# Whats wrong with this picture



## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Ok you pros, what can be done to improve this picture? Why does everything seem so yellow? Can this be improved by changes in camera settings? What about software? Will Painshop Pro get it done or do I need Photoshop? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Kevin Simms


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## SCMurphy (Jan 28, 2004)

How did you set the whitebalance of the camera?


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## bharada (Apr 17, 2004)

As Sean suggested, adjusting the camera's white balance setting is the best way to get your colors to look more natural. If your camera doesn't have a good white balance adjuster you can do it post op in Photoshop or the like.

What you can do is take a reference picture of the tank with a known white and black object stuck into it. Anything non-toxic and waterproof will do. I've used white plastic knives (the disposable kind for picnics), and a black tray from a CD jewelcase. It's important that these objects be well lit by the tank's lights.

Once you have this reference picture you'd set the white and black levels based on the white and black objects. In Photoshop this would involve the Levels function. I don't have Paintshop Pro so I don't know how it's done there. Write down the values for these points and apply them to photos taken without the objects. This should get you in the ballpark.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

the wb was on auto. my camera is an olympus c700 uz. it has a manual white balance, i just wasnt sure how to use it. from what youve mentioned, i should be able to put something white and black in the tank, adjust the wb, then remove the objects and take the shot? 

thanks!


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)

*Re: What's wrong with this picture, so yellow*



Sir_BlackhOle said:


> Why does everything seem so yellow?


Let me guess ... you have an LCD.
I've had the same complains from several people. Pictures to be too yellow.

I tested several LCDs, from LCD monitors to LCD HDTV televisions LG RU23LZ21. They all looked the same. Yellow.

This was then compared on 2 Sony trinitron PC monitors and one professional Sony PC monitor. Result? No yellow, but perfectly balanced pictures.

This is your original:









This is balanced in Photoshop:









The colour balancing process made it even worse on LCDs. Though, they look perfect on Trinitron machines.

Edward


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Actually I have a 19" flat screen crt....maybe the colors arent set correctly on it?

p.s. thanks for cleaning up that pic for me!


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)

Sir_BlackhOle said:


> Actually I have a 19" flat screen crt....maybe the colors arent set correctly on it?


Here http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=20208#20208 I uploaded one nice program and simple explanation how to check monitor alignment.

If you like I can do more of your pictures. The best results are with original jpg directly from camera, not modified in any way.

Edward


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Thanks for the link! I've got the original pic at home....im here at work now. I'll post up the original tonight and maybe you can take a look at it for me if you dont mind.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Does that calibrator work with WinXP? Doesnt seem to here at work, but I'll try it at home where it really matters.


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)

Yes it does work with XP just fine.


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## Adam (Oct 19, 2004)

Heres what I came up with in Photoshop. I tried to move it a little further out of the yellow spectrum... I think I might have tweaked it a little too far out of "natural" but it has a nice green I think


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Ive got to get a copy of Photoshop! Heres a link to the original, unedited shot. Its 5.5mb.

http://users.interconnect.net/csimms/P1010023.TIF

BTW the monitor calibrator works here at home  THANKS


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)

http://members.rogers.com/amadeuslem01/Aqua01/P1010023_02.jpg
(Not LCD friendly)


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## bharada (Apr 17, 2004)

The thing about adjusting WB post op is that you run a large risk of
blowing out some portion of the histogram when making the adjustments.
Digital photos fully follow the GIGO principle so in camera WB
adjustments are always best. That's why I always laugh at police/spy 
shows that can convert a fuzzy VHS video frame into a razor sharp image.

I don't know the exact procedure for setting the manual WB on your
camera, but on my Canon S400, you put the camera into manual mode, 
then choose the WB function from the menu. You then zoom in on a white 
object so that it fills the entire frame and hit the Set button.

What I said about the object being fully lit by your tank light is very 
important as you need to have the full effect of your lighting spectrum on 
that white surface in order for the WB to be set properly.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

I will give it a try and play around with it more today. Thanks for the tips guys! Im learning more every day!


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)




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## defdac (May 10, 2004)

*My version*


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Those look great guys!


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)




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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

photo wars! lol! Im gonna try to take some more pics tonight and i'll post em up for yall to see


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## Edward (May 25, 2004)

Hi Defdac,
can you please translate this text to English?

Fulldospuls ser ut såhär: 
3 tsk CaCl2 
2 krm KNO3 
1 krm K2SO4 
1 krm MgSO4 
20 ml KH2PO4 (2 tsk i 200 ml) 
30 ml NutriSI (7 krm i 300 ml, men är osäker)

It comes from your beautiful web site, http://194.236.255.117/defblog/month/2004/9.html .

Thank you,
Edward


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