# Red background question



## leehljp (Dec 8, 2008)

My way of achieving a good photo is to take a hundred picts and hope one is comes out great!:biggrin:

My questions are: 
1. What is it about red backgrounds that causes pen (and other items) to appear different in color than they actually are? 
2. What can be done or adjusted to have a decent red background yet still allow the correct colors of the items to show forth?

I know the answers will require some techno-speak, but I really would like to understand this. I understand RGB vs CYMK, pigment prime colors vs light prime, and print photos vs screen photos, but the color "red" usually baffles me.

There have been a few red backgrounds posted (and I did one a while back) that greatly alter the colors of the item in it. Red certainly is an enticing background in theory but in actuality I have seen few that allow the true colors to come out. Christmas is coming and probably more will be coming forth.

Recommendations? Thanks.


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## wdcav1952 (Dec 8, 2008)

Hank, everyone knows I am photo-challenged, so take this for what it is worth.  Put a piece of gray (or white, depending on your software) material in the corner of the background.  Take the shot, and used the material to set your color balance.  Then, crop the material out of the final photo.

FWIW,


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## beck3906 (Dec 8, 2008)

What about taking a photo on a white background, then using a paint tool to "paint" the background red?  You should have the correct color item yet have a red color of the hundreds of shades possible.


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## ranchonodinero (Dec 8, 2008)

No facts here, BUT...   ...newer digital cameras have better digital processors. I noticed that when I made a switch from an older model to a newer one, there was much less effort required in the way of color correction than the older model. However, take any subject and add a splash of red somewhere-fishing hat or something and it seems to improve the color.


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## NewLondon88 (Dec 8, 2008)

leehljp said:


> My questions are:
> 1. What is it about red backgrounds that causes pen (and other items) to appear different in color than they actually are?
> 2. What can be done or adjusted to have a decent red background yet still allow the correct colors of the items to show forth?/quote]
> 
> ...


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## ranchonodinero (Dec 8, 2008)

Some of it too can be the computer that is used to view the image-I don't think you can blame it all on the cameras.


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