Curvemeister Forum

Hi everyone :)

I need a little help with an image that one of my students' took. The image was shot on Kodak Portra 160NC film, and scanned. The scanner isn't calibrated, so there is some color correction to be done to this image (I white balanced it in ACR, but everything else was zeroed out so nothing else has been done to the image).

My problem is that I don't have any film knowledge (I'm all digital ;)), so I don't really know what to do with the color. I'm assuming that the photographer chose to shoot with Kodak Portra because they like the look of that film stock, so I'm thinking that the color balance of the corrected image should reflect the characteristics of that film. There is a Kodak Portra Flickr group that I am finding quite helpful (http://www.flickr.com/groups/1253206@N20/) - but I'm still a bit stuck...

If anyone could give me a hand with this one I'd really appreciate it.

Lee,
This is one messed up image...
Aside from the noise...

Send the student back to the scanner and tell him to get it right next time...

Here is my post...I'll tell more later...not to give too much away too soon...

Greg

Send the student back to the scanner and tell him to get it right next time...

If only I could ::)

That's a really great correction Greg - thanks so much :D I would love to hear your approach...

I will post my version - but I'd like to wait a little longer to see whether anyone else takes a shot at this.

Cheers,
Lee.

we'll talk...
Let's see if the other "sharks" are still working...

Greg

Hi! Here is my version. Some chanel-blending inspired by Dan Margulis.
Thanks for all interesting inputs.

Regards Ulf

First correction in RGB,removed some noise from sky,slight sharpen.Abit more saturation could be added to taste.GregM

Greg,
Do the blue shadows bother you in this version??

Greg G

Aw shucks,  here is my attempt..  Color correction in RGB, some luminostiy help, and lab color boost.

not to be a stick in the mud....

Lee pointed out that the scan was from Portra film and he went on to give us all a big clue...the website gives us a look to shoot for.  Portra is a Kodak film that renders skin very accurately...other colors...not so much....

I suggest watching the saturation and color...this one calls for a more mutes response....

Greg

Thanks so much to all of you who have made a correction of this image so far. It has been really helpful to me to see everyone's interpretations of the file. As Greg pointed out, it was shot on Portra - so (not being keen on film ;)) I wasn't sure how to handle the colors. Looking at the Portra Flickr group and talking with Greg, I don't think that the goal with this image is to make every color look natural - the question is how far to take things...

I have been merging everyone's versions together to create a 'par' correction (as suggested last week on the Advanced Color Theory Yahoo! Group), which has been an interesting exercise. I will continue to do this if anyone else adds a correction, and will post some blended corrections and my own; unfortunately I am going to be without Internet access until next Saturday :'( so it will be a while before I can do so.

--

For those of you who are curious, the scan was in slightly worse shape initially. I set a basic white balance for the version you have been correcting. I am attaching the original scan to this post (so that you can share my horror ;)).

Cheers,
Lee.