Wednesday

Selective Color Desaturation

Contrast and color are important aspects of any photograph and I always struggle to find the right mix that produces depth and helps create an interesting image.  One method which mixes both color and contrast manipulation is selective desaturation.  This method relies on the removal of specific colors during the post production process either by painting out color in certain areas or the wholesale removal of certain colors from the photograph.  By selectively removing individual colors from the image a composite of Black & White and color is created.   Below are 3 images, the first is what came out of the camera.  The second is with the mountains, clouds, and sky desaturated.  While the third is one in which the foreground appears desaturated while the mountains, sky, and clouds retain their color.  This simple technique can add a great deal to an image and help enhance specific aspects of an image.

Full color image

Sky and mountains desaturated

Foreground desaturated

6 comments:

  1. question here from an really photographically ignorant person: are you using digital images or silver halide film ?

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  2. Pat, I use a little inexpensive canon digital camera. I consider taking a picture data collection and it is in the post production process with software where I put the data (discrete pictures) together and create the image.

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  3. Thanks, B Alvarius! My inexpensive Kodak digital camera quit ~ one year ago...........I'm in the market for something..................

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  4. I have had good experiences with Cannons Powershot SX110 and 150.

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  5. Took some similar photos yesterday.

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  6. Cool, you going to try the selective desaturation technique? Post them if you get something interesting.

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