Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Beginner's Questions => Topic started by: DaveL on May 01, 2018, 07:35:43 pm
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I'm red green colourblind.
When I shoot with my wife, she often points out scenes to me that I didn't even see.
Do you have experience with colour distorting lenses that help you see red-green?
I'm Canadian; cost of commercially available spectacles is huge. So much so I don't want to buy them in case they don't work.
DaveL
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I discovered I was colour-blind when I was 16
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I'm red green colourblind.
When I shoot with my wife, she often points out scenes to me that I didn't even see.
Do you have experience with colour distorting lenses that help you see red-green?
I'm Canadian; cost of commercially available spectacles is huge. So much so I don't want to buy them in case they don't work.
Hi Dave,
I'd be very skeptical about lenses that are supposed to let you see things that you sensors (eyes) cannot record well enough, to begin with. In a highly tuned (to your specific) situation, there could theoretically be a minor improvement possible, under specific lighting conditions. In general though, I'd let them prove it first before forking out any dough ...
Cheers,
Bart
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A red/green colorblind friend of mine has a pair of glasses that have a sharp notch in their spectral response, at ~550nm (I think), that lets him better see tonal differences across the frequencies "normal" folks interpret as red and green colors. He wears 'em mainly when driving. The effect is less about more colors than about a broader & finer tonal range.
-Dave-
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A red/green colorblind friend of mine has a pair of glasses that have a sharp notch in their spectral response, at ~550nm (I think), that lets him better see tonal differences across the frequencies "normal" folks interpret as red and green colors. He wears 'em mainly when driving. The effect is less about more colors than about a broader & finer tonal range.
-Dave-
That is the impression I have, too, having read about such lenses. And they are very expensive, so I have never tried them.
For the first fifty years of my photography, my R-G color-deficiency was unimportant. All my serious work was black and white, processed by me, while color (Kodachrome) was sent off to Mother Kodak for processing. When I went over to the (digital) Dark Side, it was great fun to be able to make color prints myself. Then a photographer friend of mine visited an exhibit of mine and let me know that the skies in some of my landscapes were too Cyan. Of course they looked blue to me. From that experience I learned never to adjust color balance in any way in images that ought to be "realistic." For abstract images I am willing to do anything that looks interesting to me.
I was about 16 or so when I learned that I was color-blind. My school library had a book of the Ishihara color vision test charts, which clinched it. Later I learned that my situation was just what Mendel would predict: MY mother's father was color-blind, so my mother had normal vision but was a carrier, and exactly half of her male children were color-blind (my brother is not.)
Of course, it was the color-blind one who got interested in photography. :)
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That's my experience exactly Eric. Sameas yours.
I cannot do post processing; it's a burden when talking to photographers with normal eyesight. They simply don't understand.
I recently purchased Maui Jim sunglasses with rose tint. My intention is to distort red, so that it may be more noticeable to me.
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Bart I'm not prepared to buy glasses without trying them first. Your advice is sound.
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A red/green colorblind friend of mine has a pair of glasses that have a sharp notch in their spectral response, at ~550nm (I think), that lets him better see tonal differences across the frequencies "normal" folks interpret as red and green colors. He wears 'em mainly when driving. The effect is less about more colors than about a broader & finer tonal range.
-Dave-
Thanks Dave. There's a business here. Optometrists should be able to provide lenses with coatings tailor made for individuals who are colourblind.
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The way these work, as I understand it, is that colour blind people still have all the necessary neurological processing available - it's just that an imbalance in their eyes that don't send the normal ratios of colour information through to the brain. By selectively blocking some parts of the spectrum, the glasses restore the balance and so the brain determines a more normal/correct colour.
All accounts and peer reviews that I've read suggest that it works, but it would be necessary to custom design them to "perfectly" help someone, but more generic profiles are available once the type of colour blindness is known to "mostly" correct it. Of course, if you look at a colour that is exactly or very close to one of the blocked frequencies, there will be problems in perception but I suspect that such "pure" colours are not common in reality.
Note, I have no expertise or direct experience with these - just an interest and have done some general reading.
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I'm red green colourblind.
When I shoot with my wife, she often points out scenes to me that I didn't even see.
Do you have experience with colour distorting lenses that help you see red-green?
I'm Canadian; cost of commercially available spectacles is huge. So much so I don't want to buy them in case they don't work.
DaveL
I am curious as to why you would want to do color photography. There's a whole world out there for great B&W photos. Who knows, your color blindness might give you an unusual perspective!
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The way these work, as I understand it, is that colour blind people still have all the necessary neurological processing available - it's just that an imbalance in their eyes that don't send the normal ratios of colour information through to the brain. By selectively blocking some parts of the spectrum, the glasses restore the balance and so the brain determines a more normal/correct colour.
This is correct (to the best of my understanding). My red/green colorblind friend can distinguish reds & greens quite well when he wears his notch-filter glasses. Normally he sees 'em all as various shades of something like greenish taupe. People with certain kinds of neurological damage lose the ability to separately process input from the red, green & blue cones. Thus they see in monochrome.
Note that "normal" color vision is just how most people interpret light. Color is all in your head. :D
-Dave-
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Note that "normal" color vision is just how most people interpret light. Color is all in your head. :D
Absolutely, and even "normal" vision can't see certain things or combinations - we just don't notice it :-)
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The way these work, as I understand it, is that colour blind people still have all the necessary neurological processing available - it's just that an imbalance in their eyes that don't send the normal ratios of colour information through to the brain. By selectively blocking some parts of the spectrum, the glasses restore the balance and so the brain determines a more normal/correct colour.
All accounts and peer reviews that I've read suggest that it works, but it would be necessary to custom design them to "perfectly" help someone, but more generic profiles are available once the type of colour blindness is known to "mostly" correct it. Of course, if you look at a colour that is exactly or very close to one of the blocked frequencies, there will be problems in perception but I suspect that such "pure" colours are not common in reality.
Note, I have no expertise or direct experience with these - just an interest and have done some general reading.
Thanks for your answer. I'll investigate this further.
I saw the Enchroma videos a couple of years ago. However, I've had mixed results doing their tests to determine whether they can help.
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I am curious as to why you would want to do color photography. There's a whole world out there for great B&W photos. Who knows, your color blindness might give you an unusual perspective!
Thanks for your response. I appreciate it very much. Years ago (film days) I had a small profitable photo business for years. Wedding photography was a large part of it. Clients insisted on colour. Frankly it was very stressful for me. (I have trouble and can't pick a tie to go with a suit or shirt.)
I love black and white photography. I've shot a lot of TriX.
I don't do post processing.
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One of the advantages of colour blindness is that the army quite like it - pattern disruptive camouflage patterns rely on normal colour vision and don't work for certain conditions of colour blindness!
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I am curious as to why you would want to do color photography. There's a whole world out there for great B&W photos. Who knows, your color blindness might give you an unusual perspective!
I don't see the problem?
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One of the advantages of colour blindness is that the army quite like it - pattern disruptive camouflage patterns rely on normal colour vision and don't work for certain conditions of colour blindness!
Thanks Phil!
Many years ago I wondered about joining the Navy. I was raised a Navy Brat.
I can't see deer in the woods at all. I think I wouldn't have lasted in the Army if the snipers were hiding in the woods.
Dave
Ps. Bought Maui Jim sport glasses with rose lenses. The red stop signs and red lights pop out at me now.
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I don't see the problem?
Hugh, I like your image!
I have trouble with colour correction. I have trouble with post processing. Heck, I can't adjust colour on a monitor or tv. (I can't match a coloured tie to a suit or jacket. So I don't wear ties!)
I used to have a profitable but small photo business in film days. I did a good job; however, I was solely dependant on my photofinisher. It was stressful
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I purchased sunglasses that distort colour. Maui Jim with rose lenses and reader strips on the bottom.
They are really helping me.
I see red much more clearly; I can see traffic signals far ahead of me now.
Photography is enhanced too. I see red quite a bit better; I see green a little better. I can see red berries on trees, and ripe red apples. I don't see green apples on trees as well as red.
Thanks to others who have posted. We learn to cope with colourblindness. However, it affects me every day.
DaveL
Toronto
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I purchased sunglasses that distort colour. Maui Jim with rose lenses and reader strips on the bottom.
They are really helping me.
I see red much more clearly; I can see traffic signals far ahead of me now.
Photography is enhanced too. I see red quite a bit better; I see green a little better. I can see red berries on trees, and ripe red apples. I don't see green apples on trees as well as red.
Thanks to others who have posted. We learn to cope with colourblindness. However, it affects me every day.
That's great! Glad the Maui Jims are useful to you.
-Dave-
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Thanks for your posts here.
I bought them for the reader strips on them.
Changing from sunglasses to readers was dangerous in the car when driving. I drive a lot
The rider strips are amazing.
Glasses were worth the cost just for that reason.
Great gratitude for the colour benefit.
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Dave, you're very welcome!
-Dave-