Color

I am reading Color Confidence by Tim Grey. I am reading it because of the three addictions of photographers in the digital age:

1) I am addicted to bags. I keep looking for the perfect camera bag, but find problems with each one I try and constantly look for a new one that is perfect.

2) I am addicted to chimping. I constantly want to see if I got the shot. . .

3) I am addicted to color books that might lead me to the holy grail of perfect color management.

So how does Tim Grey hold up? Mr. Grey wisely early on breaks the bad news that the holy grail will always be out there but can never be reached. Rather, he tackles over expectations, sets realistic expectations, and then explains what you can and should do.

Color Confidence has chapters on Color Theory, Photoshop, Camera Profiling, Monitor Profiling, Scanner Profiling, and output (print and web). The photoshop section is very thorough. It first covers settings. The author makes clear what settings photographers should never use. With the rest, Mr. Grey takes a two step approach: he gives his recommendation, but also gives enough information so you can understand what the parameter does AND gives real world examples on when you should change the default setting. The second part of the photoshop section discusses the various tools and options for color correction of photographs.

Overall, I give the book a good rating. It is worth reading and using as part of your color management efforts.

Technorati tags: photography & photoshop