colours

[Dirt_Bike_Ryda]

Hey all, i went to a local car show today ( a whole heap of cars in a big shed) and as i was walking around a guy came up to me and ask me if i took photos as a professional, i told him that no i didn't really class myself as a pro, but yes i do sometimes earn money from my photos. He then asked me to take some photos of his car, and his mates ute which was pretty much identical and was parked next to it, and he would buy the images off me etc etc.

anyways, after he wiped the dust off i took a few photos they look at least ok on the LCD screen, and he was happy with the composition and all. How-ever, when i put them on the computer i was left with this... (see images). The colours are varstly different and i don't think i would want photos of my $60,000 car and the colours aren't even right. ( i haven't sent him a email yet with the photos i don't know if he will care or not). But i would like to know what i can do to get the colour consistant (and true). The photos were taken using pretty much the same settings, from the same position using the same lens, except one is at F/2.8 no Fflash, the other is at F/8 with Flash. i know different lights have different colour temps etc, but isn't that controlled with white balance, which doesn't seem to help here (both images are as the camera took them)

The first f/2.8, no flash, ISO 4000, 1/400s
The second f/8, flash ISO 4000, 1/200s

The second image looks about right in terms of the actual paint colour.

[nickbedford]

The first thing you probably need to do is decrease the shutter speed to let more of that ambient light in for the flash shot.

Also, these static shots really don't need to be at hundredths of a second, which would allow you to decrease your ISO and hence achieve less noisy images.

For example, if you used 1/50th on the F2.8 shot, you could decrease your ISO to around 500, or keep it at something like 1000 to let more of the background light in (well, ISO technically isn't letting more "light" in).

[RLucas]

I would also like to add that automotive finishes like that do funny things with color. Colors that have heavy metallics or pearls in them will will reflect light differently depending on what angle the light is striking it.

[RichardTaylor]

Some thoughts.
In PPing
(1) Try correcting the white balance. (The number plate, white part, can be a good reference if it is not blown out)

(2) Adjust the exposure - not by eye but by using the histogram

(3) Make a print & see how that looks (It may look different to your PC screen)

(4) If it doesn't look right the adjust the colour (you may need to just do it for the vehicle)

[gturner]

The trick is the ambient light. Your flash settings with such a high SS and f# are the issue.
NickBedford has it correct (plus the metallics, but that is less of an issue)


This explains a lot Canon EX Flash TTL, E-TTL, and E-TTL II
(can't remember who posted this a few weeks back, but it has helped my understanding of ambient light in on camera flash)

[ravncat]

In addition to the above, Is your monitor calibrated? The kind of display can have an effect, as can exposure.

[Dirt_Bike_Ryda]

i'm going back out there today to try using ISO 100 and a tripod, hopefully this will do the trick.

but yea, fair point about the paint work, although this ute didn't have too much of a fancy paint work (i didn't think)

as with my moniter, pffft i doubt it. i don't print from this computer (literally i don't even have a printer connected to it, never have) but even so the colour is just too wrong.

[Dirt_Bike_Ryda]

Found something out today.. with the 5DmkII, when you shoot in LiveView mode it goes into Auto ISO... F&%K !! thought i was shooting at ISO 100... turns out the camera figured ISO 6400 would be better... great. now i have noisy images that i shouldn't have had. thank good i only used LiveView for the images where looking through the viewfinder wasn't going to happen, although, next time i need LiveView i will only use it for compostion, then TURN IT OFF !

[edbayani]

rlucas is right, automotive metallic finishes somewhat change in color when viewed in a different angle and lighted differently. also too many reflections on the car body.
if you can shoot it without too much reflections, the colors can be corrected with hue and saturation.
i did a little pp on your photo, removed the reflections and adjusted the color.

[OsmosisStudios]

Originally Posted by Dirt_Bike_Ryda

i know different lights have different colour temps etc, but isn't that controlled with white balance, which doesn't seem to help here (both images are as the camera took them)

It's a white balance issue. Your flash has a different WB than the lights you were dealing with.