Secrets of color-grading in photography

Introduction

Joanna Kustra introduces herself and the topic of the webinar. She thanks BenQ for organizing it and mentions that she won a competition organized by them.

• Joanna Kustra is hosting a webinar about using color harmonies in photography.

• She won a competition organized by BenQ called "true colors right before you".

• The webinar was originally done in Polish, but due to great feedback, it's being presented to a larger audience.

• Park Cameras, the UK's largest independent photographic retailer, will offer discounts to attendees who stay until the end of the seminar.

Background

Joanna Kustra talks about her background and how she developed her passion for photography.

• Joanna Kustra is both a photographer and retoucher specializing in fashion, beauty, and commercial photography.

• She developed her passion for photography while studying German philology in Krakow 15 years ago.

• After working as a photographer and retoucher in Krakow for several years, she moved to London where she built her portfolio while working as an assistant on big photo productions.

• Inspired by paintings from the 17th and 18th century at the National Portrait Gallery in London, she decided to copy their painterly style project which turned out well-received globally.

Importance of Color

Joanna Kustra discusses why color is important in photography.

• Color has always been important to Joanna Kustra since it adds immense meaning to photographs.

• For many years, she chose colors intuitively without understanding why some combinations worked better than others.

• She experimented with colors during post-production by adding them to shadows or lights and playing with color-grading.

• Her interest in arts led her to explore paintings from the 17th and 18th century, which inspired her to copy their painterly style project.

Color Harmonies

Joanna Kustra talks about color harmonies and psychology behind it.

• Joanna Kustra will discuss color harmonies and psychology behind them.

• She will show some of her works before adding color-grading and explain why preparation before the photo shoot is vital.

• She will also explain what to look for when choosing clothes, location, background, and how to use color theories.

• At the end of the seminar, she will show her step-by-step color workflow in Photoshop.

Equipment

Joanna Kustra talks about her equipment.

• For retouching, Joanna Kustra uses Wacom Intuos instead of a computer mouse.

• She recommends using a tablet for retouching since it's more efficient than using a computer mouse.

• Joanna Kustra uses BenQ SW270C monitor dedicated to photographers that she won in a photographic competition organized by BenQ.

• She mentions that winning the competition drew her attention to their latest monitor SW 321C which she has been testing recently.

The Importance of a Reliable Monitor

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of having a reliable monitor for post-processing images.

Key Points:

• A high-quality and high-performing monitor is necessary to accurately see colors in post-processing.

• Calibration is important regardless of the type of monitor used.

• The i1 Display Pro from X-rite is a recommended calibration tool.

Color Psychology

In this section, the speaker discusses how colors affect people and their emotions.

Key Points:

• Colors can evoke emotions and are rooted in cultural and personal experiences.

• Color psychology is an indispensable tool in neuromarketing.

• Red is associated with love, passion, danger, blood, and aggression.

• Blue suggests confidence, trust, harmony, loyalty, and compassion. It's also the most popular color according to studies.

• Yellow represents good and evil, optimism and jealousy, understanding and betrayal.

• Green is associated with health, nature freshness peace but also conveys feelings of jealousy and envy.

• Orange reflects emotions and warmth while being connotated with fun and youthfulness.

Purple has a calming effect but it also means fantasy science fiction mystery things unattainable.

Black is durable elegant but can be overwhelming or represent regret or despair depending on culture.

White represents innocence delicacy purity virginity elegance but can have negative connotations in some cultures.

Color Harmonies

In this section, the speaker discusses different color harmonies and how they can be used to create pleasing visuals.

Key Points:

• Monochromatic harmony contains different tones, shades, and tints of the same hue. It's very pleasing to the eye because of its cohesive look.

• Analogous harmony is a family of colors that sit next to each other on the color wheel and creates pleasing and relaxed visuals.

• Complementary harmony uses colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. This creates a high contrast effect but can also be jarring or overwhelming if not used carefully.

• Triadic harmony uses three colors that are evenly spaced on the color wheel. This creates a balanced yet dynamic effect.

Color Harmonies

In this section, the speaker discusses different color harmonies and their applications in photography.

Analogous Complementary Scheme

• This scheme involves adding a hue directly opposite to related hues lying adjacent to the color wheel.

• It is frequently used to put a warm accent color with a cool color palette or vice versa.

• The speaker provides examples of this scheme, including a picture with purples, reds, and oranges complemented by green and another picture with warm colors accented by blue.

Complementary Scheme

• This scheme involves using two colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel.

• The high contrast of the pair creates a vibrant look when used at full saturation.

• The speaker provides an example of this scheme using teal and orange in cinematography.

Split Complementary Scheme

• This variation of the complementary scheme uses the two colors adjacent to its complement in addition to the base color.

• It has less tension than the complementary scheme but still has strong visual contrast.

• The speaker provides examples of this scheme, including a picture with red hair complemented by yellow and blue.

Triadic Scheme

• This harmony uses three colors evenly spaced around the color wheel.

• It tends to be quite vibrant even if pale or unsaturated versions of hues are used.

• The speaker provides examples of this scheme, including pictures with blue accented by yellow and pink lips.

Double Split Complementary Scheme

• This complex color scheme consists of two pairs of complementary colors forming an X on the color wheel.

• It provides lots of contrast while still blending harmoniously.

• The speaker provides examples of this scheme, including pictures with orange and blue or purple and green.

Color Harmonies

In this section, the speaker discusses color harmonies and how to use them effectively in photography.

Basic Color Harmonies

• Yellow hue paired with an accent of very warm green.

• Pink and blue hues are basic color harmonies.

• There are no good or bad color harmonies, but it's best to start with fewer sets of color combinations if you're new to color theory.

Organizing Color Relationships

• Our eyes can recognize relationships between colors, so organizing these relationships creates a consistent scheme.

• Color is more than just hue; saturation and brightness also play a role in how we perceive colors.

• A small tint of a certain hue can create harmony, not just highly saturated and bright colors.

Optical Weight of Colors

• The size of the area of the color, its saturation, and brightness determine the weight of each color in a photograph.

• Every harmony should have a dominant color. Beginners often make the mistake of saturating everything in a photograph.

• The weight of each color can be determined based on two colors.

Recipe for Perfect Color

• Dyad and complementary will have 70% of the main color and 25% of the other one - complementing one. Analogous, split complementary and triadic will split into 50% 25% 25%. And analogous complementary and double complementary will have 40% of the main color and 20% of the rest of the hues.

Breaking Rules for Art

• Rules are made to help, not restrict us. Famous works follow all the harmony and proportion rules, but sometimes breaking them can create a unique effect.

Understanding Color Models and Color Management

In this section, the speaker discusses color models and color management in photography. They explain different color models such as HSL, RGB, CMYK, and LAB. The speaker also talks about the importance of understanding color management to ensure consistent colors across various devices.

Color Models

• Adobe Color is a great tool for analyzing color schemes and palettes.

• All color systems are based on three parameters: hue, saturation, and luminosity.

• Different color models include HSL (intuitive for artists), RGB (used in display technologies), CMYK (used for printing), and LAB (has a larger gamut than RGB or CMYK).

• Each color model has its own gamut and limitations.

Color Management

• Color management is the process of controlling how colors are represented across various devices such as cameras, monitors, and printers.

• Understanding color management is important to ensure consistent colors across different devices.

• Choosing the right color space at different stages of photography is crucial. For example, sRGB is good for web browsers while Adobe RGB allows for stronger saturation in green and red.

• Calibrating your monitor is important to ensure accurate representation of colors on screen. X-Rite Color Checker helps bring colors from each camera to the same basic output starting point.

This section provides an overview of key points discussed by the speaker regarding understanding color models and managing colors in photography.

Color Spaces and Color Management

In this section, the speaker talks about color spaces and color management in photo editing.

Choosing a Color Space

• The speaker recommends using Adobe RGB as it has more colors to work with.

• Adobe RGB is better for printing photos in magazines.

• For web use, sRGB is recommended as most browsers do not support Adobe RGB or Profoto RGB spaces.

Converting to sRGB

• To ensure that colors display well across all devices, it's important to convert the image to sRGB before saving for the web.

• There are three options for converting to sRGB: "export as", "convert to profile", and "save for web".

• It's important to embed the color profile when saving the file.

Color Relativity

• Our perception of color is relative without a reference. Colors can appear different depending on what they are next to.

• There is no right hue of skin. It depends on surrounding neighboring colors and chosen harmony.

• A good method for depicting reality is comparing tones on your screen with your own hand.

Understanding Color in Photography

In this section, the speaker discusses how color can be tricky and how a color picked directly from the color wheel may seem to change when placed in a scene. The speaker also talks about dominant and receding colors and how they affect the perception of depth.

Color Perception

• When photographing product campaigns on locations with different lighting scenarios, it's important to use your eyes to get the right colors instead of simply using a color picker.

• Dominant colors demand more visual attention than others, while warm colors advance and cool colors recede affecting the perception of depth.

Using Warm Colors to Your Advantage

• Positioning a warm colored subject at the foreground against a cool color background can emphasize shallow depth of field or make it pop out more.

• Adding a cold hue behind a person or at least a colder than her skin can enhance warm skin colors.

Equiluminant Colors

In this section, the speaker talks about equiluminant colors and their effect on viewers. The speaker also explains that our brain processes luminosity first before processing color.

Equiluminant Colors

• Equiluminant colors differ in hue but not in brightness.

• Using equiluminant colors gets people to exert more effort interacting with an image, which may help get extra attention from reluctant viewers.

Luminosity Variation

• When luminosity varies on your picture, it's much easier to process the whole image quickly. Your eyes don't wander around it.

Shooting in Black and White

In this section, the speaker explains how viewing the scene in color only distracts your eye when shooting in black and white.

Shooting in Black and White

• Viewing the world in black and white is necessary when shooting in black and white.

Finding Color Inspiration

In this section, the speaker discusses various sources of inspiration for color in photography.

Sources of Inspiration

• Artists and painters can inspire photographers to use color effectively.

• Cinematography is a great source of inspiration for color harmonies. The website "cinema palettes" contains screenshots from movies with a color palette of specific scenes.

• Art galleries and museums are great places to appreciate remarkable use of color by old masters.

• Advertising often uses colors that have a tremendous psychological impact on people. Companies like Pantone, Behr, Sherwin Williams, and Benjamin Moore release "colors of the year" that influence product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries.

• Surrounding oneself with valuable art and photography will help improve one's own skills.

Tips for Achieving Harmony

• Make a plan before the photo shoot to ensure that the model is placed in an environment where colors work well together.

• Spend as little time as possible in post-production by ensuring that the photo straight from the camera is good enough.

• Use complementary colors or analogous colors to create harmony in photos.

• Consider using monochromatic or achromatic colors for a minimalist look.

Tips for Color Harmony in Photography

In this section, the speaker provides tips on how to achieve color harmony in photography.

Using a Color Wheel

• The speaker encourages photographers to always have a color wheel with them and keep an eye on possible harmonies around them.

• Analyzing the colors of clothes before a photo shoot starts can help find the best possible locations in terms of color.

• Knowing the rules of color harmony can help photographers choose better color combinations.

Mixing Light Temperatures and Using Color Gels

• Experimenting with mixing different light temperatures can create interesting effects without additional color filters.

• Mixing orange light with blue light creates a perfect combination known as teal and orange.

• Adding color gels is another great opportunity to add some drama to photographs, but it's important to be careful not to mix hues that are not harmonized.

Enhancing Eye Color and Choosing the Right Time of Day

• Choosing the right background color can enhance a model's eye color, especially when doing close-ups.

• When shooting outdoors, choosing the right time of day is crucial depending on what you want to achieve. Direct sunlight produces strong and saturated colors while sunrise and sunset produce softer pastel colors.

• If shooting indoors with neutral backdrops, changing their hue during post-production is easy.

Adding Textures and Working with Makeup Artists

• Adding textures like bokeh or lights/glares can make plain photos more interesting.

• Working with makeup artists can help photographers create bold and unusual makeups that pair well with the colors in the photograph.

Keep it Simple

• In most cases, simpler is better.

Tips for Managing Colors During a Photoshoot

In this section, the speaker provides tips on how to manage colors during a photoshoot.

Background Color and Complementary Colors

• Look for a background color that appears in the model's outfit or as a complementary color.

• When shooting with shallow depth of field, keep an eye on any distracting colors in the back.

Avoid Distracting Colors

• Distracting colors can take away the viewer's eye from what is important.

Practice Makes Perfect

• Practicing with a color wheel and planning small photoshoots based on each harmony will help everything fall into place.

Color Correction and Grading in Post-production

In this section, the speaker discusses color correction and grading in post-production.

Color Correction

• Adjust white and black levels, exposure, contrast, and white balance to create visual consistency for a series of photographs.

• The goal is to give an image with accurate unprocessed seeming colors.

Color Grading

• A creative process that allows you to add mood, atmosphere, and emotions to your photos.

• Can be super extreme or very subtle.

Before-and-after Examples of Color Grading

Example 1: Warmth

• The original photo had mainly cold greens in the dress and background.

• The skin tone was too cold for the speaker's liking.

• Added warmer red hue on the skin complementing all greens in the dress.

• Enhanced golden leaves 'akka' oatmeal by adding purple shade only to blacks.

Example 2: Red-orange Hue

• Existing colors include red-orange hue, very dark blue-green behind windows, and yellow in model's top.

Color Theory in Photography

In this section, the speaker discusses how to use color theory in photography and shares examples of how she has applied it to her own work.

Using Color Theory in Photography

• The speaker breaks down the colors in a photograph and explains how they can be adjusted to create different color schemes.

• Adjusting colors can create an illusion of sharpness and contrast in a photograph.

• The speaker explains how she created a double split complementary scheme for one of her photographs by adjusting the colors.

• To develop your own style, you need to determine what color schemes and colors you prefer. Study other photographers' work to find inspiration.

Examples of Photographers' Styles

• Annie Leibovitz mainly uses green, gold, oranges, and a green tint in her photos. Her skin tones are often greenish.

• Steven Klein uses very saturated and bold colors that strongly contrast with each other. He also uses tinges of color in his shadows, blacks, and whites.

• Yingna Zhang is not afraid to use a very saturated palette but combines it with softer light.

Tips for Developing Your Own Style

• Emulate other photographers' styles by studying their use of color palettes, saturation, harmonies, and lighting. However, don't forget about the quality of light when emulating someone else's style.

Introduction to Color Theory

In this section, the speaker introduces color theory and its importance in visual art. She shows examples of iconic portraits and explains how colors were used to create harmony.

Examples of Iconic Portraits

• The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci is an example of a painting that has faded over time, but digital restoration has allowed for the closest approximation of the original colors. The painting uses a classical complementary scheme.

• A photograph by Steve McCurry is another example of an iconic portrait that uses a complementary harmony.

• A cover of Vogue photographed by Erwin Blumenfeld is an example from the fashion genre that uses a double complementary harmony.

Importance of Color in Visual Art

• Colors have immense meaning in visual art and can be used to create harmonies. By following ready-made recipes and training our eyes to see these harmonies, we can succeed in creating beautiful works of art.

Extracting Colors for Color Grading

In this section, the speaker demonstrates how to extract colors from a photograph using Photoshop for color grading purposes.

Extracting Colors

• Create a 50% gray layer and change the mode to luminosity.

• Sample the colors from the picture and copy them into a color wheel.

• Use the color wheel to determine what kind of harmony can be made out of the hues present in the picture.

Color Grading in Camera Raw

In this section, the speaker discusses how to color grade a photo in Adobe Camera Raw. They explain how to create a complementary color scheme and use selective color and curves adjustments to tweak colors.

Creating a Complementary Color Scheme

• The speaker explains that they want to create an analogous complementary scheme with warm tones close together and a cyan background on the opposite side.

• They show how they will tweak all visible colors into this scheme, using split toning if necessary.

• The speaker goes through all existing colors, visually pushing them towards their chosen harmony.

Using Selective Color Adjustments

• The speaker uses selective color adjustments to tweak colors individually.

• They explain that the most powerful adjustments are done with black and white tones because they add character to the photo.

Using Curves Adjustments

• The speaker uses curves adjustments separately for highlights and shadows to add contrast.

• They caution against being too heavy-handed with applying curves.

Tweaking and Adjusting Colors

In this section, the speaker discusses how to adjust colors in an image using curves and a soft brush. They also mention the importance of working with multiple adjustment layers to achieve the desired effect.

Adjusting Colors with Curves

• The speaker tweaks and adjusts colors using curves.

• They use a soft brush to paint on their mask.

• The speaker reveals the effects of their adjustments.

Working with Multiple Adjustment Layers

• The speaker explains that working with multiple adjustment layers is important because it allows for more precise color adjustments.

• When tweaking colors on one layer, there is a limit to what can be done because it affects everything below it.

• The speaker creates a group for their adjustment layers to keep things tidy.

Taking Breaks and Comparing Before/After

• The speaker takes breaks from the screen during retouching.

• They recommend comparing before and after images from time to time.

Removing Contrast from Edges

In this section, the speaker demonstrates how to remove contrast from edges in an image using brightness/contrast adjustment layers and gradients.

Removing Contrast with Gradients

• The speaker wants to remove contrast from the edges of the picture so that the main focus is on the model.

• They create a brightness/contrast adjustment layer and use a gradient to reveal the original photo.

Using Selective Color Adjustment Layer

In this section, the speaker discusses how to use a selective color adjustment layer to adjust specific colors in an image.

Adjusting Blacks in Hairline

• The speaker uses a selective color adjustment layer to remove some blacks from the hairline.

• They push it towards the left with a soft brush and low opacity.

Desaturating Hairpiece and Clothes

In this section, the speaker demonstrates how to desaturate specific parts of an image using hue/saturation adjustment layers.

Desaturating Hairpiece

• The speaker wants to darken and adjust the color of the yellowish hairpiece.

• They create a hue/saturation adjustment layer and clip it to the layer below by holding an alt key.

• With a soft brush, they paint on areas where they want changes applied.

Desaturating Clothes

• The speaker applies changes to clothes using hue/saturation adjustment layers.

Final Touches and Conclusion

In this section, the speaker adds final touches to their image and concludes their seminar.

Adding Final Touches

• The speaker mentions that they may have over-retouched their picture.

• They compare their final picture with one straight from the camera.

• To have a fresh look at your photo, you can flip your picture horizontally.

Conclusion

• The speaker thanks viewers for staying until the end of their seminar.

• They mention that there are other ways to work with color that they did not cover in this seminar.