What colors make white ?
Apr 8, 2012 10:31:09 #
This subject came up in another topic and I think it should be looked into a little deeper.
Here is my understanding.
When we see colour, what we are really seeing is the wavelengths of light, (minus certain other wavelengths) reflected off of a surface. For example, a green plant appears to be green because it absorbs the red wavelengths of light. It holds onto them so that they don't come back to your eye, and you can't see them. You see a blend of the rest of the wavelengths.
So when you look at a white eggshell, it does not absorb any wavelengths of light. They are all bounced back into your eye and the shell appears white.
Black absorbs all of the wavelengths of light and does not send ANY of them back to your eye.
Other theories are opposite. Please help to to find the truth.
Here is my understanding.
When we see colour, what we are really seeing is the wavelengths of light, (minus certain other wavelengths) reflected off of a surface. For example, a green plant appears to be green because it absorbs the red wavelengths of light. It holds onto them so that they don't come back to your eye, and you can't see them. You see a blend of the rest of the wavelengths.
So when you look at a white eggshell, it does not absorb any wavelengths of light. They are all bounced back into your eye and the shell appears white.
Black absorbs all of the wavelengths of light and does not send ANY of them back to your eye.
Other theories are opposite. Please help to to find the truth.
Apr 8, 2012 10:36:00 #
Color perception is our view of what wavelength(s) of light are absorbed by a surface. White REFLECTS all wavelengths of light and absorbs none of them, hence white has no color.
Apr 8, 2012 11:18:31 #
MT Shooter wrote:
Color perception is our view of what wavelength(s) of light are absorbed by a surface. White REFLECTS all wavelengths of light and absorbs none of them, hence white has no color.
Light surfaces reflect all colors of light therefore white presents all colors.
Black absorbs almost all colors and therefore colorless.
So what your eye sees is actually reflected light and is the same as what your lens sees.
As they say ... It's all about the light.
Apr 8, 2012 11:20:56 #
Apr 8, 2012 11:24:06 #
MT Shooter wrote:
The object is free from color as it reflects all color. What you see that is reflected from the object is all colors.
It sounds confusing as you are talking about two different subjects, the object and the light itself.
Apr 8, 2012 11:51:16 #
Reflected light - white is no color, black is all colors together. You can mix red, blue & yellow paint together to get black.
Emitted light (like your computer screen) - white is all colors, black is no color. Look at the RGB values in your image editor - all zeros makes black, while all 255 makes white.
Emitted light (like your computer screen) - white is all colors, black is no color. Look at the RGB values in your image editor - all zeros makes black, while all 255 makes white.
Apr 8, 2012 13:31:18 #
BigBear wrote:
It sounds confusing as you are talking about two different subjects, the object and the light itself.
It sounds confusing as you are talking about two different subjects, the object and the light itself.
That makes sense, does this?
Since the only thing we see and record is the combination of the reflected colors(light) then the color of the object (the color not reflected) seems irrelevent since it is never seen.
I feel I'm chasing my tail here.
Apr 9, 2012 06:07:20 #
The cones in our eyes can only perceive RGB (think old TV sets/monitors). Therefore any colors we perceive are the sum of the amounts of RGB (channels in PS/histogram). White is the stimulation of all of the RGB cones and black is no stimulus of the RGB cones. An object that appears red is reflecting only red light, the rest are absorbed. The red cones are stimulated and we "see" red. A white object reflects all colors, but our eyes can only perceive RGB, so all RGB cones are stimulated and we "see" white. White and black are not colors.
John
John
Apr 9, 2012 06:46:58 #
Apr 9, 2012 07:38:46 #
tinosa wrote:
This subject came up in another topic and I think ... (show quote)
All of them together, Bob.
Apr 9, 2012 07:47:12 #
RGB - or Red Green and Blue makes white. White is the presents of all color and black is the absents of color. If your whites are WHITE and your blacks are BLACK, then all the other colors must be correctly color balanced in your picture.
Apr 9, 2012 08:00:33 #
It's not as simple as that. If white light is reflected from a red surface it means that all the other contents of the white light have been absorbed by the red object and generate heat, but of course a 'red' object seen under yellow light looks black because the red object can't reflect any yellow light.
Furthermore, a camera's sensors do not see light quite the same as our eyes. It may see some infra-red that we don't, such as that coming from bluebell flowers.
Similarly, the effects of too much alcohol can make elephants appear pink.
Furthermore, a camera's sensors do not see light quite the same as our eyes. It may see some infra-red that we don't, such as that coming from bluebell flowers.
Similarly, the effects of too much alcohol can make elephants appear pink.
Apr 9, 2012 08:57:19 #
Depends on what aspect you are examining light from.
Science tells us that white light is all the colors mixed together. When white light passes through a prism, it breaks up the beam into ROYGBIV. That's because each color passes through a medium, the glass prism, at different speeds. This is why we have rainbows. The droplets of water act as prisms.
An artist knows that white is the absence of color and when you mix all the colors together...you get black.
Science tells us that white light is all the colors mixed together. When white light passes through a prism, it breaks up the beam into ROYGBIV. That's because each color passes through a medium, the glass prism, at different speeds. This is why we have rainbows. The droplets of water act as prisms.
An artist knows that white is the absence of color and when you mix all the colors together...you get black.
Apr 9, 2012 09:17:52 #
snowbear wrote:
Reflected light - white is no color, black is all colors together. You can mix red, blue & yellow paint together to get black.
Emitted light (like your computer screen) - white is all colors, black is no color. Look at the RGB values in your image editor - all zeros makes black, while all 255 makes white.
Emitted light (like your computer screen) - white is all colors, black is no color. Look at the RGB values in your image editor - all zeros makes black, while all 255 makes white.
BINGO!
Apr 9, 2012 09:54:53 #
Thank you all for your input,as diverse at it may be.
I can't determine which side is correct I can only conclude that the key to understanding this lies in the difference between transmitted and reflected light.
For now I remain impaled on the horns of this dilemma. :(
I am grabbing my camera and going out to shoot something. :-D
I can't determine which side is correct I can only conclude that the key to understanding this lies in the difference between transmitted and reflected light.
For now I remain impaled on the horns of this dilemma. :(
I am grabbing my camera and going out to shoot something. :-D
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