Geedee's 'OMG, I forgot the colour !' Warbirds - Aircraft of World War II

Geedee · 01-19-2009, 04:34 PM

An experimental thread that I may ask to have deleted at a later date.

I'm after your opinion guys !

For a change, I've been messing around with some of my pics and thought it'd be a bit different if I converted some into monochrome for effect.

I took the following at Duxford back in 2006 and have tried to miss out all the modern stuff you often see in pic's...Cessna 150 in the backgound... dude in a dayglo jacket...modern cars...ete, to see if I could recreate potential Wartime shots....and failed miserably in a couple of them !!!

I think I've failed !. I cant quite put my finger on it but I'm thinking that modern camera's capture too much detail ?...are they too sharp ?.... or is the topic not quite right ?

What do you guys reckon ?.

Catch22 · 01-19-2009, 04:41 PM

They're great shots Gary, but I see what you mean. I don't know what program you're using, but just desaturating it doesn't work for stuff like that. You'd need to use a gradient map with a bit of a colour in it (brown perhaps, or a yellow) if you're using Photoshop.

If you post one of them in full colour, I can look at it after and try a few things.

Gnomey · 01-19-2009, 04:58 PM

They look alright Gary. Personally if you are using Photoshop I wouldn't use monochrome. Use grayscale instead as this generally looks a bit better and is a less saturated.

Geedee · 01-19-2009, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catch22

They're great shots Gary, but I see what you mean. I don't know what program you're using, but just desaturating it doesn't work for stuff like that. You'd need to use a gradient map with a bit of a colour in it (brown perhaps, or a yellow) if you're using Photoshop.

If you post one of them in full colour, I can look at it after and try a few things.

Top bloke !

Maybe thats where I'm going wrong, I dont have photoshop, I'm using Irfanview (weird name or what !) and selecting 'convert to greyscale', but its just not looking right !. Methinks I need to get a 'photo' enhancer software package of some sort...must start dropping hints for me B'day !

I've attached a larger shot if you'd like to have a go at 'ageing'. Looking forward to the result.

Geedee · 01-19-2009, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gnomey

They look alright Gary. Personally if you are using Photoshop I wouldn't use monochrome. Use grayscale instead as this generally looks a bit better and is a less saturated.

Thanks for that. Maybe if I made them more sort of 'grainy' , wonder if that would work.

Of course you realise that if I can get this sorted...with invaluable advice and guidance from the audience !... any pics I take at this years 'Legends'may not be shown here in full colour. I reckon that the odd B/W and sepia toned effect, can transform a piccie.

Thanks again

timshatz · 01-19-2009, 05:49 PM

Good shots. Interesting using the greyscale.

Njaco · 01-19-2009, 10:03 PM

Gary, do a search for a program called "GIMP" if money is a factor. Its Freeware and I love it. Almost like Photoshop and it does work. Actually, I have PS at work and I prefer GIMP. All my stuff I do with GIMP.

Aaron Brooks Wolters · 01-19-2009, 10:13 PM

Cameras are a lot better than they use to be so the photo quality will be significantly better. Personally I love the work you've done.

Venganza · 01-19-2009, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Njaco

Gary, do a search for a program called "GIMP" if money is a factor. Its Freeware and I love it. Almost like Photoshop and it does work. Actually, I have PS at work and I prefer GIMP. All my stuff I do with GIMP.

I'm with Njaco on this. GIMP is a nifty little program and you can't beat the price (free!). I've used it for post-processing work on some of my 3D art.

Venganza

Heinz · 01-19-2009, 11:59 PM

I think the main thing is the warbirds are always pristine in condition.

They are great shots though Gary, I really enjoy your photography.

109ROAMING · 01-20-2009, 12:14 AM

With you on this Heinz

Nice shots Mate!

Njaco · 01-20-2009, 12:17 AM

Don't know what effect you're looking for but I took one of those pics and played with it on GIMP. Tried to make it look like it was taken sometime in '44. Only took about 5 minutes but you get the idea.

please don't sue me!

Lucky13 · 01-20-2009, 01:48 AM

Fantastic shots!

GrauGeist · 01-20-2009, 03:19 AM

Hey Gary, hope you don't mind me having a go at one of the photos...

I use both Paintshop and Photoshop for the bulk of my image editing, Though I have a handfull of other programs, those two are by far my favorite.

With your Corsairs, I used Photoshop. I started with a filter called Film Grain then used just a touch of Gaussian blur, adjusted the saturation & hue, then darkened it slightly. If we could dog-ear the corners and add a few scratches, it might look halfway authentic!

The majority of photographs from WWII had a certain tone to them, and alot of them had a "grainy" look. It's really hard to capture that effect.

I have to add that your images are outstanding, I enjoyed them all! Thanks for posting them!

seesul · 01-20-2009, 04:26 AM

Gary! Fantastic shots!

01-19-2009, 04:34 PM	#1
Geedee Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 765	Geedee's 'OMG, I forgot the colour !' Warbirds An experimental thread that I may ask to have deleted at a later date. I'm after your opinion guys ! For a change, I've been messing around with some of my pics and thought it'd be a bit different if I converted some into monochrome for effect. I took the following at Duxford back in 2006 and have tried to miss out all the modern stuff you often see in pic's...Cessna 150 in the backgound... dude in a dayglo jacket...modern cars...ete, to see if I could recreate potential Wartime shots....and failed miserably in a couple of them !!! I think I've failed !. I cant quite put my finger on it but I'm thinking that modern camera's capture too much detail ?...are they too sharp ?.... or is the topic not quite right ? What do you guys reckon ?. Attached Images __________________ Cheers Gary Not only am I a master of suspense, but I... http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/sta...ect-18113.html "I’ll never worry about meeting a FW 190 in a 51 since I was able to outturn, outdive and generally out-maneuver him at all altitudes, from 23,000 feet to the deck; I could follow him in anything and do a lot more besides.” Richard D Bishop, 11 Sept 1944, 55th FG Last edited by Geedee; 01-19-2009 at 04:41 PM.

01-19-2009, 04:41 PM	#2
Catch22 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 4,293	They're great shots Gary, but I see what you mean. I don't know what program you're using, but just desaturating it doesn't work for stuff like that. You'd need to use a gradient map with a bit of a colour in it (brown perhaps, or a yellow) if you're using Photoshop. If you post one of them in full colour, I can look at it after and try a few things. __________________

01-19-2009, 04:58 PM	#3
Gnomey "World Traveller" Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK Posts: 15,224	They look alright Gary. Personally if you are using Photoshop I wouldn't use monochrome. Use grayscale instead as this generally looks a bit better and is a less saturated. __________________ "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts" Sir Winston Churchill "To him the People of the World Largely owe the Freedom and Liberties they Enjoy Today" Enscription on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-40) statue in London WW2 Talk: A WW2 Discussion Forum My Photo Collections on Flickr

01-19-2009, 10:03 PM	#7
Njaco The Pop-Tart Whisperer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: South Jersey, United States Posts: 10,237	Gary, do a search for a program called "GIMP" if money is a factor. Its Freeware and I love it. Almost like Photoshop and it does work. Actually, I have PS at work and I prefer GIMP. All my stuff I do with GIMP. __________________ "If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it's English, thank a soldier!" http://www.njcacoa.org/

01-19-2009, 11:59 PM	#10
Heinz Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Melbourne, Victoria Posts: 6,742	I think the main thing is the warbirds are always pristine in condition. They are great shots though Gary, I really enjoy your photography. __________________

01-19-2009, 05:49 PM	#6
timshatz Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Phila, Pa Posts: 3,446	Good shots. Interesting using the greyscale.

01-19-2009, 10:13 PM	#8
Aaron Brooks Wolters Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Abingdon, VA. Posts: 2,300	Cameras are a lot better than they use to be so the photo quality will be significantly better. Personally I love the work you've done.

01-20-2009, 12:14 AM	#11
109ROAMING Senior Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: New Zealand Posts: 5,004	With you on this Heinz Nice shots Mate! __________________ "When all else fails read the manual"

01-20-2009, 12:17 AM	#12
Njaco The Pop-Tart Whisperer Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: South Jersey, United States Posts: 10,237	Don't know what effect you're looking for but I took one of those pics and played with it on GIMP. Tried to make it look like it was taken sometime in '44. Only took about 5 minutes but you get the idea. please don't sue me! Attached Images __________________ "If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it's English, thank a soldier!" http://www.njcacoa.org/

01-20-2009, 01:48 AM	#13
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 15,144	Fantastic shots! __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

01-20-2009, 03:19 AM	#14
GrauGeist Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Redding, California Posts: 3,357	Hey Gary, hope you don't mind me having a go at one of the photos... I use both Paintshop and Photoshop for the bulk of my image editing, Though I have a handfull of other programs, those two are by far my favorite. With your Corsairs, I used Photoshop. I started with a filter called Film Grain then used just a touch of Gaussian blur, adjusted the saturation & hue, then darkened it slightly. If we could dog-ear the corners and add a few scratches, it might look halfway authentic! The majority of photographs from WWII had a certain tone to them, and alot of them had a "grainy" look. It's really hard to capture that effect. I have to add that your images are outstanding, I enjoyed them all! Thanks for posting them! Attached Images __________________ "Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future." - Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome > I Support Doug Gillis <

01-20-2009, 04:26 AM	#15
seesul Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Zlin, Czech Republic Posts: 2,489	Gary! Fantastic shots! __________________ Roman Susil Zlin, Czech Republic ...a friend of Joe Owsianik,So. Plainfield, NJ, a former left waist gunner from B-17G ''Tail End Charlie" from 2ndBG,20th Sqdn who was forced to bail out on Aug. 29th, 1944 over my country.

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