Computer Coloured Monochrome

[strang steel]

I know, sorry.

My comments are not meant as criticisms, just suggestions for completedness really.

[Redrock]

Superbly done!
I'd like to have a go at this myself, what sort of software do you need, and is it very time consuming to do it properly?

As far as historical accuracy goes, a genuine colour photo from the 1930's or even the 50's is unlikely to show true colours either. Perhaps if I was going to publish a colourised scene I might consider leaving part of the background B&W, so that anyone viewing can tell it is not an origonal colour photo.

[Darwin4975]

It's heartening to see that others are interested in trying their hand as I've had nothing else so far with which to compare my own efforts. I would be willing to give any assistance necessary to get things started and will set up a new post on How to Add Colour to Monochrome, quite soon with a step by step guide.

Meanwhile here is one of my early (about 3 years ago) attempts. The first scan shows what at the time I thought was the final and best version (1). A much more recent re-work of the same is shown in (2). In this, parts have received colour which were neglected in the first version (eg cylinder drain cocks and lamp glasses) and the colours have been made more subtle. When starting at computer coloured monochrome it's all to easy to make the colours too intense and garish - a temptation which should be resisted. (I still have my very first attempt but I wouldn't let anyone see it!) This particular picture was taken by me in b/w and so having been there at the time I probably am better qualified than most to know exactly how the scene looked. 60025 was working a Sunday diverted express down Stockton Bank in February 1962.

[1H was 2E]

I have been following this thread with interest, not least because it seems that using this technology one could actually discover livery details, for example whether a suburban coach photo'd in the fifties was in BR red or LNER brown.
However, for those of us who did use colour but were happiest surrounded by industry, with smoke filled sky, poor light, neglected surroundings and slow films the result was an almost black and white effect. Here's an example. To me this photo captures the character of steam days, and the small splashes of colour seem to highlight the general wonderful brutality of the shed that I miss so much.
It would be interesting to see what the programme would have made if I'd taken a black & white photo; would it have tried to put more colour in than really exists, and perhaps spoilt the effect ?

[giner]

Thanks 1H was 2E. It looks like a classic Kodachrome shot that was quite a while between the photo being taken and it being processed. I think the pinkish cast is indicating that. No reason why it couldn't be digitised into b&w, then CCM'd though. Would make an interesting project, for sure.

[Solario]

I would be willing to give any assistance necessary to get things started and will set up a new post on How to Add Colour to Monochrome, quite soon with a step by step guide.

I look forward to seeing that. It should be fun having a go.

Many thanks for sharing your efforts with us, Darwin. I think that they are great.

[Darwin4975]

A reply to 1H was 2E: The same software will also convert colour to b/w (from which a CCM project could begin). It also enables 'improvement' of the original colour picture. Many colour slides taken in poor light conditions suffer from inaccurate colour balance and often excessive blue as seems to be the case with the K1 at West Hartlepool. A single click operation to decrease blue is often worth trying. Regarding the idea of adding colour to a b/w image which had originally been taken in colour, the fact still remains that the sharpness of the original picture must be extremely good or the task becomes almost impossible as colour boundaries can't be distinguished

[strang steel]

Does it have to be false coloured?

I just fiddled around with a colour correction software package for a few minutes and came up with this -

[The extension bmp has been deactivated and can no longer be displayed.]

Which seems to be something of an improvement. More time and effort would probably make it even better.

[1H was 2E]

Thanks for the time and effort that's been put into improving my snap. That photo was taken on 35mm slide film. I thought I was a proper photographer at the time. Here's one I took a few yerars before, on neg film using a Brownie 127 I won at the fair, which might prove a point....

[The extension bmp has been deactivated and can no longer be displayed.]

[Darwin4975]

This posting concerns CCM. I'd be grateful if contributors to the debate would restrict themselves to this subject.

[Darwin4975]

How many out there can remember what Garter Blue actually looked like? All I have to judge from are the few colour transparencies taken at the time and these tend to vary slightly but show a less ultramarine shade than that adopted subsequently by BR. This picture was taken in b/w in August 1948 and shows the Flying Scotsman diverted through Leeds by flooding near Berwick. It is in the early stages of colour conversion and the first task is to get the basic shade of blue correct. To my colour vision, 'B' looks right but that's just how it seems to me.

[silverfox]

David,
for some reason it appears my system is not letting me send any mail, with it just sitting in the outbox!!
Could you send me your email address as i have found another pic of the loco that may be more suitable

Ron

[StevieG]

David,
for some reason it appears my system is not letting me send any mail, with it just sitting in the outbox!!
Could you send me your email address as i have found another pic of the loco that may be more suitable

Ron

Ron,
If, by "...send any mail...", you're referring to the "pm" personal/private message facility at the bottom of posts herein, I think that sent messages may stay in the "Outbox" until opened by the recipient.
I was once initially puzzled by PM messages behaving that way in another, but very similarly organised, forum.

[Darwin4975]

First an apology. My rash offer to tell all about how to make CCM pictures was revealed as such yesterday when I gave it serious thought and realised that it involves a huge amount of information. It would require a lot of time writing it down -not to mention you reading it. I think the best plan would be to speak verbally to anyone interested. If you want to learn more please send me a message to this effect and we'll arrange a phone discussion. This applies not just to colourisation but also the improvement of digital images using Photoshop. Meanwhile I will continue to display images that may interest LNER followers.
The one attached is made from a print rather than a negative. Negatives are a far better starting point as prints inevitably lose detail in the highlights and the shadows during the printing process, especially when printed on contrasty paper -as was often the case. The picture shown here is the first run of the Capitals Limited on 23rd May 1949 and features 60010. I only saw this one in action in her double chimney days and of course the bell was removed when the kylchap blastpipe was fitted.

The short-lived BR blue was quite distinctive and very different from garter blue. The cabside number and tender lettering were also a very pale yellow verging on white. As far as I know the headboard had a black background. Can anyone confirm? Any comment on the coach shown here regarding shade of brown would be appreciated.

[richard]

StevieG: Yes they stay in the "Outbox" until they are opened by the recipient.