Colourblind Photographer

LukeyKid

Sorry for the title, I really didn't know what to call it :pac:

I really started to enjoy photography the last year and a half, I took a module in my final semester in college. I loved it! I used cameras for most of my time in college but it never really clicked with me until then. (The module was product photography specifically)

At the moment I do photography as my main hobby, I would be interested in pursuing a career in photography but (here is where the title makes sense) I'm colourblind and sadly not your typical Red-green colours but pretty much the lot of them.

I don't view this as a downside, I never have, I've always loved seeing colours differently from others it's fun and interesting. Usually, I don't have any issues, I am pretty safe with colouring and I don't like to change too much in my photos or art. I generally always get someone to look at my work before I "finalise" as if I did change or add colours in, I am choosing them because I think they're right but my range of "guaranteed colours" is rather small.

Fun fact: I see most healthy foliage/grass as orange and dying foliage/grass as green/orange)

I can still see all the basic colours but when you start to make "shades of colours" I will generally only see the most dominant colour.

red - brown - green
green - orange
blue - pink - purple
green - yellow
red - pink
white - off white - grey - light pink - light blue

These are all colour combinations that in a lot of situations I can't tell the difference or can find very difficult to.

Anything freelance or home-based is fine, there wouldn't be any issues but if I were to go into the marketing side of things where everything needs to be correct and professional, I cannot rely on others to make sure my work is on point.

I would like other peoples opinions on whether you think this will be an issue in a professional work environment.

Irishphotodesk

Like all jobs, is possible but would be very difficult to do, most photography jobs I know generally require you to do the work yourself.

you may find difficulty with getting a job if the company has to hire or have someone supervise/check your work before it goes out, it would add an extra layer if cost for them so they're more likely to hire someone who can do the job without supervision.

Heebie

Perhaps, if you see shades of grey more similarly to how the non-color-blind do, you could work in black and white?
It would put your photographic work in a niche.

Perhaps you could also work up a set of color profiles with someone, that would "remap" colors to make them easier for you to work with, and remap the stuff you've adjusted to look more like what most would expect?

The purpose of color profiles is to compensate for imperfect color rendition.

Or perhaps the color corrections you make, especially if they end up with some sort of consistently, could be your "signature style" ?

LukeyKid

Heebie wrote: »

Perhaps, if you see shades of grey more similarly to how the non-color-blind do, you could work in black and white?
It would put your photographic work in a niche.

Perhaps you could also work up a set of color profiles with someone, that would "remap" colors to make them easier for you to work with, and remap the stuff you've adjusted to look more like what most would expect?

The purpose of color profiles is to compensate for imperfect color rendition.

Or perhaps the color corrections you make, especially if they end up with some sort of consistently, could be your "signature style" ?

Thanks for your input a guys, yeah I feel that if I were to go into a professional environment I would need to find some system that enabled me to constantly colour my work with out relying on others. Overall I feel I do a pretty good drop in my own but you can't be risking it in a work environment.
I would be more interested in trying to hon my own style then to stick with black and white as it's not really something I particularly enjoy. I think black and white photos are very nice and work really well for particular styles but I generally don't go out of my way to take images with black and white in mind.

sheesh

You would definitely have to have some process for colours but that is doable I would say. The only time it might screw with you is with white balance but that might be helped with a grey card (that can be part of your process)

A lot of professional photography that you see is framing lighting posing

A lot of landscapes are just getting up early in morning for the light (ok there's more to it)

Or just do black and whites

What kind of photography are you thinking of doing?