Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
gamut error, but the contrast between the highlights of the black keys and
the deeper shadows of the black keys is definitely sharper (compare the
front highlight of the black keys in the middle, under the hands), while
the hands have become more washed out.
Now change the contrasty portion of the picture to the highlights
instead of the shadows.
Notice that one image emphasizes the keys and the other emphasizes
the hands. The name of the piano is also clearer because the contrast has
been increased between mid and high. Also, notice that the lower por-
tions of the waveform monitor are stretched out when the contrast is in
the shadows, as opposed to the stretched upper portion when the contrast
is in the highlights.
Understanding how to gain contrast in the correct portion of the pic-
ture is essential as you develop your skills as a colorist. It isn't enough
to simply increase the overall contrast. You need to be able to control
contrast within the image because that helps in creating distinct “looks”
in your images and also helps direct the viewer's eye where you want to
focus it. Practicing this particular contrast “focusing” trick will also help
you when a client asks you to “pop” something off of a background. To
do that, you will need to understand the tonal range of the background
and the tonal range of what is supposed to pop off of it and then figure
out how to stretch that range. This trick is further supported by eliminat-
ing contrast in other areas of the picture so that the viewer's eye is drawn
to the areas of the image that have more information. If you crush the
shadows, then there is nothing to look at in that area and the viewer
looks elsewhere.
I boosted the contrast even more in an attempt to get the piano name
to pop even more off the background. One thing to be very aware of
in doing these extreme contrast moves is that increasing contrast also
increases the chroma levels. The hands got very heavily colored and
unnatural as I pushed the contrast, so I had to also lower the satura-
tion levels across the board. You can control the saturation of shadows,
midtones, and highlights separately, so use this ability to create natural-
looking color levels and reduce noise in unwanted areas. Some of the
most objectionable noise is color noise, so reducing the saturation levels
where you see noise can really clean up an image.
This concept of playing gammas against the highlights and shadows
to increase contrast in specific regions of the picture is very important
to your ability to quickly and easily manipulate the “look” of an image.
It will help you execute a look that a client has in mind, and it will
help you match the look of two or more shots in a sequence. Because
of the importance of this concept, you should really practice this on
your own.
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