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05/24/2006 05:52:48 AM · #1 |
what order do most of you use when editing a photo....
USM, neat image, contrast, sharpening
I don't do much with levels, curves and such only because I really don't know the proper way of using them.
Thanks for the help in advance.
g
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05/24/2006 05:54:49 AM · #2 |
I myself have no particular order. I know some crop before they do anything, or even resize first, but I don't. I think it depends on the image. Let's say you bring up an image that you know automatically needs more light added before you can do anything further. Then you would do the light first in gamma or whatever you use. Then from there you see it needs sharpening, so you go that way. Could be fine lighting, but maybe needs some HMS. So I think it is different with each photo myself.
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05/24/2006 05:57:26 AM · #3 |
1. Neat Image
2. Color Correction
3. Contrast
4. All other stuff
5. USM
6. Resize
7. USM |
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05/24/2006 06:01:57 AM · #4 |
Im probably doing mine in all the wrong order but this is what I do:
crop(if needed)
sharpen
adjustments(levels,contrast,colors ect..)
Noiseware
resize
USM
sharpen edges(unless this over does it and causes jaggies)
save 4 web
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05/24/2006 06:04:26 AM · #5 |
My simple workflow
1. Straighten the image - Water line or not I straighten every image horizontal or vertical
2. Crop - Straighten does an autocrop so I crop to a standard format
3. Initial Sharpen - Sharpen adds contrast so I sharpen before Levels and curves
4. Levels and Curves - Levels and curves for the exposure I like
5. Check for and if needed:
a. Balance Color (remove colorcast if any)
b. Remove small distractions
c. Dodge and Burn
d. Noise Reduction
6. Resize
7. Final Sharpen
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05/24/2006 06:12:27 AM · #6 |
Crop should usually be the first step. Depending on your image, a crop may actually impact your other adjustments significantly.
Generally resize and the final USM should always be your last steps. This prevents you from getting funky artifact in the final image. :) |
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05/24/2006 06:34:59 AM · #7 |
Noise reduction should be done as close to the beginning as possible since any adjustments could actually increase noise.
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05/25/2006 02:39:50 AM · #8 |
In this order:
Rotate to align Horizon (if required)
Crop (if required)
Levels (Almost always)
Brightness/Contrast (if required)
Hue/Saturation (if required)
Sharpen>USM (if required)
Neat image (only ocassionally)
Other controls, as required.
Message edited by author 2006-05-25 21:36:05. |
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05/25/2006 02:50:37 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by blemt:
Crop should usually be the first step. Depending on your image, a crop may actually impact your other adjustments significantly.
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I agree with this when editing a picture for myself. But when editing for a customer, I always do my edits on the full size image and save it as a .psd file. Then flatten, crop and sharpen.
The thing is, the customer often comes back asking for another copy of the image, but at a different size. And so if I start out with a cropped image, I may not be able to give them the size that they want. But this way, I just go back to the original .psd file and re-flatten, crop and sharpen and away I go.
The bad part is... doing it this way I often end up doing touch-up work in parts of the photo that people may never see - on the off-chance that someday they *might* see it. So it's a little inefficient up front hoping to save time and effort later on.
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05/25/2006 05:36:34 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by dwterry:
Originally posted by blemt:
Crop should usually be the first step. Depending on your image, a crop may actually impact your other adjustments significantly.
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I agree with this when editing a picture for myself. But when editing for a customer, I always do my edits on the full size image and save it as a .psd file. Then flatten, crop and sharpen.
The thing is, the customer often comes back asking for another copy of the image, but at a different size. And so if I start out with a cropped image, I may not be able to give them the size that they want. But this way, I just go back to the original .psd file and re-flatten, crop and sharpen and away I go.
The bad part is... doing it this way I often end up doing touch-up work in parts of the photo that people may never see - on the off-chance that someday they *might* see it. So it's a little inefficient up front hoping to save time and effort later on. |
Several folks have suggested that cropping should be done first, but yours are the most interesting (and almost schizophrenic) comments. You identify great reasons why you should wait.
Photographers should process the whole image and save it uncropped in their post processing master file. Future printing for different aspects alone is reason enough.
Resizing, cropping, final touchup and sharpening should be done when you are producing an output file from the master file. That is because these things are all output dependent and it is presumptuous to think that a crop you made at the start would forever be "correct". What looks good today will not look good tomorrow.
Though it is true that cropping from a saved master file may require later crop dependent cloning and/or touchup work it is worth the effort unless the image was garbage to begin with.
Keep your options open.
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05/25/2006 06:46:59 AM · #11 |
Post Processing:
1-Open original, convert to Adobe RGB (1998) colorspace, duplicate BG layer, "save as" in .tiff
2-Noise reduction, cloning and other image unique, but destructive, adjustments (like shadow/highlighting) performed in duplicated BG layer(s)
3-Standard post process using non-destructive adjustment layers
a) Levels
b) Curves for midtone contrast
c) Curves and/or selective color for color cast correction
d) Hue/Sat for individual color saturation adjustments
e) Selective color for global contrast and individual color adjustment
4-Artistic adjustments in additional layers
a) Dodge and burn
b) Specialized color "enhancements"
c) B&W conversion
d) Apply other specialized methodologies for unique purposes as needed
d) Etc.
5-Check work and make final changes
6-Save post processed master file retaining layers
Output workflow:
1-Open master file
2-Flatten image and convert color space if required
3-Crop and resize
4-Make any needed adjustments based on crop
6-Sharpen
a) Duplicate layer
b) Apply Smart Sharpen to duplicate layer, oversharpening slightly
c) Adjust opacity down from 100% until the most critcal sharpened area is just right
d) Add layer mask and paint with black on it in areas to reduce remaining oversharpening or for artistic purposes
e) Check and make further adjustments if necessary
7-Make final adjustments (noise reduction, contrast/color, etc.)
8-Save output file... leave master file untouched
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05/25/2006 09:03:36 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Noise reduction should be done as close to the beginning as possible since any adjustments could actually increase noise. |
hmmmm- that is the exact same reason I do it at the end. Is there a reason this is wrong or do you think it's just a personal preference? |
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05/25/2006 09:11:55 AM · #13 |
Originally posted by oOWonderBreadOo:
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Noise reduction should be done as close to the beginning as possible since any adjustments could actually increase noise. |
hmmmm- that is the exact same reason I do it at the end. Is there a reason this is wrong or do you think it's just a personal preference? |
You want to get rid of noise early in the process, so as not to make it worse in processing. ie, if you bump up contrast in a noisy image, you will also bump up the contrast of the noise.
Other steps in the workflow are moveable, but Noise reduction should come first, and sharpening at the end.
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05/25/2006 09:14:29 AM · #14 |
Originally posted by oOWonderBreadOo:
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Noise reduction should be done as close to the beginning as possible since any adjustments could actually increase noise. |
hmmmm- that is the exact same reason I do it at the end. Is there a reason this is wrong or do you think it's just a personal preference? |
There was a discussion about when and where to apply noise reduction in Bear_Music's ongoing landscape tutorial discussion.
Personally, I can't think of any reason why you would NOT want do it in the beginning. That minimizes post processing problems. I'd only apply it later if it became necessary as a result of extream adjustments.
However, if you you use adjustment layers and non-destructive methods for post processing then it becomes a bit of a moot point. If you only have one layer with real data in it then you can perform noise reduction at any time during post processing, beginning or end, and the adjustment layers are fixed automatically.
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