color adjustment skin tones

Gary Chancer

• 8. September 2016 01:15

Hi I have been using Capture one on and off but now I am getting real serious about using it for all my RAW work but just can't get color balance and skin tones.
Is there a good Video for Capture one 9 for this.

Thanks.

Cheers,
Gary

0

• 

  John Doe

  • 8. September 2016 02:11

  Check out David Grover's webinars on Phase One's official YouTube channel.

  0
• 

  Permanently deleted user

  • 8. September 2016 19:16

  ...just can't get color balance and skin tones.

  
  
  Gary, I can understand your frustration. Are you working strictly from what you see on your display, or are you metering tones knowing that you have specific value ranges you're aiming for?
  
  I assume that your display is profiled/calibrated. If not, then I would highly recommend that you look into this and make it a cornerstone of your approach to color balance. This will not only increase color accuracy but set your display to the appropriate dynamic range for your output media of choice (photographic prints for indoor viewing). Additionally, use of a wide gamut display will allow you to more accurately view images which contain a large volume of colors, e.g. images with more saturated colors.
  
  With equipment aside, color balance can be addressed from two very different angles – absolute color balance and relative color balance. Keeping both in mind, in my experience, will insure that the finished color (including skin tones) is pleasing and appropriate for the given image. (This is a topic in itself!)
  
  As I primarily shoot people (portraits and fashion), my main color balance concern is skin tone. If natural looking skin is the goal, my approach is to keep in mind a few "standard" skin tone values while considering all color tones throughout an image. For example, evenly lit "average", untanned Caucasian skin has a L*a*b* value of approx. 70, 15, 20 (the Light Skin patch on the original Macbeth/X-Rite ColorChecker value is 66, 14, 17). Skin shadow values can dip to L50 and approach L90 for an oily highlight skin area. It all depends on the style of the lighting and look one is creating. If it's a high key image, the darkest skin tone shadow might be as high as L85 to L90.
  
  Skin tone color saturation can also vary. When the a* and b* values (red and yellow, respectively) are under 10, skin tone becomes very pale. Increase a* and b* values to over 25 to 30, and skin takes on the warmth and glow of a sun tan.
  
  In the end, there is no right or wrong values. The question for the photographer and image retoucher is: Does the skin tone look as it was intended? Does it look appropriate? Does it look good?
  
  Also worth considering is the subjective topic of how people would prefer their skin tone to be. Caucasians generally like their skin to look darker and more saturated than it really is. Asians often prefer that their skin look lighter than it is. And so on, and so forth...
  
  Regarding my approach to metering skin tone values, I rely on the L*a*b* color model as it is more logical, in my opinion. Unfortunately, C1 does not include L*a*b* color readout, but there is an easy workaround. See my post:
  
  "Missing CIE L*a*b* color readout – a real workaround"
  
  viewtopic.php?f=61&t=24362
  
  That's enough babbling on my part. If you know more specifically what you are struggling with in regards to achieving the color balance you're aiming for, please describe it. There are many of us here on the forum who would be happy to share our experience and knowhow.

  0

Post ist für Kommentare geschlossen.