Ok I have been working on videos and cannot seem to get the "green" out of the picture. I would like the water to look crisp, clean and blue.
I'm sure this is a lighting issue but wasn't sure if there was software that could correct the color? I just upgraded from PowerDirector 10 to PowerDirector 11 Ulitmate Suite and am still learning the software and am hesitant to sink another $150+ into the PowerDirector 12 Ultimate Suite to find out I should have just improved the lighting.
On lighting, how much is enough? I'm using a GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition and a handheld light. (Be gentle please, I am new to the video thing.) I saw that H2ODoctor and Mateo1147 have massive lumen power to saturate the area. When I try this (1000 lumen light) it just creates a hot spot that washes everything out.
Suggestions?
Taking the green out
Re: Taking the green out
If you took at the green "out" there really wouldn't be very much light left. All of the red wavelengths are filtered out, they just aren't there. So to "fix" this you need to add light in the wavelengths you desire. Lots and lots of light since water sucks up light energy like crazy. You need lights off axis from the camera and they need to have diffusers on them to avoid backscatter and hotspots respectively.
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Re: Taking the green out
I'm in the same boat as you, new to video, and messing around with setups that don't cost an absolute fortune. I just ordered a couple lights from deal extreme with 120 degree spread diffusers, and putting a camera tray with arm moutns together, all said and done right around 200$. I'll let yah know how it turns out, figure at that price (the lights were only lke 30$) there's not much to lose.
I have found though that the green is just part of the deal around here, if you don't want to drop mega cash on some fancy lights. My dusty can light with the basic diffuser he sends with them actually does really well to help. Without the diffuser, it does make a bad hotspot though. It kinda of requires its own light, having the diffuser works, but sorta makes the light much less effective for signaling to your buddies, so I end up just popping it on and off throughout the dive. But - if you don't have a can light yet, that's a great way to kill things at once and at least give you a start on a video light. This is from last week, you can see the different sections that have a "soft" light, vs the hotspots that are from buddy lights, vs just ambient light ranging from 60' up to around 20.
I have found though that the green is just part of the deal around here, if you don't want to drop mega cash on some fancy lights. My dusty can light with the basic diffuser he sends with them actually does really well to help. Without the diffuser, it does make a bad hotspot though. It kinda of requires its own light, having the diffuser works, but sorta makes the light much less effective for signaling to your buddies, so I end up just popping it on and off throughout the dive. But - if you don't have a can light yet, that's a great way to kill things at once and at least give you a start on a video light. This is from last week, you can see the different sections that have a "soft" light, vs the hotspots that are from buddy lights, vs just ambient light ranging from 60' up to around 20.
I think you've figured out the root cause of your problems. Even sea lions get annoyed by splitfin divers silting out their dive sites. Switch back to your jets and you'll be safe from the sea lion silt prevention patrol from now on. - NWbrewer
Re: Taking the green out
you can edit out the green with video software... I have a diffused video light setup for sale pM me if you're interested
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Paladin4Christ
- Aquaphile
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Sat May 04, 2013 11:08 am
Re: Taking the green out
Ok you got me on the removal of the green. In actuality I need to add all the missing colors.CaptnJack wrote:If you took at the green "out" there really wouldn't be very much light left. All of the red wavelengths are filtered out, they just aren't there. So to "fix" this you need to add light in the wavelengths you desire. Lots and lots of light since water sucks up light energy like crazy. You need lights off axis from the camera and they need to have diffusers on them to avoid backscatter and hotspots respectively.
That being said, lots and lots of light was what I was afraid of.
Re: Taking the green out
Green is from the algae in the water, or specifically chlorophyll. If you remember high school biology, chlorophyll is the green stuff that enables photosynthesis, the way plants absorb energy from light. It happens that blue and red light get absorbed, leaving mostly green.
To over come this, you need lots of light.
Backscatter is from lighted particles between your subject and your lens. In other words, if you want to avoid backscatter, avoid lighting the water between your lens and your subject.
Diffusers widen the beam angle and smooth out hot spots of your light source. You get broader and more even lighting coverage, but backscatter becomes harder to control.
To over come this, you need lots of light.
Backscatter is from lighted particles between your subject and your lens. In other words, if you want to avoid backscatter, avoid lighting the water between your lens and your subject.
Diffusers widen the beam angle and smooth out hot spots of your light source. You get broader and more even lighting coverage, but backscatter becomes harder to control.
Re: Taking the green out
Or just shoot video at night or very deep <grin> then you won't get all the green ambient.
if there is a lot of ambient, even with massive lights, unless you are very close and the subject is reflecting all the color back to the sensor (AKA filling most of the screen) it is hard to get video with no green out here in the emerald sea. You will get a bubble of color and green vignetting & background. it is easier with the DSLR's or a big 3 chip system but unless vis is just epic the likelyhood of some green is still there.
if you have lots of time and love editing and tinkering in post, you can always use a mask and take the green out of the background selectively but not sure its something i'd bother on for a 'home movie'. Generally save that stuff for paying jobs
Also remember to give shooting 'up' a try. Get nice and close to your subject so whatever light you have hits it and then shoot 'upslope' and you can get some pretty nice footage with graduated green in the background as opposed to just flat green everything.
if there is a lot of ambient, even with massive lights, unless you are very close and the subject is reflecting all the color back to the sensor (AKA filling most of the screen) it is hard to get video with no green out here in the emerald sea. You will get a bubble of color and green vignetting & background. it is easier with the DSLR's or a big 3 chip system but unless vis is just epic the likelyhood of some green is still there.
if you have lots of time and love editing and tinkering in post, you can always use a mask and take the green out of the background selectively but not sure its something i'd bother on for a 'home movie'. Generally save that stuff for paying jobs
Also remember to give shooting 'up' a try. Get nice and close to your subject so whatever light you have hits it and then shoot 'upslope' and you can get some pretty nice footage with graduated green in the background as opposed to just flat green everything.
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"I survived the Brittandrea Dorikulla, where's my T-shirt!"
"I survived the Brittandrea Dorikulla, where's my T-shirt!"
Re: Taking the green out
Hola,
I absolutely agree with all the advice that everyone has given you! Lighting is, in my opinion, one the most important tools in the trade of underwater video. I currently shoot with two 1500 lumen video lights (all I can afford for now), but am looking to upgrade to something in the neighborhood of 4500 to 6000 lumens. Lights get spendy when you go to that level, so it may be awhile. Also, once you have some good video lights, get close to your subject! As close as you can without scaring the fish, octopus, or whatever away, while maintaining good composition. Approaching slowly, and calmly helps, but those noisy bubbles don't make it easy (rebreather is another spendy piece of gear on my "wish I had" list). Bright a@# video lights don't help either. Kinda a catch 22, but part of shooting video underwater.
As far as editing goes, in my experience, when you have really green video, you can take out a lot of the green with your editing software, but it's a challenge to maintain a realistic look to the video. In other words, you have lost a lot of the green, but now your videos of the Pacific Northwest, and the naturally "emerald" green water, looks unnaturally blue or red tinted. Don't forget that the color of the water is one of the things that make the PNW a unique place to dive. That said, I do tone down the green on a lot of my video clips. I just try to be subtle, and not go too far. I actually want that nice green background, with a foreground subject lit up by my video lights, just as ljjames recommended.
NollyG
I absolutely agree with all the advice that everyone has given you! Lighting is, in my opinion, one the most important tools in the trade of underwater video. I currently shoot with two 1500 lumen video lights (all I can afford for now), but am looking to upgrade to something in the neighborhood of 4500 to 6000 lumens. Lights get spendy when you go to that level, so it may be awhile. Also, once you have some good video lights, get close to your subject! As close as you can without scaring the fish, octopus, or whatever away, while maintaining good composition. Approaching slowly, and calmly helps, but those noisy bubbles don't make it easy (rebreather is another spendy piece of gear on my "wish I had" list). Bright a@# video lights don't help either. Kinda a catch 22, but part of shooting video underwater.
As far as editing goes, in my experience, when you have really green video, you can take out a lot of the green with your editing software, but it's a challenge to maintain a realistic look to the video. In other words, you have lost a lot of the green, but now your videos of the Pacific Northwest, and the naturally "emerald" green water, looks unnaturally blue or red tinted. Don't forget that the color of the water is one of the things that make the PNW a unique place to dive. That said, I do tone down the green on a lot of my video clips. I just try to be subtle, and not go too far. I actually want that nice green background, with a foreground subject lit up by my video lights, just as ljjames recommended.
NollyG
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Paladin4Christ
- Aquaphile
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Sat May 04, 2013 11:08 am
Re: Taking the green out
Ask and you will receive. That should be this boards motto.
I appreciate all the tips and tricks that have been suggested. The best one (and I will paraphrase) "This is the Emerald Sea and green video is expected."
I will look forward to seeing the results when I add a powerful light set up and shoot from different angles, including "shooting up". Never thought of this one which has me intrigued.
Thank you again to everyone who offered their assistance to the newb to shooting video.
I appreciate all the tips and tricks that have been suggested. The best one (and I will paraphrase) "This is the Emerald Sea and green video is expected."
I will look forward to seeing the results when I add a powerful light set up and shoot from different angles, including "shooting up". Never thought of this one which has me intrigued.
Thank you again to everyone who offered their assistance to the newb to shooting video.
Re: Taking the green out
Manual white balance underwater will help, but will not put back light that is not there to begin with.