Bringing out Shape & Detail in the Darkest of Colors - ChromaQueen: Photo Retouching, Boston, MA

Light Hogs

“Is there detail in the blacks?” Have you ever asked this question when reviewing photos of dramatically lit interiors, moody landscapes, product shots of black objects, or other innumerable possibilities of dark subject matter? The answer could very well be “absolutely.”

It is always challenging to photograph a subject that absorbs practically all of the light shining on it. Add to the mix a slightly under-exposed capture. Or, a composition that includes both dark and light elements with important details. In any of these scenerios, you have a perfect candidate for post-capture perfecting.

Revealing the Beauty of Blackbirds

When the color of the main subject is the darkest of darks, and the shooting situation does not lend itself to using supplementary lighting, fill cards, or multiple exposures to apply the HDR (high dynamic range) technique, the detail can be brought out in post-processing. Such was the case with this photograph of a red-winged blackbird.

blackbird, before after photos showing recovered shadow detail — Recovering shadow detail in the deepest of blacks.

If the blackbird was a secondary element in the photograph, rather than the main subject, the silhouette-look of the bird in the original image may have been acceptable. Whereas, in the retouched version, seeing “into” the black reveals delicate details. The viewer is now invited to linger to enjoy every detail of this beautiful creature..

Worth Noting As You Look At These Photos

As you review these images, you may not be seeing an accurate representation of the “After” photo. It all depends on the quality of your screen. Please see “Test Your Display” at the end of the article for more details.

The Beauty of Black Calla Lilies

In the second example, the scenario was similar. The detail and color of the black calla lilies were hidden. The lilies photographed as a black mass in this otherwise exquisite floral design. Post-capture editing revealed the depth and color of the flowers.

Bringing out the color and detail in black calla lilies, before, after retouching — Before/After: Lacking tonal variation, the calla lilies in the center of the composition, appears as a black mass. In Photoshop “re-lighting” the bouquet of lilies and the other arrangements on the table, the exquisite color and shape of the flowers is revealed adding to the overall beauty of the table’s centerpiece.

Black Plates & White Orchards—A Challenging Dynamic Range

Finally, the third example illustrates a photographic nightmare. Black on black and the huge dynamic range. Black plates on a black table with black linen, juxtaposed next to white orchids.

A table setting with black plates and white orchards before retouching the photo to restore highlight and shadow detail. — A retouching challenge; black plates, for a three-course meal, are disappearing into each other and white orchids lacking detail and nearly blown-out.

The stationary nature of the subject matter certainly lends itself to using the HDR technique which involves combining multiple exposures to capture the full tonal range of a scene. But, it was not shot in that manner. I was provided with just a single frame from which to work. The result is a respectable job. The After image held up on press. Reproduced in a luxury wedding magazine, both the highlight and shadows had detail when translated to the printed page.

Table setting with black dishes, after retouching in Photoshop — After Retouching: The plates are now visible and the white orchids have color and shape. Success! The photo is now ready for the printed-page.

Can Your Dark Image Be Saved?

If you are debating whether a dark image can be made suitable for reproduction in print or digital media, be confident in knowing that in most cases, retouching work can be done to render hidden details and create a pleasing interplay of light and shadow. If the image was captured as a RAW file, all the better. The image can certainly be saved.

To see more examples of the extent that images can be “saved” visit the Color & Light portfolio gallery.

Are You Seeing What’s Actually In The File?

The last question to consider is whether you are seeing all the data in the file. The ability to “see into” the dark tones when viewing images on a computer display is highly dependent on the quality of your display.

It is a given that a high quality, color-calibrated display is mandatory for graphic design and photo professionals. This requirement is most evident when evaluating images consisting mainly of tones at the dark end of the spectrum. Low-end displays do a poor job at rendering detail in dark areas. As a result, you may not be seeing what is actually in the file.

Test Your Display

Eizo, a manufacturer of high-end displays, published an informative article about display quality and display evaluation. To determine how your display is performing, download the test images provided with the article. Once on your local drive, open them in Photoshop or another photo editing program. If the results are less than satisfactory, consider investing in a better quality display, especially if your work involves image editing or image evaluation.

Do You Have the Opposite Problem; Highlights Too Bright and Lack Detail?

See the article, Photoshop Post-Capture Editing: Recovering Highlight Detail to see an amazing example of detail restored to a wedding grown.