Here's a project for the fun of it.

Do you think the water in this photo is drab and not very exciting for such an action shot? Should it be more green? More Blue? See if you can make this photo "pop"

Marthig · #2 12-11-2005, 08:36 AM

Good subject Swampy (not the skier, though he is "cute")

Actually I think the water is colourless and only reflects the atmosphere colours, sky, clouds etc.

I think this photo was taken on a cloudy or stormy day, I downloaded it to see what I can come up with to make it "pop" as you suggest

Thanks for giving me something to puzzle about -

Swampy · #3 12-11-2005, 08:41 AM

Marthig...

Yeah, he is kinda hunky. Something for the ladies perhaps? :-) I was kinda tired of kids, kitties and glamor shots anyway. LOL

But, you are right, the water's color reflects the ambient lighting. Feel free to change that too.

raniday · #4 12-11-2005, 08:58 AM

Swampy, for me, it would depend on whether I wanted photo realistic or painterly. If I were making it look like a painting, I would crank up the colors, probably towards cyan. Neat image. I'll play with it a little later.

Swampy · #5 12-11-2005, 09:16 AM

Rainday...

I am using this photo in a magazine so photo image is how I did it, but if you want to paint it, go for it.

philbach · #6 12-11-2005, 09:50 AM

Well I put some blue and green in the water. Its different, but I don't think its better.

NancyJ · #7 12-11-2005, 10:10 AM

Technically, pure water is blue. Very very very very slightly blue, not colourless as you're taught at school. One of the many lies they tell you

In terms of naturally occuring bodies of water the colour can tell you about the organisms living in the water. Chlorophyl from phytoplankton absorbs blue and red light causing the water to look more green than blue.
But thats beside the point

I thought I'd go for a 'mediteranian water sports holiday brochure' look.

mistermonday · #8 12-11-2005, 10:14 AM

I used a technique to bring out the trace colors yhat are already in the water. In doing so it also boosted slightly the saturation of the klife jacket and ski. I think this adds natural colors. I had to compress down to level 3 to get the image to fit into 100KB so the effect may not look as good in this thumbnail. However I can email the larger size to you if you like.
Best Rgds, MM

NancyJ · #9 12-11-2005, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mistermonday

I used a technique to bring out the trace colors yhat are already in the water. In doing so it also boosted slightly the saturation of the klife jacket and ski. I think this adds natural colors. I had to compress down to level 3 to get the image to fit into 100KB so the effect may not look as good in this thumbnail. However I can email the larger size to you if you like.
Best Rgds, MM

ew.... I would not want to go swimming in that

I think I'd take my fantasy of clear blue skies and deep blue water over the reality any day

mistermonday · #10 12-11-2005, 10:23 AM

Nancy, yes, on second thought my reality is probably not what we want to see here. I like your shade of blue. Best Rgds, Murray

chrishoggy · #11 12-11-2005, 10:57 AM

Went for a bit of a brighter blue

Duv · #12 12-11-2005, 11:39 AM

Here's what I came up with.

Cheers

Dave

CJ Swartz · #13 12-11-2005, 11:55 AM

I saturated the luminosity to see what colors were there. Lightened, brightened with luminosity layers set to screen, reduced the magenta.

I love the pure blue waters in travel posters, and I'm sure that blue is what sells. The waters in the artificial lakes in my area are often brownish green, or worse when they get a "red tide" algae bloom. Our real lakes are hopefully bluer, but I haven't visited any in years.

Swampy · #14 12-11-2005, 12:08 PM

MisterMonday.. LOL... I'm with Nancy, I don't think I'd wanna swim there. Dp you think there would be that much color showing in the rooster tail?

Nancy, if we assume that water is, for the most part, colorless, I would think that adjustments should probably be made in the blacks. Your version is very close to the one I'm currently "sitting" on for my print job.

C.J. Interesing effects considering you aproached it from a "by the numbers" angle.

Here's what I've done so far.

Marthig · #15 12-11-2005, 03:20 PM

Hi Swampy !

Could not get to play with that pic yet but in view of the marvelous results posted I will just settle to watching the thread develop.

I love your last image, IMO it is truly in agreement with the type of day it was taken. Had it been a clear sky day it would probably have had that beautiful paradisiac blue we see in tourist packages.

Also there are other details that indicate the type of lighting; there are no marked light contrasts in the guy's face or the other elements. OK *puts the magnifying glass away*

Hope to see more results

Regards - Martha