Need your opinion: I took this image this week end with Sony A7R and Sony 55-210mm lens, f/6.3 1/250 shutter speed and ISO 200. In Bridge the red color looked blown out, I know it...

nsainato Loc: Sun City, Arizona

I took this image this week end with Sony A7R and
Sony 55-210mm lens, f/6.3 1/250 shutter speed and ISO 200.
In Bridge the red color looked blown out, I know it could be fixed in Bridge or Photoshop but I want to know what I could have done to capture the red's better. Thanks in advance for your help.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

nsainato wrote:

I took this image this week end with Sony A7R and
Sony 55-210mm lens, f/6.3 1/250 shutter speed and ISO 200.
In Bridge the red color looked blown out, I know it could be fixed in Bridge or Photoshop but I want to know what I could have done to capture the red's better. Thanks in advance for your help.

It's soo out of focus, why care about color?

nsainato Loc: Sun City, Arizona

So, that is the problem. I do not know why the camera did not focus on anything. It was kind of windy day, I do not know if that had anything to do with it. I just wanted to understand what I did wrong with this image, that is all. Thank you.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Many times the colors are 'tainted' by the manufacturer bias toward 'warm' or 'cold'.

I do not know your camera so I cannot say much. It seems that you may have used a flash, if that is the case, that may explain the washed out colors and the 'warmer tone'. Another possibility (and more likely) is your White balance setting.

You probably can 'recuperate' some of the colors but you need first to rethink this picture taking and try to get a better picture to work with as PP is not for 'repairs'.

As to being soft, I have no clue as no 'original' is posted.

You do need to worry about the colors or more exactly how to expose correctly. If you do not, focused or not, your pictures will always be wasted.

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

nsainato wrote:

So, that is the problem. I do not know why the camera did not focus on anything. It was kind of windy day, I do not know if that had anything to do with it. I just wanted to understand what I did wrong with this image, that is all. Thank you.

A smaller aperture and/or the use of a CP or ND would have helped to capture more saturated colors (ist's obviously very bright).

nsainato Loc: Sun City, Arizona

Thank you. I did not use flash and used Cloudy White Balance. I tried to load Psd file but it took forever and as I read UHH rules, it said to post Jpg and that is what I did. Sorry I am new at this. Thanks again.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

nsainato wrote:

Thank you. I did not use flash and used Cloudy White Balance. I tried to load Psd file but it took forever and as I read UHH rules, it said to post Jpg and that is what I did. Sorry I am new at this. Thanks again.

Possibly the light meter in the camera averaged the scene and overexposed the blossoms. Also, manual focus would have been a better way to go.

Overexposed and out of focus subject, I would say.

Mike

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

The reason your red is blown out is just the way digital cameras work....they have a terrible time with reds in bright light.

The only way that I've ever found to get reds shot well is to diffuse the direct sunlight/bright light and to underexpose a half stop.

PS: your WB is way too warm also.

nsainato Loc: Sun City, Arizona

Thanks to all your responses. It helps.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

rpavich wrote:

The reason your red is blown out is just the way digital cameras work....they have a terrible time with reds in bright light.

The only way that I've ever found to get reds shot well is to diffuse the direct sunlight/bright light and to underexpose a half stop.

PS: your WB is way too warm also.

Maybe not. I had a lot of problems with reds with a Fuji S5100 I was using for a while a few years a go, but not the with Canon 5D I am using now.

Mike

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Blenheim Orange wrote:

Maybe not. I had a lot of problems with reds with a Fuji S5100 I was using for a while a few years a go, but not the with Canon 5D I am using now.

Mike

I've had blown reds in all my 5D's...they are notorious for it.

No digital camera escapes it...some are just slightly better than others.

Blenheim Orange Loc: Michigan

rpavich wrote:

I've had blown reds in all my 5D's...they are notorious for it.

No digital camera escapes it...some are just slightly better than others.

Researched that a little bit. You are correct.

Mike

bunuweld Loc: Arizona

nsainato wrote:

I took this image this week end with Sony A7R and
Sony 55-210mm lens, f/6.3 1/250 shutter speed and ISO 200.
In Bridge the red color looked blown out, I know it could be fixed in Bridge or Photoshop but I want to know what I could have done to capture the red's better. Thanks in advance for your help.

I think decreasing the exposure a little would have helped, and perhaps choosing a moment of the day with more contrast between light and shadows. Your picture's composition is very nice.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

Blenheim Orange wrote:

Researched that a little bit. You are correct.

Mike

Curious what research and which DSLRs don't "do reds"? In my opinion, the issues exhibited in the image presented are technical: incorrect white balance, soft focus and over-exposure. I'm curious if all Sonys produce these results. I was under the impression that they make the sensors used in Nikon DSLRs-- but I've produced reds that mirror what I saw with little or no PP.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

speters wrote:

A smaller aperture and/or the use of a CP or ND would have helped to capture more saturated colors (ist's obviously very bright).

Please explain: how does stopping down increase saturation? Or are you saying that reducing the exposure increases saturation?

Thank you.