Advice on improving my pictures

[em805]

I took several pictures of the same coral at different settings and this one was the best one I could come up with.

<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r18/Eliazer805/Frags%201_9_07/Unknown.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>

Can anyone give me any advice on what setting to tweak in order to get the overwhelming blue (currently in the picture) out of the picture and instead bring out the real colors? Note the coralites on this coral are red. The picture was taken under 14k 250w MH. I appreciate any help!

 

[RevHtree]

What camera are you using?

 

[em805]

It is a sony cybershot, here is a link:

http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INT...ayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=DSCW100

 

[BlueCorn]

Did you take a look here:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=333197

It's a great place to start.

 

[em805]

Holy smoke, thats alot of info--I will have to read up on this. In the mean time does anyone have experience using this specific camara and willing to share some advice? The manual for the camera is not that well written (hard to understand for novice photographer). Thanks you!

 

[dhoch]

Find the part about white balancing it and read that...

Dave

 

[em805]

These are my only choices for white balance...

<a href="http://photobucket.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r18/Eliazer805/Camera%20Manual/WB.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting"></a>

I have tried the shot in each one and it didn't seem to make a difference. Any advice?

 

[BlueCorn]

Does the camera have a RAW mode (vs. JPEG)?

Since it doesn't have a custom white balance setting that would be your best option if it's available.

 

[em805]

Not sure what you mean by RAW mode, can you explain? This is the manual in case it helps...

http://www.docs.sony.com/release/DSCW5-7.pdf

 

[BlueCorn]

Sure.

All cameras generate raw unprocessed data from the imaging sensor. That data needs to be processed to produce an image (jpg). Many camera's, (unfortunately not yours), will allow you to control that processing rather than letting the camera do it. In that mode, the RAW file is downloaded to the computer and you can do things like adjust exposure, contrast, white balance.......before the file gets converted into a standard image file.

 

[em805]

Thanks for the explanation, I appreciate it. Since my camera does not have that ability what would you recomend I tweak next? Would it help if I posted my current manual mode settings?

 

[BlueCorn]

White balance is what is causing the blue tint. About all that you can do is experiment with each of the WB settings that you have available and see which works best for you.

It is possible to correct some of that in photoshop but you loose quality.

 

[em805]

Ya I played in Photoshop but, I dread getting reamed in RC for even using it--I don't know what would be acceptible or not. Also, I did notice quality loss and I still don't feel the picture captured the true vibrance of the coral. Thanks for your help Doug! If you think of anything else, please let me know.

Eli