Most smartphone users do not bother to change their camera settings when they need to take the best possible picture. All we do is, go to the camera app and just take the picture. With the use of Real Tone, any user’s skin tone can be more realistically reproduced, regardless of how they appear in front of the camera. These models and algorithms are aimed at improving computational photography and making it appear more natural.
This year, Google unveiled a plan to create a more inclusive camera system that better represents a wide range of skin colours. The idea behind this is that smartphone cameras have historically not been tested with a wide enough range of different subjects.
According to New York Times VP of Creative Vida Cornelious, “Image technology was calibrated for white skin, that meant that the spectrum and variety of colors had to conform to that calibration.” Image algorithms that performed well for light skin tones were later developed that were less effective for darker skin tones. So, when the latter was photoed, the pictures often looked gray or washed out, especially when the lighting was bad. Here’s where Real Tone comes in. With it, the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro should be able to take pictures that are more accurate than any other smartphone camera and show you better if you have darker skin.
Real Tone filters are being added to Google Photos in order to accommodate a wider range of skin tones. The Tech giant made the announcement via @Android on Twitter noting that this week that it will start adding new Real Tone filters to Google Photos.
The new filters can be accessed in the ‘Filters’ tab of Google Photos’ image editor on Android, iOS, and the web. According to the company, the new Real Tone filters were designed by “professional image makers” in order to accurately represent different skin tones in photos.
In the above screenshot tweeted by @googlephotos, the Real Tone filters include “Playa,” “Honey,” “Isla,” and “Desert.” Once you apply a Real Tone filter, the editing screen will display a badge that reads “Made with Real Tone.”
Google introduced Real Tone for Pixel phones in 2021. According to the Tech giant, “We vastly improved our camera tuning models and algorithms to more accurately highlight the nuances of diverse skin tones with Real Tone software.” an effort to make faces with all skin tones appear as well as possible in photographs.
This month, the company announced at its I/O developer conference that it would be integrating a 10-shade skin tone scale into several of its products over the next few months, as well as releasing a new set of Real Tone filters for Google Photos that use the the scale. These redesigned Real Tone filters are now available and have been evaluated using the MST Scale to ensure compatibility with all skin tones.
The Monk Skin Tone (MST) scale, a 10-shade skin tone, is designed to be more inclusive of a wide range of skin colors. It was developed in collaboration with Dr. Ellis Monk, who is a sociologist and a professor at Harvard.
According to Google, the new approach and scale will enable the company to determine whether a product or feature is compatible with a variety of skin tones. With Dr. Monk’s help, the company will keep evaluating MST Scale across various regions and product applications. With the MST Scale, Google says that it has taken a significant step toward achieving its goal of improving skin tone inclusivity and improving representation in technology.
