|
|
|
|
|
inCamera profiles are designed to produce colorimetrically accurate results. That is, all of the color patches on the profile chart are matched to the reference file values with extreme accuracy. However, we fully recognize the fact that many images are intended to produce a certain "feel" or evoke some sort of emotional response in the observer. For example, the appearance of a colorimetrically accurate digital camera image may look a little "flat" when the profile is perfectly matching the colors in the original scene. Therefore, an artistic interpretation of the color is often needed — a color correction which may differ on an image-by-image basis.
Which leads to the question: If each image must be further color corrected by hand, what is the point of profiling?
For many situations, the profiled image will be perfectly fine as is. For scanners, this is usually the case. Those images requiring adjustment will still benefit from profiling because the profile will always bring the color into a standard color reference, that is, a known starting place. Therefore, a color edit that you might perform on an image from one camera under one lighting setup will do the same thing to an image from a different camera under a different lighting setup.
You can build these adjustments into your inCamera profile using an ICC profile editor, such as PictoColor's iCorrect EditLab Pro.
If you don't have a profile editor, you can also create reusable standard "recipes" using Photoshop's Actions and hot keys to quickly and efficiently perform the adjustments you like.
We have found that a slight "S" shaped curve improves the appearance of many digital camera pictures (use Photoshop's Image / Adjustments / Curves… to apply the curve).
Important: It is critical that your image be in the RGB working space before applying a curve, and many other color adjustments, which is one reason we recommend that you always convert your image into an RGB working space. Many color correction tools will not work if you use an assigned input profile without converting into your working space.
The above curve will take care of the "flatness" seen in many profiled digital camera images. You may adjust the curve shape to suit your preferences, or use other Photoshop tools or third party plug-ins to further express the intent of the image.
Noise is another concern with digital photography. You can use inCamera's Check Capture feature to help determine how much noise is in your images. There will likely be more noise in images taken with insufficient illumination, and within an image there will probably be more noise in the shadows than in the highlights. After applying a profile to such an image, this noise may become exaggerated as colors are "pulled" by the profile into their proper positions. To reduce visual defects caused by noise, try to shoot under more intense (or a different type of) lighting. Increase the exposure time if possible to provide more light to the sensor. Noise is often worse in the blue channel, and shooting with tungsten lighting (which has deficient blue light) can exacerbate this particular type of noise. Within Photoshop you can try using a noise removal filter. Even a curve (like the one shown above) can compress shadow detail, thereby suppressing the visual effect of the noise that is found there.
|
|
|
|
|