Skin Tone question...before I process a whole load of 'em!

[Bend The Light]

Just taken this in a studio session. My monitor is calibrated, but I am having a hard time deciding on the skin tone of this little lad.
His dad is Zimbabwean, and his mum white british.

Do you think this skin looks too red? Or something else? I have 100+ shots of this little fella to process so I want to know now before I do it.


15-7-2012 Kobe by http://bendthelight.me.uk, on Flickr

 

[cgipson1]

Without seeing him in person.. it actually looks pretty good to me, BTL! Whites look pretty true, without tinging.. and I sometimes use that as a guide with in doubt.

 

[Bend The Light]

Without seeing him in person.. it actually looks pretty good to me, BTL! Whites look pretty true, without tinging.. and I sometimes use that as a guide with in doubt.

Of course, after dropping it through photoshop it could change anything. Mind you, the only thing I changed was contrast, really, with a white point and a black point. In theory the colours shouldn't be wrong, should they? Unless I have a colour cast due to other things...But if the whites look good, then that didn't ought to be the case, eh?

Thanks, will save me doing, then re-doing 100+ photos!

Cheers

 

[tirediron]

It's an unusual skin tone, but it appears correct.

 

[Buckster]

Gray cards and other color calibration target tools aren't terribly expensive.

 

[cgipson1]

Without seeing him in person.. it actually looks pretty good to me, BTL! Whites look pretty true, without tinging.. and I sometimes use that as a guide with in doubt.

Of course, after dropping it through photoshop it could change anything. Mind you, the only thing I changed was contrast, really, with a white point and a black point. In theory the colours shouldn't be wrong, should they? Unless I have a colour cast due to other things...But if the whites look good, then that didn't ought to be the case, eh?

Thanks, will save me doing, then re-doing 100+ photos!

Cheers

Assuming your WB was not off... they should be fine. Sometimes setting a custom WB can save your arse, but with RAW, it isn't that big of a deal either!

 

[Bend The Light]

It's an unusual skin tone, but it appears correct.

Unusual? Just curious, that's all. This is one area where I struggle with my colour blindness...I really should get my self a grey card as Buckster says!

Gray cards and other color calibration target tools aren't terribly expensive.

Yes, I really must get some of this stuff. Thanks



Just for comparison (again, I know you haven't seen these people in the flesh) here are the parents with the boy...


15-7-2012 Kobe and Clyde by http://bendthelight.me.uk, on Flickr


15-7-2012 Kobe and Hazel by http://bendthelight.me.uk, on Flickr

Anything look out of place with these?

Cheers

 

[cynthiav99]

Color skin tone looks good but the first one seems a little darker(skin tone)?

 

[cgipson1]

Looks good BTL! very even tones on the kid! Good exposures on the parents!

 

[Bend The Light]

Without seeing him in person.. it actually looks pretty good to me, BTL! Whites look pretty true, without tinging.. and I sometimes use that as a guide with in doubt.

Of course, after dropping it through photoshop it could change anything. Mind you, the only thing I changed was contrast, really, with a white point and a black point. In theory the colours shouldn't be wrong, should they? Unless I have a colour cast due to other things...But if the whites look good, then that didn't ought to be the case, eh?

Thanks, will save me doing, then re-doing 100+ photos!

Cheers

Assuming your WB was not off... they should be fine. Sometimes setting a custom WB can save your arse, but with RAW, it isn't that big of a deal either!

In the studio I set WB to "Flash" so I don't get errors due to Auto-WB. I understood that to be the best way.
And I think (I may be wrong) that when I use photoshop I use the White dropper in curves to even out the BG, which is effectively setting a custom WB...I am telling photoshop that the white BG is white! Am I right?

Cheers

 

[Bend The Light]

Color skin tone looks good but the first one seems a little darker(skin tone)?

Yes, I think that is because he is on the floor on a beanbag, and the main light is up high for the standing shots. This makes him a little darker in the low down shots, maybe.

Cheers

 

[Bend The Light]

Looks good BTL! very even tones on the kid! Good exposures on the parents!

Thanks. Quite pleased with the lack of blown/hot areas, especially in the dad. Especially considering I have not photographed anyone with dark skin before - I was worried I wouldn't be able to balance it between the mum and the dad in the group shots.

I am happy with them, however, and hopefully so will they be!