Investigation into colour: part 1

In my initial research in VIC710 I found that the cinematic images were atmospheric. This was due to the limited number of colours in the image. The argument that was made was that the scenes in the films were two toned replicating the contrast created in black and white images but using two colours. Colour also came out as a factor in my initial data collection so it now seemed prudent to investigate this further. 

At the time I had attempted to do some colour grading on images but I was unable to create the same effects of cinematic images. I then had came across a video that went into more depth of colour theory showing how the management of the colours in the image (in this case portraits) in order to create a more pleasing image to the eye (Kustra 2020).  This introduced me to a number of concepts of ways of colouring images using harmonies. For example monochromatic, analogous, complementary, split complementary. 

   

From Kustra (2020)

This has certainly inspired me to look at working on this, and the advice given was to start on some of the simpler colour harmonies, the example given was to work with natural (window) and a single strobe and you can easily create complementary harmony with teal and orange. 

  Presently however, I am working on images that I have already taken and to see if I can manipulate my existing image catalogue to see if I can replicate this effect. 

 Through additional research I found there are different ways in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom to manipulate the colour palette of a photograph to reduce the amount of colours is in an image therefore emulating the cinematic effect.  This came from a video by Jamie Windsor (2021) and the tool that he was demonstrating was colour calibration which I'd never really used before. I have only really use the HSL (hue, saturation, luminesce) panel that manipulates perceived colour (if the colour looks red to the eye you can change its HSL amounts).  The calibration tool however, directly affects the RGB values of the image and as every pixel is comprised of a combination of the three every colour is affected as shown below from Windsor (2021) video.

 

As can be seen from this example the colour wheel has been altered from the complete spectrum to orange and teal complementary harmony.  This technique can then be used in conjunction with other colour manipulation such as split toning to create the cinematic effect 

Armed with this knowledge I now intend to experiment with this to postprocess my images and create two toned images and then assessing it’s effect on atmosphere.  Iwanted to try a number of different processing techniques.  In the following example based on the existing colours in the image I altered the calibration to create a  green -red complementary harmony.  My thoughts were that the green coat and the red baby suit could be enhanced.  Below is the before and after where I have just manipulated the calibration.  It is interesting to see the after the effect the image does not look odd or the colours do not look wrong especially when it comes to the skin tones.  Only when having the images side by side does can you notice the change.  The sky looks a little unnatural being that it is only red and not a particularly natural red.   

My initial thoughts is that the colour tones do effect atmosphere but just one of the many tools that subtly alter our perceptions of the mood.  I think that it is certainly more difficult to create harmonious colour when it was not the original intent.  Hence the phrase get it right in camera and save yourself a lot of post processing grief.  I would certainly be much harder to achieve analogous or monochromic look without preconceiving it in the taking phase.  

The next attempt looking a  scene with the same lighting conditions but creating a different colour pallet, teal and orange. This time I would not limit myself to the calibration panel but instead look at creating atmosphere with other techniques primarily looking at colour 

  

Discussing the colour first: I processed the image shifting the colours to get the water and the coat to a teal colour which I was satisfied with.  Zooming in we can see a dramatic reduction to the number of colour in the image the biggest change being the jacket going from red to orange.  I have come back  to the image after a week not sure about it and at first glance the image appear to make the child appear to have jaundice. Only after taking the image in does my eye adjust to the colour in the image and appearing normal.  I am not sure whether this is correct or not.  For example in the film amalee there is a very strong green  tint, but because the whole film is graded in this way it does not look unnatural.  

After my second look I realised that I had not approached orange but rather the highlights are yellow.  This second look promoted me to manipulate the hue of the yellow to shift it towards orange. This additional processing has helped with the oddness of the image  

 

In addition I have added teal orange split toning toning to the shadows and highlights respectively.  

Non colour edits:  I added contrast to the image, darkening the outside of the image and increasing the exposure on the child to make the more of the focus of the image.  This was based on my initial data analysis that showed that high contrast images was a factor in atmosphere. 

I have often found when playing with a new tool I am not attuned to the subtleties of its effects and as such I will yank the sliders to the extremes in order to experience the effects.  It is only after leaving the image for a week or so I will come back and decide that is over processed.  I feel this is happening here, when I switch between the before and after the effects are so strong that the image for an instance appears monochrome.