Bright, White pics with your cam

[Connor]

I hate just about every picture that I take with my digital camera for posting work here.

Everything comes out with this bluish haze. What sort of light do you people use when taking pictures?
The flash? It washes out the colors.
Fluorescent?

Talk to me.

Michael

------------------
==================================================
Always remember, you are unique...just like everybody else.

[sandge]

I don't know much about photography so I don't have any fancy lights or anything. But what I do is experiment and take lots of shots some with flash, some without, etc. Generally, what works best is if I turn the room lights off otherwise things go sorta yellow (I have some light coming in from the hallway so I can focus). Then I stand as far away from the picture as I can and use the zoom. That way the flash will hopefully not be so intense.

Some paintings come out better than others. Often I will then put the original painting next to my monitor and tweak the image file in photoshop to try to get it as close as I can. However, I have accepted that the image file is not the painting. Anyway, they look different on other monitors depending on how it has been calibrated and what the display settings are. It's best not to be too precious about it.

best wishes
sandra

------------------
http://www.fletcherfineart.com

[This message has been edited by sandrafletcher (edited January 19, 2001).]

[pixelscapes]

As I understand it, bright daylight often can give you the best results in terms of color. Of course it may also be a function of how the camera is processing the image.

Most digital cameras save images as .jpgs, and a .jpg compression scheme really crunches up the blue channel of the image. Maybe that's related, maybe not, I'm not sure.

I agree that the only way to get a really accurate depiction is to manipulate it afterwards in a photo editing program. I have to do this with both digital camera pics, and with regular camera pics, AND with direct scans from artwork... because I'm fussy.

-=- Jen "Manipulative" de la Cruz
http://www.Pixelscapes.com and http://www.BewareOfArt.com

[Phyllis Rennie]

Michael, If I am photoing a painting, I take it outside on the deck. The area I use is on the north side of the house so it is in shadow. It's light enough that I don't need a flash though. There is probably a better way but that's the easiest one I've found so far. Phyl

[nrgz]

if you have photoshop, you can bring up your pic and go to Image: Adjust: Auto Levels. I had one of those quick cam's ..which always made my pics come out green/blue..but that helps bring out the true color in an image.


nicole

[tammy]

I just purchased on of the cheaper computer digital cams. It doesn't have flash. It makes really sharp photos, but you have to be outside on a clear day about noonish.

Have had fairly good results inside, but takes more work especially if at night. Then it takes alot of moving lights around and fixing it in a program afterwards, but it still works amazingly well like that even though it doesn't have a flash.
Still, outside shots in daytime make the best.

------------------
Don't worry, its gonna be all right....
Tammy's Home for Artists

[sue ellen]

Natural light seems to be the best for true color. Not direct sunlight or in the shade on a sunny day but a very bright overcast day. I also have a place on my deck that has diffused light from the sun bouncing off my house ..its the perfect lighting. One more thing..i use a gray card to get my light readings....then after i take the picture and have it in my computer..i use photoshop to match the original.

sue ellen

[Connor]

Thanks, gang.

Maybe I'll try direct sunlight. I'm taking the pictures from my desk at work. I'm not gonna fork out the cash for a didgy cam when we've got 3 nice ones floating around here at work!!!!
I'll try takin' one home and giving it a shot in nice, bright daylight.

Even with all the adjusting I do with Adobe or PSP, I think the office fluorescents are killing the color.

Michael

------------------
==================================================
Always remember, you are unique...just like everybody else.