|
Post by Paul Jackson on Jan 4, 2021 10:03:46 GMT
The technology has arrived through which black-and-white historic photographs can be converted to colour by a simple computer programme. The effect is convincing, but has yet to be proved absolutely infallible.
Clearly, there is potential to enrich Air-Britain’s publications in this way.
Would colour added by computer enhance or cheapen magazine articles?
Might the debate be informed by a demonstration in the pages of Aviation World?
Members' opinions are welcome. Paul Jackson, Editor
|
|
|
Post by Stig Jarlevik on Jan 4, 2021 10:39:18 GMT
Well Paul
I guess I have one foot in each camp. I actually like to see old photos they way they were taken, in black & white! But I can also see a clear merit in showing things how they actually were! Humans have after all always been able to see the world in colours.... My main reason for dislike is the many "crooks" out there trying to fake the truth without saying the photo has been colourised. If we can avoid such problems, I would say it is OK with me.
You have most likely also come across the other trend, that is to make modern photos look older by converting them into black & white instead. It is almost like it has become a sort of game to try and fool people who look. I don't like that!
Cheers Stig
|
|
|
Post by geoffnegus on Jan 4, 2021 10:48:51 GMT
Hundreds of colourised photos are to be found on Facebook and other social media sites. Many of your readers are probably already familiar with them.
These images are certainly not infallible. Knowledgeable people sometimes point out errors (eg incorrect colour scheme tones) to their creators, but more often than not they are disinterested.
There is no requirement for these images to be flagged up or labelled as having been colourised. Anyway, how could such a requirement be enforced?
Consequently, these images are being copied and increasingly being accepted as being the originals, even in books.
Surely no serious historian striving for accuracy could endorse this.
Geoffrey Negus
|
|
|
Post by jindivik on Jan 4, 2021 11:22:37 GMT
I agree with geoffnegus, this could lead to all sorts of dubious colours becoming "fact" in the future.
Alan Southcombe (21601)
|
|
|
Post by andym on Jan 4, 2021 11:45:20 GMT
I also agree with Geoff. Whilst such images (and indeed recent films/documentaries) are undoubtedly interesting, the actual colours used are at the whim of the illustrator/colourer. There is no real way of knowing if they are historically correct. A slippery slope I think.
|
|
|
Post by eLaReF on Jan 4, 2021 20:38:43 GMT
|
|
|
Post by geoffnegus on Jan 4, 2021 22:34:14 GMT
Don't overlook the fact that you took those pictures, so would have some idea of what they ought to look like when colourised. And with more recent aircraft, there may be genuine colour shots around that might be used as references.
Many of the colourised images appearing on the web were taken 70 or more years ago. The other day I saw a colourised version of a famous pre-war shot by the legendary, magnificent Charles E Brown. The "colouriser" should be taken out and shot.
Geoff
|
|
|
Post by eLaReF on Jan 4, 2021 23:24:36 GMT
The "colouriser" should be taken out and shot.
I would agree, except that it's a computer algorithm, so my other hobby of shooting wouldn't be much use.
|
|
|
Post by eLaReF on Jan 4, 2021 23:31:49 GMT
I'll delete this if necessary I've changed my avatar to another school shot Why? I have another that was colourised by hand back then in the late 50's Much better than the computerised ones!! Re-Coloured - After by eLaReF, on Flickr
|
|
|
Post by davidkeeble on Jan 5, 2021 8:45:22 GMT
As an organisation for serious historians we should not even be considering this suggestion. By all means colourise your photos if you want to use them on Christmas Cards, but not to illustrate the past !
Happy New Year to all members
David
|
|
|
Post by Paul Jackson on Jan 6, 2021 9:39:52 GMT
My thanks to all who have contributed opinions.
The general view seems to be that computer-aided addition of colour is not wise in a serious, historic publication—an opinion amply confirmed by the image of a Gloster Gladiator seemingly in the ‘Utterly Butterly’ aerobatic team colours.
We continue the quest for means to widen readership of Aviation World, but note that this is not one of the answers.
Paul
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2021 10:23:36 GMT
I have been following this thread with some interest. One thing that puzzles me is why colouring side view drawings such as are used in the Davies/ Machat books or Profiles Is OK but using a picture as the basis for colouring is not acceptable providing that it is made clear?
|
|
|
Post by geoffnegus on Jan 6, 2021 11:07:49 GMT
A drawing is almost always attributed and/or is unmistakenly a drawing (because of the angle of the subject aircraft and the absence of background).
But there is no enforceable requirement to make it clear that a photograph has been colourised. Colourised images are passing into currency as "the real thing".
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2021 11:30:02 GMT
To follow up I did say "providing it is made clear" And I have enough trust in the editors to believe that would be done in Air Britain publications if such photos were used. These "coloured" photos are out there in all fields not just aviation. As a result I'm afraid we'll have to learn to live with them. So if they add to the article and are clearly identified why not use them?
|
|
|
Post by eLaReF on Jan 6, 2021 12:13:15 GMT
I already had this album with people in it showing the before and afters of each. www.flickr.com/photos/elaref/sets/72157714617228287/You could say that generally, colourisation was an improvement for that where, as long as it applies skin tones, grass etc., it looks OK apart from a couple of areas (The three figures in front of a Shackleton and the two women with a young child) where the legs and clothing are a bit grey. So the algorithms have a bit to go yet even for those. They will never cope, as I said above with a multicoloured fleet like Braniff's or Court line. I can do a more accurate job myself with transparent coloured layers in photoshop, but it takes a lot more time. This was for a young rep's leaving card. He was joining a competitor and getting a BMW X1 as a company car Beemer Before and after by eLaReF, on Flickr So, it's definitely a NO vote for me
|
|