Blue Eggcrate

[Coral Hind]

I recently ordered some corals from an online vendor and when I got them they were definately not the same crazy or super colors as the what was pictured. Even under 20kK lighting. When I returned to the page to look at the corals I had ordered I noticed every picture had the color altered to the point that the eggcrate was a fluorescent blue instead of white.

 

I just wanted people to be aware that when you are looking at corals online and the eggcrate looks like the one below then the odds are the coral is not going to look like that when you get it.

 

[zygote2k]

that looks to be an oversaturated photo. I've seen many vendors do that trick to make a drab coral seem vivid.

[DaveS]

Out of curiosity, if you color corrected the photos so the eggcrate is white, does it make for a more accurate color representation?

 

Thanks for the warning!

[Coral Hind]

It is hard to get it absolutely white again because the pic has been changed so much. Adjusting saturation, gamma correction, contrast, and color balance gets it close to white and to what the coral actually looks like.

[Noobalicious]

I hadn't even noticed when I ordered. Was wondering why there was a difference in colors when I got mine.

[phisigs79]

can you post a picture of the true color?

[L8 2 RISE]

The blue isn't the only sign. If the pic looks blurry, pixelated, oversaturated, or anything like that when other's of the vendors pics are sharp (meaning that they can at least take good pics), it's a sign that they were altered.

Edited May 20, 2010 by L8 2 RISE

[Coral Hind]

I'm not naming as which vendor doesn't matter and the photo I used is just an example of many photos. This is just a broad PSA so people can be aware to watch out for major color doctoring of photos. If you see blue when it should be white then it is WYSI"N"WYG.

[L8 2 RISE]

.

Edited May 20, 2010 by L8 2 RISE

[trockafella]

Maybe there using japanese deepwater eggcrate..!!

[mrcoral.com]

It is hard to take Pics in that SPS tube with the 20K it is so bright. In my reg tubs I take them unde4 the 14k 250 makes it a easier pic. Trust me all you have to do is come in see these thing POP!! The pics don't do them justice. Try me. Look at my last pack and come on in and tell me if the pics or the real thing look better. If anyone has suggestion on how to take a pic under these lights with a Blue tub and white eggcrate please let me know. Like I said I always think my SPS pics suck because of the blue. Trying to get the same look as my reg tanks.

 

 

Off Cherry Picking I will check out the post on Friday. Please come on in and see what I'm talking about. I have some crazy crazy SPS in.

[F&Fmgr]

Maybe there using japanese deepwater eggcrate..!!

 

 

I thought that eggrate was illegal...

[mrcoral.com]

That is the pink Eggcate not Blue

[trockafella]

The eggcrate is legal as long as it isnt attached to eggs when it comes in.. Need REALLY special permits for that...

[trockafella]

Fwiw its worth, corals arent the only thing that looks better in pictures..

[Origami]

If a picture was not altered by post-processing, at least a vendor (any vendor) could post under what conditions the photo was taken. For example, "Unaltered photo of the actual frag, taken under 20K Radium Metal Halides." We all know the impact that lighting can have on how our tanks look. That kind of information could help us to determine how things will look in our tank when they get home. Caveat emptor - let the buyer beware.

[zygote2k]

It is hard to take Pics in that SPS tube with the 20K it is so bright. In my reg tubs I take them unde4 the 14k 250 makes it a easier pic. If anyone has suggestion on how to take a pic under these lights with a Blue tub and white eggcrate please let me know.

 

Somewhere in your cameras' settings, there is a mode to take pictures of high contrast or vivid images. Don't select "Auto", but find the setting that most closely resembles what you are looking at through the display on the camera.

After you take the picture, use the correction software and start adjusting the colors till they are accurate. You can use the white eggcrate as the benchmark and make adjustments so long as the eggcrate remains white. Digital "noise" shows up as purple pixels when you've pushed the limits.

[Der ABT]

its all the white balance, the different setting on most point and shoots just adjust this (cloudy, direct sun, etc etc) on the more technical camera;s you can actually set the white balance (aka take a pic of something white and it will set it to white)

but things like incandescent bulbs all come in different temps just like 20k, 14k etc.

 

Its not just vendors that do this, ive seen it from personal sellers, no so much on here but i have definately seen it.

 

its crap but its just like the carfax comercials, car on fire and ad reads NEW INTERIOR and fresh paint.

 

I can only imagine pink egg crate or rainbow colored. this could start a new trend on how to make frag tanks look AWESOME

[Integral9]

fwiw: Sometimes my camera's color gets skewed by an over abundance of a single primary color. When this happens, I focus the camera somewhere else, and then point the camera at the subject to take the photo. The camera will refocus, but for some reason won't try to correct the color a second time. My camera: old as dirt (well almost... like 7 years now I think) Canon S1 IS.

[lanman]

Somewhere in your cameras' settings, there is a mode to take pictures of high contrast or vivid images. Don't select "Auto", but find the setting that most closely resembles what you are looking at through the display on the camera.

After you take the picture, use the correction software and start adjusting the colors till they are accurate. You can use the white eggcrate as the benchmark and make adjustments so long as the eggcrate remains white. Digital "noise" shows up as purple pixels when you've pushed the limits.

 

I almost started a thread on this a while back. I think I will start one now. 'What is acceptable post-processing of photos?' Look for it in the photography section!

 

bob