saturation...what is too much ?

[gus]

Im always going back to change the saturation & sometimes after a while i become confused with what is too much.

Have i improved this shot or over saturated it ?

Original

http://wadjelaphotography.smugmug.com/photos/29928824-M.jpg

saturated

http://wadjelaphotography.smugmug.com/photos/30324772-M.jpg

[XO-Studios]

Im always going back to change the saturation & sometimes after a while i become confused with what is too much.

Have i improved this shot or over saturated it ?

Original

http://wadjelaphotography.smugmug.com/photos/29928824-M.jpg

saturated

http://wadjelaphotography.smugmug.com/photos/30324772-M.jpg
I would say a lil over in spots, I would venture to say about 60% of that last shot, with perhaps a couple of spots (flames) where you have it (mask?).

XO,

[ginger_55]

Humungus, the more I know the more confused I get. And the longer it takes to work up most shots.

Sometimes I think I should post all versions, just to make sure my presentation is the best possible. I like the second shot.

Hey, how about sharpening? Over/under/Dixie style?

I have many areas of confusion, I post hoping not to get caught in one.

ginger

[Phil U.]

The amount of saturation in a particular photo can be a pretty subjective thing depending on the look/feel you're going for. However, there certainly is a finite limit to the color gamut and when you push it to far you'll see color clipping (I know you've seen it when you've played around with pushing the saturation slider all the way to the right). In Photoshop, you can go to the "View" menu and choose "Gamut Warning" and it'll show you all the pixels that are near or at the limits of the color gamut you're working in. This helps you to know when you are inside of the physical limits. The rest is up to your eye for what you're trying to accomplish.

[ginger_55]

There are two things to look at there, Phil. There is the gamut warning. It hates green, I was trying to use it for green, with much frustration.

Then I read in a book about using "proof colors". I don't know much about it, but it is what I have been using ever since, it lets most of my stuff through as OK.

Do you know anything about the differences? If I were to use "gamut warning", I would have to junk most of my stuff. And I don't "saturate" that much.

ginger

[cletus]

I would say a lil over in spots, I would venture to say about 60% of that last shot, with perhaps a couple of spots (flames) where you have it (mask?).

XO,
:nod

[gus]

Thanks for your replies everyone...i will back it off a bit.

Gus

[Phil U.]

There are two things to look at there, Phil. There is the gamut warning. It hates green, I was trying to use it for green, with much frustration.

Then I read in a book about using "proof colors". I don't know much about it, but it is what I have been using ever since, it lets most of my stuff through as OK.

Do you know anything about the differences? If I were to use "gamut warning", I would have to junk most of my stuff. And I don't "saturate" that much.

ginger

"Proof Colors" allows you to pick a certain color profile (like a profile for a printer you will be using to print your image) and then view it with an approximation of what it will look like in that profile. Your color working space would still be sRGB or Adobe1998 (whatever you're working in). The gamut warning follows so if you've done your proof setup to use your printer profile when you choose to view in proof colors the gamut warning will show you warnings when you are near to hitting the limits of the gamut defined in that profile.

You don't have to adjust saturation to where there are NO gamut warnings (like you said, if you did that, you'd have a pretty desaturated image). What I look for is large patches of warning. Small patches are usually not a problem. You can use the gamut warning to point out those patches and then turn off gamut warning and visually inspect to see if you are getting any color clipping.

There's lots and lots to color management. I'm no expert but I've learned just enough to be dangerous.