Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/07/01
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 02:39 PM 01/07/97 +0200, you wrote: >Dear folks, > >I recently tried to photograph a rainbow after a rainstorm with my new >M6 and Summicron 2/50. I used Royal Gold 25. Altough the rainbow was >very clear and the color beautifully separated with a complete rainbow >arc in the sky, the results were a bit disappointing. I took several >pictures with different apertures. >Any experience to share? What have I missed? You said you used different apertures ... did you bracket? The color in a rainbow appears more dramatic if you underexpose, about a 1/2 stop on slide film or 1/2 to 1 full stop at least on color negative film. This will saturate the colors in the rainbow and bring them out more. A polarizing filter helps too. I have had similar experiences. Without underexposing, the rainbow looks washed out. A lot depends too on the color of the sky in the background. If it is a very dark sky, then the rainbow really stands out. Against a lighter background the colors are less intense. As to why the rainbow appears brighter in your memory than on film -- this may possibly have something to do with your color perception and short-term memory -- but this is getting out of the realm of photography and more into psychology. Nevertheless, these kinds of things are related to photography. Many times I have waited to see my slides or prints, having felt that I really captured something beautiful on film, only to be disappointed with the results. Then something really strange happens. I get an occasional shot which I did not think much of at the time it was taken, and when it shows up on the light box or in the developing tray, then WOW! Every photographer has had that experience. If I understood more about why this happens the way it does, then I could likely bring back better pictures more consistently. - -GH