Photography and colour blindness

[bigsmall2000]

I recently went for a medical check up and I found out that I might have red-green colour deficiency from the colour test, meaning I can't distinguish certain hues of red and green when they're close to each other. It's quite a blow to me especially since I'm into photography, the news is even more difficult to absorb.

I'm wondering if this is a common deficiency because supposedly 8% of males have it. I started to think of the possibility that what I see in my photos aren't exactly the same as what other people sees and it feels a little discomforting. Anyone out there with similar deficiency and how has it affected your photography?

 

[Marmbo]

I recently went for a medical check up and I found out that I might have red-green colour deficiency from the colour test, meaning I can't distinguish certain hues of red and green when they're close to each other. It's quite a blow to me especially since I'm into photography, the news is even more difficult to absorb.

I'm wondering if this is a common deficiency because supposedly 8% of males have it. I started to think of the possibility that what I see in my photos aren't exactly the same as what other people sees and it feels a little discomforting. Anyone out there with similar deficiency and how has it affected your photography?

I'm not sure how it would affect your photography, if your using color calibration hardware then the colors at the end will still be correct even if your missing seeing some of the shades. My guess is it won't really affect your results at all.

So do you see just dots on some of the eye check tests like http://www.toledo-bend.com/colorblind/Ishihara.asp and not all the numbers?

 

[allenleonhart]

I recently went for a medical check up and I found out that I might have red-green colour deficiency from the colour test, meaning I can't distinguish certain hues of red and green when they're close to each other. It's quite a blow to me especially since I'm into photography, the news is even more difficult to absorb.

I'm wondering if this is a common deficiency because supposedly 8% of males have it. I started to think of the possibility that what I see in my photos aren't exactly the same as what other people sees and it feels a little discomforting. Anyone out there with similar deficiency and how has it affected your photography?

so far i dunno leh. i no probs. just shoot in black and white if worried:thumbsup:

 

[ManWearPants]

Seriously I have very bad eye sight as well. My eyes is sensitive to bright lights so sometimes just have to rely on intuition. You will overcome your deficiency once you get used to it.

 

[tecnica]

No worries TS, I am too within the 8%.

 

[zac08]

I recently went for a medical check up and I found out that I might have red-green colour deficiency from the colour test, meaning I can't distinguish certain hues of red and green when they're close to each other. It's quite a blow to me especially since I'm into photography, the news is even more difficult to absorb.

I'm wondering if this is a common deficiency because supposedly 8% of males have it. I started to think of the possibility that what I see in my photos aren't exactly the same as what other people sees and it feels a little discomforting. Anyone out there with similar deficiency and how has it affected your photography?

This won't be too much of an issue. Unless you're gonna tweak the colours a bit during post processing. The camera amd computer is able to help you with most of the colour reproduction steps.

IR or some other forms of photography where you may need to tone certain tones, etc may be an issue.

 

[night86mare]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cfriel/

he's color blind.

he shoots better than many people who are not.

any limitations are in your mind.

you can choose to say "yes, this is not a deficiency, and i can live with it and do as well as anyone else.", or "no, i can't do it, it cripples me. everything that i can't do or have shortcomings in is attributed to this." life is about choices, after all.

 

[Dream Merchant]

I recently went for a medical check up and I found out that I might have red-green colour deficiency from the colour test, meaning I can't distinguish certain hues of red and green when they're close to each other. It's quite a blow to me especially since I'm into photography, the news is even more difficult to absorb.

I'm wondering if this is a common deficiency because supposedly 8% of males have it. I started to think of the possibility that what I see in my photos aren't exactly the same as what other people sees and it feels a little discomforting. Anyone out there with similar deficiency and how has it affected your photography?

TS, I'm sorry to hear of your bad news.

The positive side is, there are probably technical ways to help you ensure hues and tones are what you would like others to see (how is one supposed to know that others can actually see colors knowledgeably and accurately in the first place? Most people's color perception, even with perfect sight, is limited by knowledge, experience and perception, besides various environmental and medical factors), and such a deficiency is usually something one would not even notice, unless informed about.

I know it doesn't help to have examples of others who are in far more disadvantaged positions offered when you're probably feeling quite low right now, but other peoples' truths can often help put a perspective on things.

Thus, if you want to know a bit more about a friend who's legally blind, and still does photography as a living, or other partially or totally blind photographers, please have a look here:

http://blog.blindphotographers.org/

http://www.sccoeyecare.com/news.html (including other blind visual arts practitioners)

http://www.flickr.com/groups/blind_photographers/

 

[eesiang]

I am color blind too. Didn't feel anything that i'll be inferior in photography. But its true when doing post processing it may be a bit of a problem as I can clearly differentiate the various shades. But its still okay. At the end of the day still enjoying photography. Just put it aside and enjoy. If you really need to reassure urself. Look for a fashion sg pg base in newyork. He is color blind too, and got featured in these report.

 

[arctos]

Erm... pardon this ignorant commoner here, but how do the blind photographers featured in those links given take their photos? Not to mention post-processing it as they are supposedly blind right? :embrass:

 

[yqt]

Just to encourage you, John Clang and one of our "retired" Mod are colour blind but it did not affect their photography, in fact John Clang is amount the top photographers in NY.

 

[night86mare]

Erm... pardon this ignorant commoner here, but how do the blind photographers featured in those links given take their photos? Not to mention post-processing it as they are supposedly blind right? :embrass:

color blindness is not blindness.

 

[arctos]

color blindness is not blindness.

Yes, but the links given by Dream Merchant is photography by a) legally blind person (although you can say that's still not blindness, I think it's severe enough to impair ability to see the scene isn't it?) b) a group of "blind and otherwise visually-impaired photographers".

 

[ahming111]

i'm color blind too but it doesn't matter to me and photos i've took.

 

[Soundaholic]

Since your case is not severe colour blindness, I think you can still determine the colour correctly on your computer by reading the RGB colour value of that spot/

 

[night86mare]

Yes, but the links given by Dream Merchant is photography by a) legally blind person (although you can say that's still not blindness, I think it's severe enough to impair ability to see the scene isn't it?) b) a group of "blind and otherwise visually-impaired photographers".

oh, those links. i didn't click on them.

well, you can always email them to find out.

 

[ed9119]

Stay encouraged guys !!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[allenleonhart]

Stay encouraged guys !!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

yep. worse coem to worse, BLACK AND WHITE FTW:thumbsup:

 

[zelot]

To TS, i am diagnosed with red-green color defiency too. However, the colors i seem to have probs differentiating are dark red/brown and very light yellow/green. These 2 are self realisation after some events

red/brown detected when i (using red) took away my friend's army (brown) away when i lost in the game Risk

yellow/green detected when i was playing puzzle fighter and cant seem to tell the 2 apart


So far, it aint tat serious i would say as its pretty mild and i am able to pass the color blind test when applying for a PDL to get my license.

But to top it up, i have astig, which isn't favourable when judging if the photos i adjusted will be too bright for others (as e contrast and brightness level of my monitor are usually very low as if it's at its normal average settings, it hurts my eyes)

 

[Yutaka Go]

I recently went for a medical check up and I found out that I might have red-green colour deficiency from the colour test, meaning I can't distinguish certain hues of red and green when they're close to each other. It's quite a blow to me especially since I'm into photography, the news is even more difficult to absorb.

I'm wondering if this is a common deficiency because supposedly 8% of males have it. I started to think of the possibility that what I see in my photos aren't exactly the same as what other people sees and it feels a little discomforting. Anyone out there with similar deficiency and how has it affected your photography?

There is a photographer at FujiFilm F.U.N. Club, who is colour blind.http://fujifilmfun.com/


It doesn't stop him from taking good photos.
I suggest you go to the web site and read about him -> Excelglsi.

Effective June, F.U.N. officially has a National Geographic photographer among its members. A picture of Excelglsi showing a black ant being attacked and “pulled apart” by a group of red ants is published in the June 2010 edition of National Geographic, which is arguably the world’s most prestigious and best-loved “photography magazine”.

National Geographic (June 2010 edition)

Excelglsi has long resisted post-processing, and we only recently discovered why. He is colour blind! This makes it difficult to distinguish certain colours and to make good judgement during post-processing.