I am trying to figure out whether to postprocess my shots using Nik Color Efx, "Pro Contrast" filter. To me, on my PC, I think they look better afterwards. But on the Mac, it may not be an improvement at all.
I'd be curious to hear your opinions, since I need to do this with a set of headshots (and for my future reference).
#1 looks a bit pasty and pale to me. #2 has an appropriate pinkish tone to the skin and more details. I'm on a Windows machine with a monitor that has been calibrated, though not in a long time.
I'm on a mac, safari, I agree #2 is warmer and more natural, but #1 seems a bit sharper, but that's my personal feeling that the cooler the color the sharper. It's a mind thing. But #2 seems more natural.
Ok, thanks. Both my monitors PC/Mac are calibrated with an EyeOne.
#1 clearly look better on my PC--just has more contrast, colors seem light and natural to me. But I've long suspected that my PC monitor (a Dell 30") is so "strong colored" that despite calibrating, it gives me a false sense of color.
So I'll just have to "compensate" in my brain and trust the shots without the pro contrast filter from Nik (on of the Color Efex). I like not having to use anything but lightroom anyway. Anyone else use that filter by the way?
Skin tone is much better on the second. i loove the Nik "pro contrast" filter in small doses like that. btw it looks better on both my calibrated macbook and my uncalibrated dell second screen. like in your case the dell screen is much more contrasty.
On both my calibrated monitors version 2 looks better. When I put v1 on one monitor and v2 on the other I barely see a difference but there is one. The difference is seen in his forehead, mostly.
Both look good on my calibrated mac screen. I also agree that the second one has a more natural skin tone to it. It also appears in the first one that highlights might be clipping on his forehead.
I do like the Pro Contrast filter in ColorEfx, but it, for me, only suitable for certain images--it can have a very slightly edgy appeal in some shots, and in others it just doesn't work. I don't consider it a standard workflow item, but it has its uses.
