Tips for Vibrant Colors?

I was just wondering if there were any techniques I could use to get some really vibrant colors? Filters?

Or is this really just a PP job, boosting saturation?

Thanks for any tips

Ainoko wrote in post #4002277
I was just wondering if there were any techniques I could use to get some really vibrant colors? Filters?

Or is this really just a PP job, boosting saturation?

Thanks for any tips

If you want to do it in camera, then you'll need to underexpose the shot by a fraction of a stop or two. Overexposing washes out the colors. Underexposing increases the saturation of the colors and this is the technique old slide shooters used to increase the color saturation of their slides. Of course, you'll need good lighting, too, to make it happen. If the lighting is crappy, the color just won't be there to begin with.

Lenshood.

warming filters are really nice for reds and golds in Fall.

CPL's too for making the sky really pop.

If you're shooting Raw, color rendition is entirely done by the Raw converter program that you're using.

If you're shooting JPEG, increase your saturation setting. Also, try both colorspaces—with the XT/350D the Adobe RGB colorspace gives a more accurate rendition of colors, which often means darker and deeper colors, while the sRGB colorspace gives "punchier" photos with much brighter (and less deep) blues and somewhat brighter (and less deep) greens.

Whether Raw or JPEG, as PacAce said, be careful not to overexpose. Slight overexposure tends to show up as a loss of saturation and/or color shifts.

The XT/350D tends to run a bit "bright" on the JPEG conversion, giving the same effect as overexposure if you're shooting JPEG. I routinely use -1/3Ev of exposure compensation on mine. If you have the contrast setting at 0, you will need to be even more aggressive: perhaps -2/3Ev of EC (contrast=0 runs even brighter than the other contrast settings).

Few more questions Haha...

JimT wrote in post #4003779
CPL's too for making the sky really pop.

What are CPL's, and would they help with sunsets?

snokid wrote in post #4003539
Lenshood.

How does a lenshood help?

Thanks for all the help!

CLP - circular polarizing filter

A lens hood will reduce flare (bright spots from stray light) in your photos.

Ainoko wrote in post #4002277
I was just wondering if there were any techniques I could use to get some really vibrant colors?

In Lightroom, I normally go to the "Vibrance" slider and move it to the right. But seriously, it works pretty well. I believe it selectively increases the saturation of colors while leaving skin tones alone.

Thanks guys!

I'm thinking of picking up some new filters for my camera. Right now all I have is a sky-light filter.

But what's the difference between a polarizing filter and a circular polarizing filter?

Riff Raff wrote in post #4008931
In Lightroom, I normally go to the "Vibrance" slider and move it to the right. But seriously, it works pretty well. I believe it selectively increases the saturation of colors while leaving skin tones alone.

No, it doesn't leave skin tones alone. There's nothing selective about the Vibrance slider.

Ainoko wrote in post #4009871
But what's the difference between a polarizing filter and a circular polarizing filter?

As far as the picture is concerned, they both yield the same effect. The main difference is that a linear (not circular that is) polarizer filter screws up your autofocus. So if you have an AF camera, you need to get a (more expensive) circular polarizer.

Get a Lightroom or ACR preset that is a profilf for your camera. Load the shots with the profile, nail the white balance then +10 on vibrance and +10 on saturation gives images a good punch.

The above is the colour work flow for Vincent LaForet. Very simple

http://www.laforetvisu​als.com/

Ainoko wrote in post #4008145
What are CPL's, and would they help with sunsets?

No. If you want nice colorful sunsets, you need to make sure you don't overexpose the sky. If you have a foreground subject (e.g. your partner), he/she/it is in the shade, i.e. dark. If your camera meters for this, it will pick long exposures and large apertures, and your nice, colorful sunset will turn pale.

One option is to not have a dark foreground. If you really want a subject in the foreground, you can either underexpose such that it turns into a silhuette, or use flash to brighten it.

cosworth wrote in post #4010786
Get a Lightroom or ACR preset that is a profilf for your camera. Load the shots with the profile, nail the white balance then +10 on vibrance and +10 on saturation gives images a good punch.

The above is the colour work flow for Vincent LaForet. Very simple

http://www.laforetvisu​als.com/

On a totally different topic - WOW those editorials are amazing. I especially like the Katrina images. Really tells the story. Incredible.