The lighting at this fashion show in Costa Rica was a combination of different color sources. The best way to try to achieve pleasant colors and good skin tones is to use curves in Photoshop © and identify the blacks, whites and grays. I was invited to be a judge by CATECO, the show organizers.
If you compare the two images above, you will see the dramatic effect that color balancing can have. This can be done at the
camera at the time of shooting or in the post-processing step.
camera at the time of shooting or in the post-processing step.
These images below from a fashion show in Mexico City and England dramatize the yellow colorcast influence and the
efforts to correct it by targeting the hat and sweater as white, which were the true color.
efforts to correct it by targeting the hat and sweater as white, which were the true color.
In this case during a fashion show in Birmingham, England, the color cast was so severe that I had to give up all my corrective attempts and settle for a black & white image on the left. The image on the right was much easier to correct because the light source was not mixed. I photographed this at
Marks & Spencer fashion show in London. All the models are M&S employees. I took these prior to the digital age so the way to make any color corrections on the spot would have been by using color filters or color gels.
Marks & Spencer fashion show in London. All the models are M&S employees. I took these prior to the digital age so the way to make any color corrections on the spot would have been by using color filters or color gels.
These color corrections below were necessary for a DuPont Lycra fashion show that I photographed in Buenos Aires. Again post processing was required because I took these prior to the digital age where some color correction could have been made at the camera, as it is the case today.
One way to overcome color cast is by resorting to flash (if the organizers permit it.) Although the skin tones are truer, as it is the case on the left below, the tones are harsh. I photographed the image on the right using just available light, which luckily was single source.
You can readily see that there were many colors falling on the models above left.. I used the back of the female model to try to reach an “acceptable” skin tone. Also, to get the maximum effect of the star burst filter, I used the smallest lens opening with which I could get by. I photographed this fashion show in Birmingham, England as well as the one below. I made this combo to again, dramatize the impact that the proper color correction has, by making a side by side comparison. I used curves from Photoshop ©.