Increasingly well-known documentary photographer and MatadorU contributor Ryan Libre has the following 6 tips on getting great colors in your photos without post processing.
1. Use a polarizer filter.
Daisetsuzan National Park in Hokkaido is the largest national park in Japan. All images courtesy Ryan Libre.
A polarizer filter takes away reflections when used at the right angles. By cutting out the reflection you can see the “true” colors. These colors can be more vivid than the human eye can see, but are very real. It especially works great on leaves, the sky, water, and skin tones.
2. Underexpose a little or a lot.
The Kachin Independence Army has been fighting for freedom from the Burmese military Junta since 1961. All images courtesy Ryan Libre.
Your camera’s built-in metering system tends to err on the side of lighter exposures. This leaves colors looking faded or washed out. If you underexpose your images the colors will be much richer. Try -2/3rds of a stop.
3. Adjust your in-camera saturation level.
If it’s an overcast day and you know the colors might be a little dull, you can adjust your in-camera saturation. Most every camera has this option. This has two advantages over photoshopping it later. One is you can see the colors in front of you and can select a more “real” saturation level than you can looking at your monitor in an office abstracted from the context of the photograph. The other benefit is that it just saves time.
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Ryan Libre
Ryan Libre is a photojournalist based in Japan and Thailand. He was awarded the 2010 Nikon Inspiration Award for his photographic work on the Kachin struggle for independence in Myanmar. Please visit his homepage www.ryanlibre.com.
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