how to fix blown out red channel in LR5?

First off shoot Raw! If you don't shoot with an accurate White Balance Raw is your "bestest friend"!

The definition of blown out means the information is lost. You can't fix it.

I get the feeling that your problem is not so much that the red channel is blown, but that you are effectively dealing with monochromatic red light. If you ONLY have red light then there will be no data in the green or blue channels. WB deals with the situation where there is a preponderance of one colour in a broad spectrum of light, as there is still data available in the other channels to balance out the colour cast. With only having light in the red channel you have no other data to extrapolate the "correct" colour from. If you light a blue or green object using just red light then both objects will appear black, or a shade of red depending on the exact colour.

Sorry but I don't think there will be much you can do if you are dealing with what is pretty much monochromatic light. The only possible answer would be to find a way of adding some blue/green light to the subject.

Alan

I don't have LR, but there is a method using Apply Image in Photoshop that might help. I'm guessing your example is heavily cropped and/or underexposed a bit. Anyway, here is my guess on the image. Still needs work, but you get the ideal.

Is it possible to upload an example image (to a file sharing site like Dropbox) for further analysis?

Raw is preferable.

Kirk

There's not any metadata in the OP image either. If you used LR or ACR on a Raw file an xmp detailing your editing should have been embedded in the jpg. DPP would have embedded a vrd.

D Thompson wrote in post #16258489
I don't have LR, but there is a method using Apply Image in Photoshop that might help. I'm guessing your example is heavily cropped and/or underexposed a bit. Anyway, here is my guess on the image. Still needs work, but you get the ideal.

mind sharing more details or a link where i can read up on the method? seems that i need to do some guesswork to get the right colors using this method.

not convenient to share the raw file this time round as there are identifiable figures inside. will re-post if i encounter the same situation again.

thanks.

"Restoring" a clipped channel in PS: http://luminous-landscape.com …als/restore-clipped.shtml

In LR, chosing a different DNG profile can help, as well as altering dome other settings. Some idea's:
http://www.getcolorman​aged.com/lightroom/lig​htroom-blues/ (scroll down)

the.forumer wrote in post #16263643
mind sharing more details or a link where i can read up on the method?

There are different ways to accomplish replacing the info in a channel and this sounds more difficult than it actually is.

In this case activate the Blue channel (the channel that needs fixing) and then Image/Apply Image. Choose the Red channel as source, blend mode Normal at 100%. Now activate the Red channel and Image/Apply Image. Choose the Red channel as source, blend mode Multiply at 80%. Now activate the Blue channel and Image/Apply Image. Use the Green channel as source and blend mode to Multiply at 100%. Activate the Red channel and Image/Apply Image. Use the Green channel as source and blend mode to Multiply at 85% (in the book she used 30%, but I found 85-90% worked better here). Now use a Curve or Level adjustment to set your white and black points.

You can change the channels around if you need to rebuild another channel. Again, it’s not as difficult as it appears to use this method.

** Credit for this goes to Katrin Eismann from “Photoshop Restoration & Retouching” second edition. Check her book out, I’ve found it invaluable over the years.

D Thompson wrote in post #16264310
There are different ways to accomplish replacing the info in a channel and this sounds more difficult than it actually is.

In this case activate the Blue channel (the channel that needs fixing) and then Image/Apply Image. Choose the Red channel as source, blend mode Normal at 100%. Now activate the Red channel and Image/Apply Image. Choose the Red channel as source, blend mode Multiply at 80%. Now activate the Blue channel and Image/Apply Image. Use the Green channel as source and blend mode to Multiply at 100%. Activate the Red channel and Image/Apply Image. Use the Green channel as source and blend mode to Multiply at 85% (in the book she used 30%, but I found 85-90% worked better here). Now use a Curve or Level adjustment to set your white and black points.

You can change the channels around if you need to rebuild another channel. Again, it’s not as difficult as it appears to use this method.

** Credit for this goes to Katrin Eismann from “Photoshop Restoration & Retouching” second edition. Check her book out, I’ve found it invaluable over the years.

Good info, except the OP is asking about using LR (presumably Photoshop is not an option).

tonylong wrote in post #16264906
Good info, except the OP is asking about using LR (presumably Photoshop is not an option).

He asked.

the.forumer wrote in post #16263643

D Thompson wrote in post #16258489
I don't have LR, but there is a method using Apply Image in Photoshop that might help. I'm guessing your example is heavily cropped and/or underexposed a bit. Anyway, here is my guess on the image. Still needs work, but you get the ideal.

mind sharing more details or a link where i can read up on the method?

René Damkot wrote in post #16263801
"Restoring" a clipped channel in PS: http://luminous-landscape.com …als/restore-clipped.shtml

In LR, chosing a different DNG profile can help, as well as altering dome other settings. Some idea's:
http://www.getcolorman​aged.com/lightroom/lig​htroom-blues/ (scroll down)

Hi, thanks for your link!

This is exactly the problem i'm facing. looking at your red clipped image (hope you don't mind me linking it here), is it as close as you can get in LR? how can we further restore the 'humane colours' on the guitarist's skin/clothes?

p.s. : under stage lighting, it'd probably look weird for the human to be represented in accurate colors, with the stage flooded in red. i'm asking for the technique when the scenario calls for it.

http://www.getcolorman​aged.com …d_20110526_Arte​z_0058.jpg

tonylong wrote in post #16264906
Good info, except the OP is asking about using LR (presumably Photoshop is not an option).

yup - LR is most preferred.. failing which I'd have to fall back on PS (if that's the only way to restore the colors)..

the.forumer wrote in post #16266791
is it as close as you can get in LR?

Didn't try to go further, since IMO it should be red

Don't think you'll get it (even close to) neutral though, since the lighting is about monochromatic.