Greetings all:
I just published a piece on the Scubaboard article site entitled Overall Color Correction for Underwater Photographs Using Photoshop. It is the first installment in what I hope is a two part series. My goal is to respond to the occasional post looking for articles or other information on enhancing UW photos. There is a lack of materials on this subject other than that generously contributed by board members. I write from my readings on techniques used in landlubber photos, my own experimentation, and a lot of ideas I learned from you guys and gals.
My theory is that certain UW photos need overall color correction before the finishing touch adjustments. The article does not apply to well exposed macro or properly exposed subjects where the negative space works. The article has ideas on automated adjustments, manual adjustments, workflow methods, and theory. The article is about 14 printed pages so I suggest you use the print button to produce a printer friendly version. The pdf version is harder to read.
I tried to provide info for beginner and advanced Photoshoppers alike. However the article covers a lot of ground without the benefit of pictures coupled with step by step instructions. I have been told (thanks Mike) that it may be a little steep for beginners and take some time for more advanced users to work through some of my examples. I would be happy if any of my readers learned one or two techniques that they would find useful in working their own pictures in Photoshop. If there is a topic of interest to you then let me know and I may be able to devote another article to the topic and provide more visual instruction. If you think I missed something or can provide a better explanation then give me your thoughts. Scubaboard gave me the ability to edit the article.
I hope to expand the article to provide more useful information. I would appreciate your ideas. Feel free to send them along in this thread or by private message. I am also looking for topic suggestions for part II which will cover the tweaks and enhancements following the overall color correction. Some ideas I have are:
How to make that background water blue.
Removing noise from the background.
Hue/Saturation fine surgery.
Combining the best of multiple versions of the image.
Creating a strobe effect.
Contrast tweaks.
Finishing touches with the Color Balance tool.
Perhaps you can think of some more. Your suggestions, images, and questions are solicited.
Bob
Go To Article
I just published a piece on the Scubaboard article site entitled Overall Color Correction for Underwater Photographs Using Photoshop. It is the first installment in what I hope is a two part series. My goal is to respond to the occasional post looking for articles or other information on enhancing UW photos. There is a lack of materials on this subject other than that generously contributed by board members. I write from my readings on techniques used in landlubber photos, my own experimentation, and a lot of ideas I learned from you guys and gals.
My theory is that certain UW photos need overall color correction before the finishing touch adjustments. The article does not apply to well exposed macro or properly exposed subjects where the negative space works. The article has ideas on automated adjustments, manual adjustments, workflow methods, and theory. The article is about 14 printed pages so I suggest you use the print button to produce a printer friendly version. The pdf version is harder to read.
I tried to provide info for beginner and advanced Photoshoppers alike. However the article covers a lot of ground without the benefit of pictures coupled with step by step instructions. I have been told (thanks Mike) that it may be a little steep for beginners and take some time for more advanced users to work through some of my examples. I would be happy if any of my readers learned one or two techniques that they would find useful in working their own pictures in Photoshop. If there is a topic of interest to you then let me know and I may be able to devote another article to the topic and provide more visual instruction. If you think I missed something or can provide a better explanation then give me your thoughts. Scubaboard gave me the ability to edit the article.
I hope to expand the article to provide more useful information. I would appreciate your ideas. Feel free to send them along in this thread or by private message. I am also looking for topic suggestions for part II which will cover the tweaks and enhancements following the overall color correction. Some ideas I have are:
How to make that background water blue.
Removing noise from the background.
Hue/Saturation fine surgery.
Combining the best of multiple versions of the image.
Creating a strobe effect.
Contrast tweaks.
Finishing touches with the Color Balance tool.
Perhaps you can think of some more. Your suggestions, images, and questions are solicited.
Bob
Go To Article