"color correction" a misnomer?
RSO 34
Registered Users Posts: 8 Beginner grinner
I ordered Christmas cards and didn't realize auto color correction was checked. After receiving washed out colors on the printed cards, I inquired as to why. I received this explanation:
" The color correction process at EZPrints is automated and always applies the same changes to every file, whether it needs it or not. It always brightens (increases exposure, essentially, thus washing out a well exposed file) and adds color depth and sharpening. It would not consider the starting point for your file."
I never realized this and checked with friends who have smug mug accounts and they didn't know it either. I love smug mug and have been a longtime user but I can't understand a feature like this that ruins a perfectly exposed photo because it does not consider the starting point.
It would be helpful if this was explained more clearly somewhere on the site and that we should be able to disable this feature globally on our sites if we go to the effort of post processing before uploading. It appears that this feature would potentially ruin every shot that is well exposed and processed. It also appears at these color corrections get applied irrespective of whether the photo is color or black and white/sepia.
" The color correction process at EZPrints is automated and always applies the same changes to every file, whether it needs it or not. It always brightens (increases exposure, essentially, thus washing out a well exposed file) and adds color depth and sharpening. It would not consider the starting point for your file."
I never realized this and checked with friends who have smug mug accounts and they didn't know it either. I love smug mug and have been a longtime user but I can't understand a feature like this that ruins a perfectly exposed photo because it does not consider the starting point.
It would be helpful if this was explained more clearly somewhere on the site and that we should be able to disable this feature globally on our sites if we go to the effort of post processing before uploading. It appears that this feature would potentially ruin every shot that is well exposed and processed. It also appears at these color corrections get applied irrespective of whether the photo is color or black and white/sepia.
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-Danny
dannyberryphotography.com
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Not sure why you are confused Andy. The color correction was ticked in the "My Smugmug Creations"gallery. Even your support hero who helped me last night was not sure why it was turned on in that gallery since he saw that it is off in all other galleries. I mean, seriously, why would I think to check the "Set Prices" in that creations gallery since I never price anything to sell from that gallery to any customers. Plus, it's a card and why would I think to do ANY color correction on a card? The images on the card come from galleries where color correction is turned off. Repeating myself here but ALL of my image galleries have that feature turned off as does my portfolio pricing. How that feature was ticked in the creations gallery is beyond me and obviously beyond the support hero who helped me last night. There is also no mention of this in the Photo Card help page either.......in other words, no "Gotcha" like you tend to use elsewhere.
-Danny
dannyberryphotography.com
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However, I don't feel that is the true "issue". As indicated above, I am long time user (although first time poster) and love the site, especially the prompt customer service (I was offered reprints at no charge). But I feel that there was/is a lack of information/communication about what "color correction" actually is and does.
I never anticipated that it would even come into play since I always process my own photos and although I don't claim to be an expert, I feel I come very close most of the times to having a well exposed photo before it is uploaded. Based upon what I had assumed color correction to mean, I just presumed that it wouldn't affect me since my shots needed only nominal correction, if any, at worst.
Based upon what happened with my Christmas cards, I now learn that "color correct" does not take into consideration whether the photo actually needs any work thereby "ruining" a "perfectly" exposed shot by automatically making it overexposed. This came as a total surprise to me and I went back to read up on it and still think it should be made more of a "disclaimer" given the poor results that occur when a well exposed photo is subject to this process. Indeed, I just learned that "color correction" settings are the same irrespective not only of the starting point but also irrespective of whether the photo is in color or black and white/sepia, etc.
I would think that most pro users process their photos, as I do, before they are uploaded to smugmug. Practically speaking, I would never want any of my photos to go through such an automatic process that would essentially overexpose every one of my photos.
In addition to a better "disclaimer" being provided as the effect of "color correction", it would be useful to be able to disable it on all my galleries permanently and at one time rather than go back and check all settings individually since I have no intention of ever using that feature given its indescriminate application regardless of whether the photo is exposed well or not.
Hi RSO, we try to lay out really clearly here: http://www.smugmug.com/help/too-red but if we've missed the mark, let us know.
Color Correction at Bay Photo is by hand, and they only do correct images that need it, and ignore ones that don't. Color Correction at EZPrints is an all-or-none thing, and is done by some really awesome software, but it is an automated process.
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Yeah this is what I was hoping to find out - I'll see if we're being dumb, and if we are, fix it!
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I still think that the info is "misleading" to the extent it does not come right and out and say what the smugmug hero told me that a well exposed photo will become overexposed if this feature is used.
"EZ Prints is the lab for Power and Basic subscribers (and Pros if they choose it). At EZ Prints, color correction is included in the print price and automated through industrial-strength software and SmugMug's special recipe. It improves nearly every print. "
However, it will overexpose nearly every print that has been processed before being uploaded.
"The automated color correction does what is very hard even for Photoshop wizards to do: it senses the areas of photos we're likely to judge them by, and it adjusts those regions to tones we expect to see."
Actually, it doesn't "sense" anything if it is automated regardless of the starting point. It simply applies a pre-calculated "catch all" set of adjustments that appear to be directed to what is generally the problem areas of a sufficiently large hypothetical group of amateur photographers.
"This type of automated correction is nothing like the simple quick fix programs you see in desktop applications that wreck many photos. "
On the contrary, this simple quick fix will "wreck" any well exposed photo if applied. It may "fix" a "hypothetical" photo that requires that estimated level of adjustment based upon a comparison of photos analyzed to predict common exposure problems in the overall population of photographers, from beginner through pro.
I can appreciate that much time and effort went into developing a cross-section of adjustments that would improve the photos of that portion of the shooting members who do not process their own photos but I fail to see it have any "good" potential for the members who process before uploading. I have no need to pay for Bay Photo to do any processing although I do feel the description of what they do is clearer than for EZ Prints.
I am now more educated on what happens than I was previously but I still think more of a description is necessary for those who take the time to search out info on the help pages. Also, a one click "permanent off" setting for all galleries on members' sites would be appreciated.
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And in case I haven't sucked up enough Andy, I sincerely appreciate the extremely high level of customer service I have consistently received over the years. My lack of posting here despite being a smugmug user since February 2004 is testament to my great satisfaction with the site.
But I still think the "color correct" feature sucks.......
Well - from our perspective, it's doing amazing work - we get incredibly few returns against millions and millions of orders. So the auto feature at EZP is awesome. Same for the Hand Color correction at Bay.
But folks have a choice, use it, or not - up to you. I'm seeing here we may have an issue with the cards creations gallery and also improvements on the help page.
Thanks.
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I just want to make sure I am being fair when I say "it sucks" since I was trying to inject a little humor into my own situation while hoping for a shortcut to an easy "fix" for my "complaint".
I have no use for it, as I would imagine others who process their own photos would have no use for it either. After building up 7 years worth of galleries, I would like an easier way to turn it off globally without the need to adjust each individual gallery's settings (since I don't do portfolio pricing that is my only way to "undo" seven years of gallery settings).
But, yes, I agree it is helpful for those who do not use photoshop or similar software to do in advance what color correct anticipates should be done.