How to improve colour

[winnyyap]

Hi,
My friends had commented that the colour of my pictures a bit dull. I hope someone can enlighten me, is it because of my camera setting or what (put aside photoshop)? Thanks.

Here a sample picture:


Camera: Canon 350D
Lense for this picture: EF75-300mm f/4-5.6 III

[longkangman]

there is no exif to read so unsure what setting you used to take this img.

add:
there are setting like, saturation, vivid, color space, ie adobe-rgb or s-rgb.

[sigg]

why not try taking something more colorful?

[winnyyap]

Originally Posted by sigg why not try taking something more colorful?

Haha, ok noted. Thanks!

[catchlights]

beside in-camera setting (eg saturation, vivid etc), quality of lens also play a important role.

you may also increase the saturation a little during the post production.

[lastboltnut]

Post processing.....satuaration and I think add some contrast and sharpening for this pic too...

[dRebelXT]

dun think any PS magic could improve this disgusting thing.

[catchlights]

a 5 mins job.

[sprintist]

Originally Posted by dRebelXT dun think any PS magic could improve this disgusting thing.

not being very helpful, if you can't help like what catchlight did then i would have hoped you kept quiet instead of pouring oil onto fire.

[megascriler]

There was no fire in the first place for him to pour the oil, he started the fire.

You can try to darken the shadows and apple Local Contrast Enhancement. At first when I saw the picture it did not come across to me as dull, but definitely doesn't 'pop'. Maybe it just has to do with the cooler light that the picture was taken in, which naturally makes the picture less vivid.

[esmondng]

think u can up ur camera's saturation & contrast a bit...not too much though.

then post production, use levels & curves.

for levels, make sure ur sliders cover ur histogram and raise the mid tones slightly.

for curves, generally the s-shaped curve should do the trick.

google levels & curves if u 're not too sure how to go about it.
hope it helps.

[lastboltnut]

1000post over more than 2 years, tot you use your words wisely....

Originally Posted by dRebelXT dun think any PS magic could improve this disgusting thing.

[winnyyap]

Hi thanks all for the assistance and guidelines, didn't know that this pic has created such a fuss here.
To dRabelxt, emn.... actually i posted this picture because i think the colour is the worse, very dull, so i can show the rest why I think something is wrong to my camera setting.
I'm just hoping to get an answer without doing any post processing, however, thanks all for the tips given in ps (thanks catchlights, initially i wanted to show a before and after ps alteration, but since you've done it for me, really appreciate it).

[longkangman]

Originally Posted by winnyyap Hi thanks all for the assistance and guidelines, didn't know that this pic has created such a fuss here. To dRabelxt, emn.... actually i posted this picture because i think the colour is the worse, very dull, so i can show the rest why I think something is wrong to my camera setting. I'm just hoping to get an answer without doing any post processing, however, thanks all for the tips given in ps (thanks catchlights, initially i wanted to show a before and after ps alteration, but since you've done it for me, really appreciate it).

You still can go further with CS3 shadow/hightlight.

[dRebelXT]

Originally Posted by winnyyap To dRabelxt, emn.... actually i posted this picture because i think the colour is the worse, very dull, so i can show the rest why I think something is wrong to my camera setting.

there is saturation and lens which affect the color as in my knowledge.
still, it gave me a fright when i first looked at the pic.
sorry for the flame.

[Autumnite]

hmm... from a newbie point of view, dun flame me if i get it wrong.

i think u are using average weighted metering for this shot... and u never compensate...

For this shot. The scene is made up of mainly dark. the camera set for middle gray will thus make the tones in the scene middle gray too and so making the colours washed out. this might explain y the.... thing is washed out

[catchlights]

Originally Posted by winnyyap Hi thanks all for the assistance and guidelines, didn't know that this pic has created such a fuss here. To dRabelxt, emn.... actually i posted this picture because i think the colour is the worse, very dull, so i can show the rest why I think something is wrong to my camera setting. I'm just hoping to get an answer without doing any post processing, however, thanks all for the tips given in ps (thanks catchlights, initially i wanted to show a before and after ps alteration, but since you've done it for me, really appreciate it).

you are welcome, IIRC, you can't use custom curve on 350D, so you may try of the saturation setting, beside, the quality of the lens also play a part.

and also, lighting it is very important, the light here is very flat, very dull, there is nothing much you can do about this, as you can't move around, wait for better lighting, or set up a off camera flash.

btw, your lizard is a little over exposed.

[winnyyap]

Originally Posted by catchlights you are welcome, IIRC, you can't use custom curve on 350D, so you may try of the saturation setting, beside, the quality of the lens also play a part. and also, lighting it is very important, the light here is very flat, very dull, there is nothing much you can do about this, as you can't move around, wait for better lighting, or set up a off camera flash. btw, your lizard is a little over exposed.

Thanks. Actually this lizard is taken on a rainy day (pls don't scold me.... just testing my camera function mah.. ) And I agreed with you that it is exposed. Well, hopefully I can improve on my next photoshoot (but i got to wait till next week to post on this critique liao).

[night86mare]

my take; first opinion is that the lighting present in that situation is horrible
not really your fault if it is rainy, but nothing that ps can't rescue, at least to a certain extent



warming filter does wonders in my honest opinion

and if all else fails, why not consider monochrome image?

[catchlights]

Originally Posted by winnyyap Thanks. Actually this lizard is taken on a rainy day (pls don't scold me.... just testing my camera function mah.. ) And I agreed with you that it is exposed. Well, hopefully I can improve on my next photoshoot (but i got to wait till next week to post on this critique liao).

scold you for what? playing in the rain izit?? lol