prodigybxr Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Hi there, I have recently purchased a new camera(Nikon- am hoping I made the right choice ), and thus far have only shot in auto- I am finding my Pug is showing up in the shots as very 'White'. The attached pic I think explains what I am meaning. I realise that it's maybe due to the sun? And perhaps this is something I should expect with a light coloured dog? Or is there something I should/shouldn't be doing in Auto to compensate?? Many thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke W Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 (edited) While I don't know what color the pug is in real life, it doesn't look too white to me. How does the boxer look? Edited August 29, 2008 by Luke W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodigybxr Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 Thanks- Boxer looks normal colouring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 The camera is exposing so it is correct for the darker dog. As a result the lighter dog looks lighter than it should be. To fix it you would need to know how to use the camera in manual and compensate. Or use photoshop and 'burn' the lighter dog a bit darker (burn was a darkroom tool used in film photography when you wanted to make a portion of the image darker than the rest) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodigybxr Posted August 29, 2008 Author Share Posted August 29, 2008 Thanks heaps. So it's nothing I am doing wrong, per say..I just need to learn how to use it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 No its just the difference between light and dark. In horse races if a white grey horse flies past all the brown ones and wins they end up over exposed (whiter) as you set for the darker horses. You just need to do a little touch up in photoshop (or similar). Now as for photoshop skills someone else would have to do the step by step (got a book with a couple of photos of mine in it the other day and wow the picture editor by simply lightening the shadows only a little has lifted the entire photo to have so much more detail than the web version). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezzyr Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 The image to ME looks pretty good. The other thing to consider is that the picture might vary across different computer monitors too but that's a whole other issue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 I think its the pug is the same colour as some buckskins - unless you get the exposure right it looks lighter or a touch more washed out than it should. However if you dont know the original colour then the lighter image looks fine. Agree might be the monitor too - have the pics actually been printed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodigybxr Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 Thanks for replying. No- the pic hasn't been printed. This was taken today under total cloud(on auto)- I don't know...she just seems to photgraph very 'blinding' Then again-pehaps I am expecting too much from the camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayle. Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 The pug looks "pug-coloured" to me. My monitor is callibrated to display colours correctly, so I suggest you check yours. Digital SLR cameras, no matter what brand, are VERY capable cameras. You need to remove yourself from auto and start exploring the other options (not portrait, landscape, sports etc. but Av, Tv, Program, Manual) and start learning some basic technical stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke W Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Ditto to Gayle. That's not 'blinding'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Hoefully the image works - if so is this how the dog should look? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodigybxr Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 (edited) Yep- this is more realistic of her colouring. Can I ask what you did? ETA: Thankyou Edited August 30, 2008 by prodigybxr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 In photoshop I copied the layer then change the setting in the layers pallete from normal to multiply and put it to about 25 or so. Then went to the shadow/highlights menu selection and pushed the highlights bar to 'darken' the image. There may be an easier way to do it but basically it is fixing a slightly over exposed image. Its only a suttle change but adds a tiny bit more colour to the white areas and slightly darkens the black areas of her face. Youd have to experiment with the camera but note the settings the camera has taken the photos on and just change the aperture up one so the image is slightly underexposed (according to what the camera is saying) and see if that makes a difference in the colour at all. Its quite tricky to get the photo right in the camera as most things are dark (like the leaves etc) but her coat is very light. But you dont want to go too far and darken her face too much. I have a black dog and even after all these years it can be tricky to get the light just right for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prodigybxr Posted August 31, 2008 Author Share Posted August 31, 2008 Many thanks for the explanation In photoshop I copied the layer then change the setting in the layers pallete from normal to multiply and put it to about 25 or so. Then went to the shadow/highlights menu selection and pushed the highlights bar to 'darken' the image.There may be an easier way to do it but basically it is fixing a slightly over exposed image. Its only a suttle change but adds a tiny bit more colour to the white areas and slightly darkens the black areas of her face. Youd have to experiment with the camera but note the settings the camera has taken the photos on and just change the aperture up one so the image is slightly underexposed (according to what the camera is saying) and see if that makes a difference in the colour at all. Its quite tricky to get the photo right in the camera as most things are dark (like the leaves etc) but her coat is very light. But you dont want to go too far and darken her face too much. I have a black dog and even after all these years it can be tricky to get the light just right for her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rugerfly Posted September 2, 2008 Share Posted September 2, 2008 What light metering is the camera on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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