Approve the Cookies
This website uses cookies to improve your user experience. By using this site, you agree to our use of cookies and our Privacy Policy.
OK
Forums  •   • New posts  •   • RTAT  •   • 'Best of'  •   • Gallery  •   • Gear
Guest
Forums  •   • New posts  •   • RTAT  •   • 'Best of'  •   • Gallery  •   • Gear
Register to forums    Log in

 
FORUMS Post Processing, Marketing & Presenting Photos RAW, Post Processing & Printing 
Thread started 20 Jun 2010 (Sunday) 22:43
Search threadPrev/next
sponsored links (only for non-logged)

tips on how to beat the blues?

 
pixelbasher
Goldmember
Avatar
1,827 posts
Likes: 10
Joined Feb 2009
Location: Lake Macquarie, AUS
     
Jun 20, 2010 22:43 |  #1

Hi all, I recently took some photos up in the blue mountains (west of Sydney Aust.) and the background landscape has a very strong blue in it. I guess they call it the blue mountains for a good reason ;)

I thought I'd post this photo as an example to show what I mean. It would be nice if I could at least minimize it if it can't be removed. This was just a quick snap with my nifty 50 as a parasailer flew past but shows the blue quite well.

My question is how is the best way to go about trying to remove it. I use CS4

oh, and technically, what is the blue? Is it moisture in the valley being lit/reflected? I was told by someone yesterday that it was from the eucalyptus trees.........I'd need some clarification on that theory before I go for that straight up though.


HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.


50D. 7D. 24-105L. 100-400L. 135L. 50 1.8 Sigma 8-16
flickr

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
Collin85
Cream of the Crop
Avatar
8,164 posts
Joined Jan 2007
Location: Sydney/Beijing
     
Jun 20, 2010 22:59 |  #2

Hey mate. If you shot in RAW, you could tinker with the WB. In an editor like Photoshop, you can also play with the hue and colour balance, or even apply a photo filter to try and even out the blue cast.

Anyway, I'll be heading up to the mountains in a few weeks! Haven't been there since I was little.. :D


Col | Flickr (external link)

Sony A7 + Leica 50 Lux ASPH, Oly E-M5 + 12/2
Canon 5D3, 16-35L, 50L, 85L, 135L

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
Damo77
Goldmember
Avatar
4,699 posts
Likes: 115
Joined Apr 2007
Location: Brisbane, Australia
     
Jun 20, 2010 23:27 |  #3

I'd give Mal Meninga a call. He doesn't seem to have any problems.


Damien
Website (external link) | Facebook (external link)

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
pixelbasher
THREAD ­ STARTER
Goldmember
Avatar
1,827 posts
Likes: 10
Joined Feb 2009
Location: Lake Macquarie, AUS
     
Jun 20, 2010 23:56 |  #4

Collin85 wrote in post #10397957 (external link)
Hey mate. If you shot in RAW, you could tinker with the WB. In an editor like Photoshop, you can also play with the hue and colour balance, or even apply a photo filter to try and even out the blue cast.

Anyway, I'll be heading up to the mountains in a few weeks! Haven't been there since I was little.. :D

yeah I do shoot raw. I didn't really play with the WB as I didn't want to mess with the whole image. Maybe I need to do some masking....
It was the first time I had been back there since I was a kid too. This was at Mt Blackheath which was the only place I stopped in at though.

Damo77 wrote in post #10398073 (external link)
I'd give Mal Meninga a call. He doesn't seem to have any problems.

ouch :lol:


50D. 7D. 24-105L. 100-400L. 135L. 50 1.8 Sigma 8-16
flickr

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
Mike ­ R
Goldmember
4,319 posts
Likes: 7
Joined May 2006
Location: 06478, CT
     
Jun 21, 2010 06:24 |  #5

In LR, and I'm sure most editing programs, you can desaturate the blue.


Mike R
www.mikerubinphoto.com (external link)

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
pixelbasher
THREAD ­ STARTER
Goldmember
Avatar
1,827 posts
Likes: 10
Joined Feb 2009
Location: Lake Macquarie, AUS
     
Jun 21, 2010 06:38 as a reply to  @ Mike R's post |  #6

yes but my Q was in regards to only effecting the background blue, so by de-saturating, I'd need to create a layer to avoid de-saturating the blue on say his suit for example? I guess the question has been answered, suck out the blue, but create a mask first.

Like I said, this is only a nothing example shot, but I do have other (mainly images from aircraft) where the image is awash with this kind of blue effect which is visible in not only the images, but in real life. The image above looked exactly the same when I was sitting there.


50D. 7D. 24-105L. 100-400L. 135L. 50 1.8 Sigma 8-16
flickr

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
René ­ Damkot
Cream of the Crop
Avatar
39,856 posts
Likes: 8
Joined Feb 2005
Location: enschede, netherlands
     
Jun 21, 2010 06:40 |  #7

WB is off: Whole image has a blue cast.


"I think the idea of art kills creativity" - Douglas Adams
Why Color Management.
Color Problems? Click here.
MySpace (external link)
Get Colormanaged (external link)
Twitter (external link)
PERSONAL MESSAGING REGARDING SELLING OR BUYING ITEMS WITH MEMBERS WHO HAVE NO POSTS IN FORUMS AND/OR WHO YOU DO NOT KNOW FROM FORUMS IS HEREBY DECLARED STRICTLY STUPID AND YOU WILL GET BURNED.

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
pixelbasher
THREAD ­ STARTER
Goldmember
Avatar
1,827 posts
Likes: 10
Joined Feb 2009
Location: Lake Macquarie, AUS
     
Jun 21, 2010 07:04 as a reply to  @ René Damkot's post |  #8

I am certainly not going to disagree with the guru of color!

but if I ramp up the WB, the blue is still there, admittedly much better though.

I slid the WB up a bit in this image below to what I feel is pretty close, but anyway, what about this image rene? I have done nothing else to it on purpose

This blue we can see is actually there when you are standing on the cliff looking out, it's not just in the image. Like I said, they call it the blue mountains for a reason!

I'm sure my WB isn't perfect however.

Sorry if I sound confusing, but I just figured it was more than WB


HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.


50D. 7D. 24-105L. 100-400L. 135L. 50 1.8 Sigma 8-16
flickr

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
René ­ Damkot
Cream of the Crop
Avatar
39,856 posts
Likes: 8
Joined Feb 2005
Location: enschede, netherlands
     
Jun 21, 2010 08:19 |  #9

Looks better :)

If you want to get rid of the blue haze in the background, you'd probably need to convert the image twice (once with good WB for the subject, once with warmer WB for the background), then layer them in PS, and apply a gradient.
Nice "challenge" ;)

I don't have the CR2, so I used a "photo filter: Warming (81)" and a curves adjustment in PS:
(screenshot has my monitor profile embedded, so I have no idea what it looks like in a non colormanaged browser)

IMAGE: http://img.skitch.com/20100621-cf3a8j4hqdqtcwupnu9jf3h46i.jpg

"I think the idea of art kills creativity" - Douglas Adams
Why Color Management.
Color Problems? Click here.
MySpace (external link)
Get Colormanaged (external link)
Twitter (external link)
PERSONAL MESSAGING REGARDING SELLING OR BUYING ITEMS WITH MEMBERS WHO HAVE NO POSTS IN FORUMS AND/OR WHO YOU DO NOT KNOW FROM FORUMS IS HEREBY DECLARED STRICTLY STUPID AND YOU WILL GET BURNED.

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
pixelbasher
THREAD ­ STARTER
Goldmember
Avatar
1,827 posts
Likes: 10
Joined Feb 2009
Location: Lake Macquarie, AUS
     
Jun 21, 2010 08:41 as a reply to  @ René Damkot's post |  #10

ah that's much nicer.

Thanks for the tips Rene. It's not so much these particular images I want to save, but I have come across this problem a few times, and have never really known what to do about it. I took some shots from a commercial airliner a few years back and they look very similar with the blue haze.

I'll try your explanation above with the second shot tomorrow (very late here now) and post it up if you don't mind?

Am I right to assume, that in an image like this with a very hazy background, I can only really achieve an improvement over a true color fix simply because the blue was there wiping out the natural color that would have been there if the blue wasn't? Did that question even make sense?


50D. 7D. 24-105L. 100-400L. 135L. 50 1.8 Sigma 8-16
flickr

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
René ­ Damkot
Cream of the Crop
Avatar
39,856 posts
Likes: 8
Joined Feb 2005
Location: enschede, netherlands
     
Jun 21, 2010 09:12 |  #11

Curious for your version :)

Question makes sense, and you're right I think.

Maybe a UV filter would have helped, but I'm not sure, since digital camera's already have a UV filter in front of the sensor. Don't know how effective that one is though.

You can also try to reduce haze in PS by adding local contrast:
http://www.cambridgein​colour.com …-contrast-enhancement.htm (external link)
http://www.luminous-landscape.com …ontrast-enhancement.shtml (external link)


"I think the idea of art kills creativity" - Douglas Adams
Why Color Management.
Color Problems? Click here.
MySpace (external link)
Get Colormanaged (external link)
Twitter (external link)
PERSONAL MESSAGING REGARDING SELLING OR BUYING ITEMS WITH MEMBERS WHO HAVE NO POSTS IN FORUMS AND/OR WHO YOU DO NOT KNOW FROM FORUMS IS HEREBY DECLARED STRICTLY STUPID AND YOU WILL GET BURNED.

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
pixelbasher
THREAD ­ STARTER
Goldmember
Avatar
1,827 posts
Likes: 10
Joined Feb 2009
Location: Lake Macquarie, AUS
     
Jun 21, 2010 09:29 |  #12

René Damkot wrote in post #10399830 (external link)
Curious for your version :)

pressure is on! I better get some sleep then :lol:


50D. 7D. 24-105L. 100-400L. 135L. 50 1.8 Sigma 8-16
flickr

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
Edsport
Senior Member
662 posts
Likes: 1
Joined Apr 2010
Location: Newfoundland Canada
     
Jun 21, 2010 10:40 as a reply to  @ pixelbasher's post |  #13

I used CS4 auto color to get rid of most of the blues. Selective color to get rid of a bit more and then history brush to bring back the blue to the sky. Before and after added so you can get a good idea of the changes...


HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.



HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.


Cameras - Canon 350D, 5D
Lenses - Canon 18-55mm, 75-300mm, 50mm f/1.8, 24-105L, 24-70L
Flashes - Yongnuo YN460 II, YN468
RF-602 transmitter and 2 receivers

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
kirkt
Cream of the Crop
6,602 posts
Gallery: 5 photos
Likes: 1556
Joined Feb 2008
Location: Philadelphia, PA USA
     
Jun 21, 2010 15:48 |  #14

The blue cast is likely eucalyptus oil creating a haze in the atmosphere and causing a bluish cast. One thing about atmospheric hazes is that they tend to increase in intensity as the depth of the image from the camera increases - that is, the intensity gets stronger for objects way in the distance compared to those in the foreground. You're looking through more haze, so this makes sense, right? Assuming this to be the case, you can isolate the "color" of the haze by sampling it from the distant objects that have the same color as foreground objects - the difference is the haze color. Then you can get rid of this color and reveal the unaffected color on those distance objects.

In your image, there are three kinds of basic blues: the cyan sky, the blue of the jumper's jumpsuit and the bluish haze. Lucky for you, they are all slightly different in blue. This means you can target just the haze blue and shift it away from blue toward yellow to cancel it out. Doing this in Lab takes a few seconds and you;re done. No masking, no gradients to fade the effect.

Here is a screenshot that shows the adjustment I made, converting the image to Lab and using the "b" channel of a curves adjustment layer - the "b" curve represents the blue-yellow content of the image. Use the whatever-the-hell it is called tool on the curves panel above the white-gray-dark droppers, the tool that permits you to click and drag on a pixel location in your image to shift that point on the curve - it looks like a hand with its pointer finger extended and a vertical double-ended arrow. Using this tool, hover over the sky and click on it to set a point on the "b" curve. Do the same for the jumper's suit (the blue part) and the distant hills with the strongest blue haze. The middle of the three points should represent the blue haze, with the more blue point representing the jumper's suit and the less blue point representing the sky.

In the attached screenshot below, I have noted the following points:

1) the jumper's suit
2) the haze
3) the sky

The asterisks represent "anchor" points I placed on the curve so that when I made the highly localized shift in point 2, the rest of the curve did not get out of whack and cause other shifts.

To move point 2, the haze, away from blue (make it less blue) you need to move the point upward so that the output becomes less blue (more toward yellow in Lab). So, shift point 2 upward until you have a nice, less blue color to your hills in the distance. Notice that the foreground hill does not change all that much - likely because it does not have as much of the atmospheric haze acting to discolor it. So, you get a targeted adjustment that negates the haze, without shifting all of the image blue and having to mask the adjustment. If you want, you can also apply a shifts to the L channel curve, to boost contrast that often gets killed by haze. Again, use the whatever-the-hell it's called tool to hover over flat areas (like the distant hills) and click to drop a point on the curve. Then make little "S" curves around that point to boost contrast. Be subtle. I did not do that here in this example, but you can experiment and give it a go.

Like most things in PS, this is not the only way, but one of may ways.

Have fun! Neat shot, BTW.

Kirk


HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.


Kirk
---
images: http://kirkt.smugmug.c​om (external link)

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
drdiesel1
Goldmember
Avatar
4,043 posts
Gallery: 86 photos
Likes: 1699
Joined Dec 2008
Location: NorCal
     
Jun 21, 2010 15:59 as a reply to  @ kirkt's post |  #15

Here's a quick edit using H/S adjustments


HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.


Nikon D810 Nikon 50F/1.4G - Nikon 70-200F/2.8II
Canon 5DMKIII - Canon 24-105F/4L

  
  LOG IN TO REPLY
sponsored links (only for non-logged)

3,562 views & 0 likes for this thread, 10 members have posted to it.
tips on how to beat the blues?
FORUMS Post Processing, Marketing & Presenting Photos RAW, Post Processing & Printing 
AAA
x 1600
y 1600

Jump to forum...   •  Rules   •  Forums   •  New posts   •  RTAT   •  'Best of'   •  Gallery   •  Gear   •  Reviews   •  Member list   •  Polls   •  Image rules   •  Search   •  Password reset   •  Home

Not a member yet?
Register to forums
Registered members may log in to forums and access all the features: full search, image upload, follow forums, own gear list and ratings, likes, more forums, private messaging, thread follow, notifications, own gallery, all settings, view hosted photos, own reviews, see more and do more... and all is free. Don't be a stranger - register now and start posting!


COOKIES DISCLAIMER: This website uses cookies to improve your user experience. By using this site, you agree to our use of cookies and to our privacy policy.
Privacy policy and cookie usage info.


POWERED BY AMASS forum software 2.58forum software
version 2.58 /
code and design
by Pekka Saarinen ©
for photography-on-the.net

Latest registered member is semonsters
1079 guests, 113 members online
Simultaneous users record so far is 15,144, that happened on Nov 22, 2018

Photography-on-the.net Digital Photography Forums is the website for photographers and all who love great photos, camera and post processing techniques, gear talk, discussion and sharing. Professionals, hobbyists, newbies and those who don't even own a camera -- all are welcome regardless of skill, favourite brand, gear, gender or age. Registering and usage is free.