How to properly shoot color...

Dave_D · Dec 28, 2005

Kodak Max films don't seem to have any punch to them as far as I'm concerned. Kodak has recently released a UC color print film that comes in 100 and 400 that seems ok. Other than that, Is the lens clean? Your pictures will only be as good as the glass on the camera.

Unimaxium · Dec 28, 2005

I've used Kodak's Ultra Color 400 before and haven't been too crazy about it. It's part of Kodak's Portra line of films, which means it's specially designed for portrait photography. As a result, it does well with skin tones but not much else. If you want a great film go with Fuji Superia Reala (ISO 100).

fightheheathens · Dec 28, 2005

solution:
Fugi reala 100, Fugi velvia, or kodachrome 64.

i find you generally get better more saturated pictures if you dont use the film that you can buy at any old walmarts or wal greens.

Dave_D · Dec 28, 2005

Michael,
Let's take this back to your original concern before all of this metering and film discussion. When you say your color pictures come out "poorly", what exactly do you mean? Flat color? incorrect exposure? It seems we are making very loose suggestions albeit good ones for general problems with color prints. It is based on a very loose description you gave for the problem you are having. Can you be more specific so we are not kinda just throwing general things at you? Maybe post an example of what you are talking about might help.

MichaelMigz · Dec 29, 2005

Okay. I think it would be best for me to give you an example. This is not a great shot, just a simple one for my towns newspaper; however, i feel that it best displays the problems im having. thanks again

MichaelMigz · Dec 29, 2005

DISREGARD THE DUST. Its just a print scan not a negative scan. Also, in regards to the picture; the circle on the podium was silver and had lots of detail(why is that lost), when i took the shot, it was perfectly focused, and the colors arent nearly as vivid as i would like them to be.

photogoddess · Dec 29, 2005

Looks like your shutter speed was too slow to capture your subjects sharply. The yellow cast appears to be from the color of the lighting (tungsten). This is something that can be corrected by the lab although some don't correct for this.

MichaelMigz · Dec 29, 2005

Well, i had to drop the shutter speed so i could properly expose. so it was under exposed. you know? is there any other way of not under exposing?

photogoddess · Dec 29, 2005

The exposure looks pretty good but the shutter speed was just too low to freeze your subject. Open up your aperature so you can up your shutter speed or use faster film next time. If you had been closer and been able to use a flash, that would have worked as well.

Don Simon · Dec 29, 2005

And/or a tripod. Also, this is more a personal thing but since first trying Fuji Superia, nothing will persuade me to go back to using the standard Kodak stuff.

photogoddess · Dec 29, 2005

Even a tripod will not keep the blur from occuring. Your camera may be stationary but your subject isn't. Print film generally has a 2 stop latitude so you can get away with underexposing a bit if your lens isn't fast enough. If your camera allows you to manually set the ISO, I would have set it to 800 and had it push processed. You can also alert the lab staff that you shot with available (tungsten) light and request that they pay special attention to color correcting out the yellow/red cast.

Kodak and Fuji both make good film. Play with both and use what you like.

Unimaxium · Dec 29, 2005

OHHHHH this example explains a lot!

First of all, this photo is not underexposed. It is actually overexposed, which is why you lost detail in that circle on the podium.

The yellow cast you are experiencing is caused by the lighting. The film you were using is color-balanced for daylight. If you are going to be shooting under tungsten light like this, then you should either use a tungsten-balanced film or get an 80A filter for your lens. The former of the two options is preferable because the filter will force you to use a longer exposure, and it seems you're already having problems with that. But both of those options will give you more accurate color reproduction under lighting like this.