Brightness in Photographs

[the_cat_keeper]

Hi, there,

I found that some of the pictures I took underwater looked okay on my digital camera screen but when I downloaded them onto my home PC, they looked darker. Also, I noticed recently that when I uploaded some underwater photographs onto the web-site using one of the PC's at home (I have 2), the photographs looked okay on one PC and darker on the other PC.

I guess this has to do with the camera and PC setting. The question then is how do I know if my photographs are too bright or too dark? Is there a "standard brightness" for comparison?

Thanks...

 

[PapaBob]

Hi Cat:

What you describe sounds like a monitor calibration issue. You can do a rough calibration of your monitor if you loaded a version of Photoshop by using the "Adobe Gamma" calibration utility found in your control panel. If you are serious about digital photography, then one of your best investments will be a colorimiter like the Colorvision Spyder or the Monaco EZ color system. This is a frequently discussed topic in this forum, and I hope someone will look up and link you to some old threads.

---Bob

 

[the_cat_keeper]

Bob,

Thanks... did the seraches on "colorimeter" and "colorvision" and found a few discussion threads. Are you aware if there are similar software or setting that I can do for my camera?

 

[pete340]

Thanks... did the seraches on "colorimeter" and "colorvision" and found a few discussion threads. Are you aware if there are similar software or setting that I can do for my camera?

Start with your monitor. If it's not set right (and they usually aren't) you don't know what's in your image. Go to www.praxisoft.com and get wiziwyg. If you click on "Products", then "WiziWYG", you'll get to a page where you can download a basic version. It works wonders.

In general, use the camera settings to get a good picture. Mostly that means getting good detail in the shadows, and letting the rest fall wherever it falls. Tune it later, in a photo editor.

 

[Mike Veitch]

If your camera is capable, try using the histogram overlay on top of each and every photo you take as you take it. The histogram should have a peak at the centre and taper to the right and left. If it is all pushed to the left too dark, all pushed to the right too bright.
When i first went to digital i also had a problem with the camera screen, everything looked well exposed but was quite a bit underexposed on my computer. Then i discovered the histogram overlay and always use that now

Mike

 

[the_cat_keeper]

Hi, Mike,

Could you elaborate further? I suppose the histogram is the graph appears when I ask the camera to display all? I never quite understood what that graph meant, to be honest. Do you mean that after taking a shot, go take a look at the histogram, if the peaks don't appear in the centre, readjust the settings?

Thanks again.

 

[DoubleDip]

I don't want to step on Mikes toes (The guy's awesome) but I found this web site helpful regarding histograms.....http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/understanding-histograms.shtml
On the discussion of lighting and underwater photographs, I think you can look at some of Mikes photos and see that often lighting plays an important role in photography. Underwater, I am equipment compromised; older slave Strobe (keep it clean folks) but for me underwater photography falls into two basic sectors, the "collegiate" illustrated field guide photo, and the more artistic photo image, using light and shadows to amplify the subject in a more dramatic fashion. I hope that beyond setting up your equipment; the Monitor, LCD display, etc., that you will be creative with your underwater photographs, I'm sure we will all be rewarded with the efforts, Regards