Bad color on night shots

tim2002 · 02-11-2010, 01:18 AM

Hey guys,

I've recently taken some night shots of some of CN's brand new SD70M-2s, but when I upload them on here they get rejected for bad color. Can anybody provide some insight for me please? I've tried a few different things, but they end with the same result.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=255831401
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=206877239
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=996705790
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=450703696

Thanks!

TDS

Railfan Ohio · 02-11-2010, 01:37 AM

They appear to have a red-cast to them. Look at the snow it should be white, instead it is reddish. Try to adjust the white balance and that should fix it.

cblaz · 02-11-2010, 02:08 AM

Agree with Andy. Get the snow (and the CN lettering) white and you should be good to go.

- Chris

troy12n · 02-11-2010, 02:11 AM

What kind of filter are you using?

cblaz · 02-11-2010, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troy12n

What kind of filter are you using?

The mercury vapor light filter, that gives any night shot the appearance that it was taken under streetlights.

- Chris

troy12n · 02-11-2010, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cblaz

The mercury vapor light filter, that gives any night shot the appearance that it was taken under streetlights.

What I noticed was that all points of light had interesting "star" like look, really noticed it off the headlight of the locomotive.

milwman · 02-11-2010, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cblaz

The mercury vapor light filter, that gives any night shot the appearance that it was taken under streetlights.

- Chris

Yep and that a pain to get the reds the right color, CN's red washes out as you get the light fixed. One way to do it is add a flash's blue light but that adds its own problems to with a mix of colors and brininess. Your last 2 look good or better.

pderekh · 02-11-2010, 04:06 PM

I'm having a lot of trouble with these rejects for bad color at night, too

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...d=780375&key=0
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...d=780505&key=0

I think this is better, but is it right for RP?

troy12n · 02-11-2010, 04:55 PM

I have had some of my (day) snow shots rejected for grain, but its actually blowing snow shot at lower shutter speeds that makes it look kind of grainy, I think you have some of that going on in your shot as well, also like a lot of times is the case, you have the yellow/orange tint of those sodium lights messing with the color, you can try playing with the color levels or white balance to adjust that, but i'm not sure how effective it will be. I am at work and dont have access to those tools right now.

cblaz · 02-11-2010, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pderekh

I'm having a lot of trouble with these rejects for bad color at night, too

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...d=780375&key=0
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...d=780505&key=0

Same problem Tim has. Shooting under mercury vapor lights gives the shot a yellowish-reddish tint.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pderekh

I think this is better, but is it right for RP?

Nope. Once you get the white stripes white, then try resubmitting.

- Chris

pderekh · 02-11-2010, 08:04 PM

isn't the "red" too pink?

Chase55671 · 02-11-2010, 08:22 PM

If you shoot RAW, simply decrease the temperature.

Chase

pderekh · 02-11-2010, 08:43 PM

Wow! that is an awesome tool. Is it possible to decrease too far, or just decrease enough to make the white right and then adjust the red saturation?

cblaz · 02-12-2010, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim2002

Hey guys,

I've recently taken some night shots of some of CN's brand new SD70M-2s, but when I upload them on here they get rejected for bad color. Can anybody provide some insight for me please? I've tried a few different things, but they end with the same result.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=255831401
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=206877239
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=996705790
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=450703696

Nice job, Tim. Much better color.

- Chris

tim2002 · 02-12-2010, 12:37 AM

Thanks to all who provided input. Chase's idea was spot on. Decreasing the temperature has seemed to have solved the problem.

However, I tried the same thing with the other two shots, but they were rejected for bad color as well!

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...key=1034306183
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...d=780732&key=0

The snow and white on the engine appears to be white to me...

TDS

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chase55671

If you shoot RAW, simply decrease the temperature.

Chase

Gear · 02-13-2010, 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cblaz

Nope. Once you get the white stripes white, then try resubmitting.

Aren't they good enough?..

Dennis A. Livesey · 02-13-2010, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tim2002

Thanks to all who provided input. Chase's idea was spot on. Decreasing the temperature has seemed to have solved the problem.

However, I tried the same thing with the other two shots, but they were rejected for bad color as well!

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...key=1034306183
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...d=780732&key=0

The snow and white on the engine appears to be white to me...

TDS

Color cast is very hard to see because it is so subtle. But work at it and eventually it becomes very obvious. So I see that the whites are definitely orange. However, the biggest off-color is the cab. It's orange, not CN red. If I were a screener, I would use that alone to reject this common angle of common power. Kudos for night work though.