The Original is Not Always Right – Weird and Wacky Stuff

Because most photographs include people, neutrals and/or common colours such as blue skies, green grass and sand (of varying colors) special attention is given to the reproduction of those colours in the manufacture of colour film and paper. As a result colours such as chartreuse, lime, pink and orange may not reproduce as accurately. Remember there are only 3 colour dyes within the emulsion (cyan, magenta and yellow) from which to reproduce all the colours within the visible spectrum.

There are also are range of less obvious reasons why a colour may not reproduce accurately. Colour films are sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Therefore a fabric reflecting energy, in the form of UV light, will photograph bluer than it looks. If the fabric is blue, little or no problem is evident. If, however, the fabric is of a warm hue (color), that color will be reduced in purity. Because of their low colour saturation neutral, or near neutral colours, are the most susceptible to this problem. The black of a groom’s suit or the near white of a brides dress, photographed under bluish color light, may display this color caste to a greater degree than the rest of the scene.