Color intensity

Jean Kelly · 07-30-2003, 07:26 PM

Here's a question for any computer geek out there. When I photograph my paintings with my digital, import to them to my photo program (Macintosh IPhoto), the pictures are right on in color intensity, and hue, etc. After changing them to Jpeg, and posting them on the forum they are way to intense! Can anyone offer a suggestion? The last photos of Annie are still too intense, and I decreased both brightness and contrast before posting.

Jean

Cynthia Daniel · 08-02-2003, 10:45 PM

I don't know that I have a total answer for you, but it may be a Mac issue. When I had Photoshop 4, all images looked lighter than in a browser and in my Paint Shop Pro. When I visited a print shop where everything was Mac, my web site looked very washed out. (I now have Photoshop 7 and I'm not seeing that same issue.) I'm not sure why this happens this way, and since I'm not a Mac person, it's about the full extent of the help I can give.

Photoshop was orignally created for and only ran on a Mac. Only in later days was it available for the PC. It was also originally for the print world and not the web, though with later versions, they have come up to speed. Since IPhoto is a Mac product, there could be similar issues affecting what you see, especially if you have an earlier version of IPhoto.

Jeff Fuchs · 08-03-2003, 09:35 AM

How are you viewing your photos before posting? You might want to try viewing them in your browser as a test. It could just be that the photo editing software displays differently than your browser. If it's too intense in the browser, go back to the photo editing software and tone it down, then test in the browser again.

I have a similar problem. With my old monitor, everything looks too dark. After I lighten it enough so that it looks good on my computer, it looks too light to everyone else.

Steven Sweeney · 08-03-2003, 10:38 PM

Jean, it sounds like you may simply need to refresh your monitor with a new batch of pixels. Try this site for additional information and supplies.

Cheers

Michele Rushworth · 08-04-2003, 12:22 AM

Gotta find me one of those Pixels R Us stores!

Jean Kelly · 08-04-2003, 08:08 PM

Hi, I think I'll try that, maybe pixels are like rabbits. Baby pixels might be a lot of fun. I'll have to find some info on training them though.

We just came back from a busy weekend near Minneapolis for a Bob Dylan and Dead concert. My brain is totally fried but full of incredible music and the good will of deadheads. I'll be back to this when I can think straight.

P. S. Steven, I thought your site was serious until I saw the leaking screen! I need some sleep.

Jean

Jean Kelly · 08-05-2003, 09:04 PM

Peggy Baumgartner's "William" had the same problem on my monitor. Now it looks wonderful, Cynthia, after your tweaking.

Jeff, in every post I've decreased contrast and brightness before posting, but it's a shot in the dark. I'll try going even lighter next time I post.

Cynthia, I have the newest version of IPhoto and am using OSX. I have Photoshop Elements but am still learning how to use it. I'd rather be painting.

It's frustrating to work hard and create a soft, sensual, portrait and after posting see a garish "painted lady"!

I'll talk to my brother, the computer color expert (R&D at Quadgraphics). In the meantime I'll continue to wash them out before I post.

Jean

Steven Sweeney · 08-05-2003, 09:20 PM

Jean, assuming you're not going to go the route of pouring pixels into the slots on top of your monitor . . .

The fact is, I almost always have at least three versions of a tweaked digital file on my computer. The original, obviously, and then one to send via email -- small file but accurately viewable on monitor in that pixel size -- one to print on a glossy postcard, and another to print on a matte bi-fold card. There's a huge amount of work to be done to get all those to look the same "on the other end", even though I'm starting from the same digital image. Seems like computers should have taken care of all that variation, but I guess not. Thankfully. There's still some fun and frustration available.

Jean Kelly · 08-05-2003, 09:39 PM

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll do that. My husband won't let me breed pixels, says we already have too many critters junping around. Bah, humbug.

Jean

Cynthia Daniel · 08-05-2003, 10:14 PM

I'm not familiar IPhoto, but I assume you have a saturation adjustment. Mostly what I did with William was add some green and then some blue to cut the yellow part of the green. Green also tends to lighten an image.