Rust in photos

[thedieter]

I seem to see more rust in photos that I take of my machines than I see with the naked eye. Other photos on the Forum show a lot of rust as well and I am wondering why.

Rust is a big enough problem without the camera exaggerating it.

Does anyone have a way, such as lighting, to make the photos correct?

Best regards, Jack

[JackF]

I try to not use flash when possible.

Jack.

[Davo J]

Hi jack,
With camera's I am a novice, but when a member off another forum was visiting me, he showed me how to set up my camera. I was using the flash, so he went through the menu and showed me to pick (candle light) which is no flash on my camera. I have been having good photo's since with out the bright spot from the flash.
Dave

[JackF]

That's two for no flash. Give it a try and let us know how it works.

Jack.

[ken572]

Hello Jack..

I use Paint Shop Pro ver.9.01 - Click on ( Enhanced Photo ) and then Click on
( One Step Photo Fix ) if you need more correction Click it again, or use one of it's
many other options. When you get it to look like you want save it.
Ken.

[Davo J]

Jack (the dieter)
Like JackF said, Give it a try and let us know how it works out for you. I was amazed at the quality difference.
As I said above I am a camera novice, I have never owned a camera in my life and still don't. The one I am using is the son's spare, that he has lent to me for long turn.
I had been trying all sorts of things to get a better picture like, half covering and full covering the flash with a tissue etc, with only slight improvements.
I felt a bit stupid after being told by my friend to, just turn off the flash, but he has years of experience with camera's and knows what he's talking about.
Dave
PS
What rusty things are you trying to photograph.

[thedieter]

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried a photo with and without flash which proves that the flash is the problem.

I don't like Photo Shop! I have Pro on one of my computers and I hate the way it takes over as the default photo handler (never again).

These photos were taken with an Olympus C750 which is a great camera but it is over 5 years old. I recently purchased a Samsung HZ30W which is a fabulous camera but have not used it for machines as yet.

The 13x40 lathe ways in the background and the SB 9 ways look rusty in the flash photo which seems to prove the theory.

Best regards, Jack

PS: Davo, I am not taking photos of rusty machines but they come out looking rusty.

[JackF]

T Jack,

Thanks for showing us the results. What a difference.

Jack.

[J Tiers]

it isn't really the flash...you probably have a setting available to compensate for the red light from lamps, indoors. The default on cameras is usually outdoor light.

Indoor lights give more red, and the camera picks up on that, even with flash..... So read manual, and find the setting for indoors, and I bet your problems go away. The indoor setting biases away from the red, more towards blue, and tends to fix the problem...... All photography is a compromise...... the camera lies all the time.

Sometimes if it is on-screen, the indoor setting has a little icon of a lamp.....

[ChipMaker4130]

Another consideration: When photographing smooth bare metal, reflections often affect appearance. Since machine ways, etc. do not have a mirror finish the reflection will be undefined. Look around your shop. Are there bare wood framing elements or other items above or behind your subject that might cast a colored reflection? The flash will bounce from machine surfaces and light up these offenders quite well.

The color balance in your sample photos is quite good with the flash, as indicated by the true gray on the machine and more importantly, by the white Valvoline bottle behind it. The flash, as Mr. Tiers said, is NOT the problem.

[thedieter]

Some good observations and suggestions, thanks.

I have been relying too much on the built in program of the camera without taking critical factors into account. I prefer the looks of my sample photo taken with the flash even though it shows rust where there is very little. As mentioned above, the colors look more correct.

I have to experiment with my new camera as I am starting from scratch with it. Always something to learn, thank goodness.

Best regards, Jack

[knudsen]

I don't like Photo Shop! I have Pro on one of my computers and I hate the way it takes over as the default photo handler (never again).

On most imaging software, that's a choice upon installation.

If you want something simple, free, and effective, try irfanview. It defaults to not taking over your file settings. Reducing contrast might help with the rust problem too.