Silver On Titanium: A Study In Color

I've been studying color editing in LAB mode, so I took this shot to experiment in how LAB differentiates color. In this picture, I have put a toned Greek silver coin on a sheet of titanium--two metals with distinct color casts. This photo wasn't meant to be technically perfect--otherwise I wouldn't hand-held this shot. But, I think it shows how LAB is well-suited to bring out subtle coloration differences, especially on subjects which are almost neutral--like metals. If you haven't tried editing in LAB mode, I think you'll be really surprised at the flexibility and power of working with color channels independent of brightness. LAB is an acronym for L (lightness channel) + A (red-green bias channel) + B (yellow-blue bias channel). A really instructive book to learn this technique is by Dan Margulis, titled "Photoshop LAB Color".