Thoughts on selective coloring?

subscuck · May 3, 2011

I have to agree with the concensus opinion that it's overdone and used to "improve" a **** photo. OTH, I have seen some that were done right (i.e., the coloring was actually on the subject of the photo) and it really gave the subject an almost 3D look against a B&W background. That's kinda rare, tho.

I also agree with Big Mike, that as an academic excersize, it's worth practicing as it will help develop PPing skills that can be used for doing more useful editing.

480sparky · May 3, 2011

This is the only time I've every tried it, just to try it out:

This, OTOH, is halfway there..... I desaturated the background 50% or so:

fokker · May 3, 2011

Agreed Sparky with the selective desaturating (works well ont he bird shot). I've done plenty of selective de-sat's which I find often works a lot better by being a bit more subtle in its' approach

enzodm · May 3, 2011

I do not like much selective coloring. Your samples are slightly different than usual (there is no colored puppy in hands of a grey baby with violet eyes

). However, the second one is not an example of selective color, but rather has some extra saturation on the trail marker, which for me may make sense but it is not clearly different from the original (is blue standard for trail markers there? Here I would find most often white-red signs). The first one has a weird green, nothing to do with wood. The original is already based on just two tones.
I liked the girl with vintage camera - there is a reason for it.

GooniesNeverSayDie11 · May 3, 2011

The biggest problem I see with selective coloring(other than the fact that in most cases the color is not drawing the eye to the subject and that its overdone poorly ) is that many times, as with most editing effects, it is often used to try and turn a completely boring picture into something cool or artsy. They figure, well, this picture sucks, I might as well screw with it as much as possible and maybe people won't notice how poor of a technique I used. Well atleast I think thats what happens on a subconscious level