[WWI] Estimating colour from black and white photographs

[Douglas Anderson]

Unfortunately these photographs are reprinted in a book, the were taken in the then Southern Rhodesia at midday in the bright African sun. I should scan them and send them in. Then you will see my dilemma! In one photograph both the red and blue appear black, and in the second, what I assume is red, appears to be a light colour. Hmmm, i think it might be easier if I quickly built a time-machine and hopped back to see what the original colours were.

Shane Weier <bristolf2b at hotmail.com> wrote:  D says

>Lighter shades correspond to lighter colours, and darker shades correspond 
>to darker colours. Unless that the picture was shot with orthochromatic 
>film, then darker colours can ALSO correspond to reddish or yellower 
>colours. That gives a lot of latitude to choose,

Know in advance. If there's a written source that says J.11 used red on 
certain parts of their triplanes, and the photo has dark struts where they 
should be light if factory painted - it's probably red.

If it's not a J.11 tripe, and the struts are dark, then they aren't factory 
painted. And that's ALL you can say. At least you eliminated one colour!

IMHO it can't be done without external knowledge. I once listed over 30 
factors affecting tonality on a black and white print, only one of which is 
colour.

Shane (list wet blanket)

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My Strine is a Toad in Disguise

Quidvis recte factum,
quanvis humile, praeclarum
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