Photoshop for Photographers

White Balance --Setting the white point

2012-02-02T01:13:00.001-08:00

Consider the following images.

I will argue that both renderings, cool on the left and Warm on the right are equally acceptable. For the "cool" bluer image, I just moved the temperature slider in camera raw to the left. For the ""warm" yellower image, I moved the temperature slider to the right.

I stopped when I liked what I saw.

In the mossy picture, there is no obvious white point to select. What do you do if you want to set an "accurate" white point?

Solution: Set the white balance in the camera!

Most higher end cameras will let you set White Balance (WB) manually. The procedure is to photograph a "Spectrally pure white card".

After you photograph the white "card" --- in the Camera's settings for White Balance (WB) choose "Manual" or "Custom Preset". You'll then be asked to select the image of the "white card" that you just photographed.

I use a ColorRight White balance lens cap/filter. When you shoot the white card turn off the autofocus, especially if you are shooting the card up close...

Where to find a spectrally pure white card?

Visit your local cameras store, or search Google.

But, remember the choice of what white balance you set is up to you, if you shoot in Raw format, the choices are enormous. Photography after all is an art!

Photograph, photograph, photograph!

Ooops... Links went weird Here's the fix

2012-02-01T00:45:00.000-08:00

This never happens to the other guy...
Here's the fixed links

Week 2 Outline Photoshop for Photographers

2012-02-01T00:29:00.001-08:00

Objectives

Photoshop's Camera Raw.

"Photoshop is a great plugin for Camera Raw," Photographer and Camera Raw Guru, Jeff Schewe

It is easier and quicker than using Photoshop Elements or Photoshop to enhance your photo's. The Camera Raw plugin not only loads digital raw files, it'll also load "jpg" and "tiff" photos.

You will always prepare your photos in Camera Raw before you send them to Photoshop.

Got a question, send the e-mail...

Practice, practice, Practice

Next up… Question in Class… What if there are no white pixels in your photograph?

Calibrate Your Monitor!

2012-01-30T16:13:00.001-08:00

If you really care about your photographs, and you want accurate colored prints, web galleries or slideshows, you need to care about what your monitor displays.

Here's what you need to do to "Calibrate" your monitor.

Step 1: (Test your monitor and set the monitor controls)

At the least, do this step!

First. Make sure your monitor has been on for at least 10 minutes and darken the room where you have the monitor located. Make sure there is no window light, or room lighting reflecting on the monitor screen. Also make sure your monitor is running at it's intended native resolution. (Check the manual or search the internet using the monitor name/model number… to find out)

A: Simple Test

Can you see each individual step?

Are the colors continuous without any breaks?

Recommendation: Set the monitors Contrast to 100%, Brightness to 25% (If those numbers don't work. Lower the contrast and brightness even more… )

B: A more Accurate Test with Solutions.

Go to the web site listed below, and go through each page. Read the information on each page carefully!

The Web Site is "The Lagom LCD monitor test pages"

Another set of tests is available at FlatpanelsHD

Step 2: "Calibrating Monitor" Software.

A: For the PC:
If you have Windows 7, You'll find calibration software in the Control Panel

To start Display Color Calibration

Open Display Color Calibration by clicking the Start button , and then clickingControl Panel. In the search box, type calibrate display, and then clickCalibrate display color.‌ If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
In Display Color Calibration, click Next to continue.

or try this software PC only, (it's free and easy to use) called Calibrize (2.0)

B: For the Mac
In System Preferences Choose Hardware > Displays

In the requester Choose The Color Tab.

Then select the Calibrate… tab and follow the steps carefully.

C: Got a Graphics Card? Generate a color profile.

Most modern monitors (2007) are supposed to be calibrated to use the sRGB profile.
If you have an NVidia Graphics card check out "gamma-calibration" at Logom's website...

On this page Logom has instructions for setting and fine tuning the Nvidia video card driver.

Step 3: Get a Better Monitor and Buy Calibration Hardware.

Calibrating by hand/eye and software can be frustrating and time consuming.

There are different kinds of monitors. The chances are the monitor you have is a cheaper "All Purpose" type monitors, that uses a display technology called "TN" (Twisted Nematics). Better, more expensive monitors that display more and accurate colors use a technology called "In Plane Switching" (IPS). This web site, PChardwarehelp.com lists available IPS monitors.

ALL Mac monitors use LED / IPS technology.

To get better and more consistent results you should use an IPS monitor and a calibration device that will generate a color profile that your graphics card will use to generate the correct colors for display the screen. A good calibration device will sample your computer room's ambient light and correct what you see displayed on the monitor every 10 minutes or so...

Calibration Hardware?

Here's a chart listing what's available, Monitor Calibration Solutions

Remember, this is just one part of your total color management scheme.

Got a question? Send that e-mail!

Photoshop for Photographers -Week1 Review

2012-01-24T15:47:00.001-08:00

Howdy

The links below will take you to the class web site and material covering most of what was covered in class! Yes, I know we didn't get as far as I'd hoped… but, we will catch up!

Objectives

The Monitor
- It's really important that you make an "effort" to set up your monitor, if your monitor is too bright or isn't displaying the colors as best as it can… you'll never be happy with your photographs...
  - Calibrate your Monitor
Install the latest update for Photoshop's Camera Raw. It is now at Version 6.6
Learn The Bridge
Make a Meta Data file
If you need to Batch convert your jpg files here's how
Set Camera Raw Prefs
Camera Raw Settings
Space, size, depth and resolution
- Photoshop Settings (we'll do this in week 3 )
- Preferences, Scratch Disk, Undo's, etc.
- Color Management
- Sampling

Materials

The PS4P I CD

Homework

Apply the "settings" for Bridge/Photoshop and Camera Raw on your personal computer
If you have a question, post it here on the blog, or send me an e-mail, or bring the question to class
REMEMBER
Bring a flash usb drive to class, bring some photos that you like to work on too!

Adobe CS6 Upgrade Policy Changes Postponed! CS3 & CS4 on Track | ProDesignTools

2012-01-11T16:37:00.001-08:00

Adobe has relented. and changed their recently announced upgrade policy… you can read the details here

Adobe CS6 Upgrade Policy Changes Postponed! CS3 & CS4 on Track | ProDesignTools:

Thanks for listening, Adobe!

Lightroom 4 Beta --- Free Download

2012-01-10T15:11:00.001-08:00

Howdy

Adobe has just announced the release of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 Public Beta.

Today is it's 10th! Anniversary!

You can download it for free, here. it will work until the final release (Somewhere between April and October of this year)

Then you get to upgrade or buy the program.

If you have Lightroom 3, please use that for your regular work flow ---This is a Beta Release!

There are already lots of expositions elsewhere on the web as to what's new in version 4!

Have Fun!

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/software/whats_new_in_lightroom_4_overview.shtml

http://computer-darkroom.com/lr4_beta_preview/lr4-preview-1.htm

Lightroom doesn't like Nvidia's Desktop Manager!

2012-01-05T00:44:00.001-08:00

Running Lightroom 3.6 on a Window's XP Laptop with an Nvidia Graphics Card.

I do 99% of my work in Lightroom an a Mac, and occasionally I use the above mentioned PC. I had recently re-installed Win XP on the laptop and had never turned on the Nvidia Desktop Manager. A few weeks ago I was doing some maintenance on the laptop and turned on the Nvidia's Desktop Manager which controls dual monitor displays among other things.

A friend brought over some photos he shot with his Nikon 7000… so I Downloaded and updated Lightroom to version 3.6 and when I tried switching from the Library module to the Develop Module, Lightroom would "hang" slow down, basically quit working.

No error messages, nothing.

At one point, when I force quit Lightroom the Microsoft error reporting requester popped up… so I wrote down the location of the error message and attempted to decipher it… found a reference to Nview, part of Nvidia's Desktop management software...

Web searches with the wording Lightroom hangs on WinXP laptop didn't yield any useful information…. but Did a Google search using Nvidia and Lightroom and there it was!

Unconfirmed at present - NVidia's NView Desktop Manager may cause problems with Lightroom. (Dated 2007)

Workaround - If you have this manager (and are having problems) please disable the NVidia's NView Desktop Manager on your computer. The option to change NView should be found by going to control panel and opening the NVidia NView icon.

Problem solved

So, now we know...

And, now I can enjoy using Lightroom on my laptop!

Setting IN-Camera picture styles...

2011-12-22T00:39:00.001-08:00

Barry Blanding
Message: If one wishes to create images in RAW format exclusively (no jpg), what should the "picture style" camera setting be set to (e.g., Standard, Faithful, etc.)?
Howdy!

Good Question! (Barry asked this question a week or two ago… )

I presume you are using a Canon camera ;}

In order for you to see the raw data you captured, the Raw Data needs to be converted to a rendering in RGB so that you can actually see it as a picture.

It's that .jpg reference file that you see in your camera's display, and on your computer.

Canon, Nikon and other camera engineer's give you some choices as to how the .jpg picture will look… just set your favorite choice 'in-camera' Then in the Camera Raw "Camera Calibration" Panel, the drop down menu let's YOU match the setting you used in your camera.

In these panels the Canon choices are on the left, Nikon choices are on the right… If you have an "other" Camera, you'll see their versions of Standard, Landscape, etc…

(Some Nikon's also use Mode 1, Mode 2 and Mode 3.)

What do you choose in your Camera? Simply what looks best to you!

Take the same subject with each setting and choose…

But, ALWAYS REMEMBER, in your RAW image processing work flow, this "rendering" is just a starting point!

You can either, Calibrate your camera and use that setting as it will be the most accurate, or you can simply choose what's pleasing to you.

Later, if you wind up making adjustments in Camera Raw that you always prefer you can save those adjustments as your default Camera Profile in Camera Raw.

Camera Calibration Menu > Save New Camera Raw Defaults...

In Camera Raw's preferences you can even make defaults specific to the photograph's ISO.

Just set parameters for noise reduction in the Detail Panel in Camera Raw using photos with each ISO setting and save those settings for each IS0 setting in the Camera Profile requester...
Camera Raw will use those settings automatically when you load photos for viewing in the Bridge and editing in Camera Raw with those specific ISO settings and the Noise Reduction values set in the Detail panel.

(btw these camera profile defaults also apply to what you see in the Bridge.)

Currently don't know what to set?

In-Camera set what looks most pleasing…
In Camera Raw just set Adobe Standard and remember it's just a starting point based on what the Adobe "engineers" decided what is best!

In Lightroom you'll find the same Camera Calibration panel in the Develop Module.
As you become familiar with the program, and what you are seeing, you will want to change all that to your liking.

Where to from here?

2011-12-18T15:44:00.001-08:00

Websites
... A Collection of Photoshop Websites, it's a bunch of Links to most visited/popular blogs
http://photoshop.alltop.com/

A Collection of LightRoom Websites
http://lightroom.alltop.com/

Photoshop Tutorials from Layers Magazine
http://layersmagazine.com/category/photoshop/page/8

National Association of Photoshop Users
http://www.photoshopuser.com/

The best Photoshop Magazine PhotoShop Creative
http://www.photoshopcreative.co.uk/

Garry's Favorite web sites

http://www.dpreview.com/

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news

The Luminous Landscape
http://luminous-landscape.com/whatsnew/

http://www.photographyblog.com/

http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/

Join a Photoshop Forum

http://www.photoshopforums.com/

http://forums.adobe.com/community/photoshop

There are lots of videos on the Adobe TV web site

http://tv.adobe.com/

Stay in touch

and

Practice! Practice! Practice!

Best Wishes for the New Year

Garry Stasiuk

Review Week 8 --Part 1 Links to Class Notes

2011-12-18T14:43:00.001-08:00

Objectives

Fixing Problems
- Use the Clone Tool, Healing Brush, Spot healing brush and patches
Skin Tones
Softening the skin
Texturing the skin

Homework

Upload your master pieces to the blog and share with your class mates and the Universe.

Up Next: Where to from here!

Last Class Saturday!

2011-12-16T00:31:00.001-08:00

Last Class Saturday

Howdy

Just a reminder… Saturday’s agenda

Objective: The Perfect Portrait!

Fixing Common Portrait Problems
- Using the Clone Tool, Healing Brush, Spot healing brush and patches
Skin Tones
Softening the skin
Texturing the skin
AND your questions!

The week 8 web pages are mostly in outline form, but they will give you an idea what we will be up to!

Bring some portrait photos to class! As, usual I will have a few demo pics for you to work with if you don’t have any of your own…

See you in class

Signing Your Prints --Digitally

2011-12-15T11:04:00.001-08:00

Why Sign Your Prints?

This blog article, says it all… It's on a web site named Epic Edits, a resource and community for photography enthusiasts.

Making Fine Art Prints: Signing!

Here's how to add your signature to a print.

1. Use the Studio Print Action. The action adds a blank space around the image, fakes a matt and adds an electronic version of your signature.

2. You can leave the signature area blank and actually sign the print in the blank area. Many photographers use a pencil do do this! Some photographers mount the photograph on a mat and sign the mat after the print has been mounted and matted. If you choose this method… Practice! Your signature, Practice writing on a mat, Practice first!

3. Some folks buying a print prefer to have the actual print signed! If you are buying a print, don't be afraid to ask the photographer to sign it the way you want!… I purchased a print from Michael Reichmann, and since it was a photo he took in China, I asked him to sign it with his "chop." He did! Nice!

Here's how to do it electronically!

Step 1: On a good piece of white paper, write your signature with a good pen!

Step 2: Scan it at the highest resolution possible. If your scanner has the setting "Line Art" choose that and save it as a .tif file

Step 3: Load the scan into photoshop and paste the signature onto a blank layer.

Step 4: Use the color selection tool to select the white background. Click okay.

Step 5: Invert the selection

Select > Inverse

Step 6. Copy the selection to a new blank layer

Command + J (Mac)

Control + J (PC)

Step 7: Delete the layer with the white background

Step 8.

BTW Crop the signature as small as possible...

Then save the file as a .psd file for the next step, and save the signature as a .png file to paste as a "watermark" on your "signed" photos.

A Fancy Electronic Signature

If you have a logo, or a symbol or your own "chop", you can use that...

I'll use my chop...

Step 1: Scan the chop, make the background transparent and arrange the chop and signature on a new blank layer

Step 2: Merge the layers and select fx at the bottom of the Layers Panel and choose "Blending Options"

Step 3: Play, fiddle until you get something nice...

Step 4: Save a PSD version for future editing and save a .png version for Digitally Signing your prints!

Next up: retouching your Portraits...

Some Loose Ends --CR Adjustment Brush and Editing Actions

2011-12-15T01:10:00.001-08:00

The Camera Raw Adjustment Brush

Want to undo what you just brushed?

Undo (Unlimited???? )

Command Z (Mac)

Control Z (PC)

What to delete what you did all together?

Click on the "pin" to highlight it and then,

yep, press the delete key!

Delete (Mac)

Backspace (PC)

Editing Actions...

I found a tutorial that explains how to edit Photoshop Panel Actions in detail…

The web site is called Photoshop Essentials

The link takes you to page 9, of a 17 page tutorial… Pages 9 through 12 should answer any questions you might have

http://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/photoshop-actions/page-9.php

In summary here's what you need to know

Step1

Open the Action Panel

Menu
Window > Actions

Step 2
Load the action you want to edit or locate it in the list. We want to make a copy of it, but first we need to make a folder for the action.

Most steps in an action can be edited… In the GTS Studio Print Action You'll want to edit the text, maybe the stroke...

Just double click the step… wait a bit… either a requester will popup or you can make edits right on the canvas. See the Text Tool Example below.

But, what if a step isn't editable? Just delete the step and re-record it!

Or, just make yourself a new action… Practice what you want to do… write the steps down...

and Camera! Lights! Action!

Here's the steps I recorded for the Studio Print

Step 1.
Duplicate your picture
(pc) (Control + J) (Mac) (Command + J)

Optional Step
Select an Adjustment layer like "Levels" or "Hue & Saturation or "Black and White" to change the photo an arty Sepia, duotone or Black and White!

Step 2.
Add white space around the photo.
PhotoShop: Menu: Image > Canvas Size
PSE: Menu: Image > Resize > Canvas...

Choose relative and 2 inches, 2 inches
Click OKAY

Step 3.
In the duplicate layer on the thumbnail of the photo
Press the (PC) Control key + click (left) mouse once
Press the (Mac) Command key + click the mouse once
this will put a selection around the photograph.

Step 4.
Create a new blank layer

Step 5.
Go to the Menu: Edit > stroke
choose 1 pixel (I like at least 4 pixels) and set the color (Black)(I like mid-gray) in the color swatch button
location, choose center.

Step 6.
Click Okay (You can change opacity if you wish)

Step 7.
Go to
menu Select/Transform
In the tool bar change 100% width to 102% and 100% height to 103% Click the check mark

Step 8.
Go to
Menu: Edit > Stroke
Choose 1 pixel (I like 4 pixels) and change the color to black (I like a mid - gray) Click Okay

Step 9.
Use the type tool (Tool Bar), use a 36 pt fancy font Script like Minion or Trajan for the title "Yourname Studio"

N.B.
If you run this "action" and if you don't have any of the indicated fonts, Photoshop will substitute the "default" font.

Step 10.
use a written font like Hand Writing Dakota for the Number of the print (1 / 100) at the bottom left and your name at bottom right

Have fun!

Watermarking and Digitally Signing your prints.

2011-12-14T14:45:00.001-08:00

Is there a right way to do this?

Placing a copyright notice on the images you post on the internet and signing your prints (digitally, or not) are two different issues!

Copyright
One places a watermark on an image to tell the world that the image is copyrighted, and in order to use the image in any kind of publication, the publisher must have the copyright holders permission.

Only in the United States of America
A photograph is copyrighted the moment you take the photograph, but in the US of A, if you need to take legal action you must have first registered the photograph with the US Copyright Office! Here's a link to the eCO online registration system. The registration allows you to obtain punitive and compensatory damage in a court of law if your image has been used without YOUR permission. Download the necessary form here.

Since 1989 and the Berne Convention you no longer need the © Copyright symbol, you can type the symbol on a Mac it's:

Keyboard Option G (Mac), on the PC it's Alt plus the numeric keypad sequence 0169

However, the © symbol is so engrained that seeing it automatically tells one that the image is copyrighted.

Watermarking a photograph
Do you really need to? Generally the images you place on the internet are too small (Around 800 pixels or so) to make decent prints. It's my opinion that a watermark really distracts from the image.

N.B.
If you do watermark the image, don't make it hard for whom ever is viewing the image to contact you!

In Photoshop

Step1:
Start with a new blank page with a transparent background. The Photoshop default size for a new page will work just fine, but set the background to transparent. You can name the new page mycopyright

Step 2:
Choosing a font, and size… If you have a favorite font or one that you have chosen to use on your website or with your stationary, use that.
You can always change your choice later. I'm using Myriad Pro. In the Text Tool Bar also choose "smoothing" in the ant-alias method drop down menu.

Step3:

Type the following

Include the copyright symbol: ©
Keyboard Option G (Mac), on the PC it's Alt plus the numeric keypad sequence 0169
Include the year, or more precisely the date of your photo's publication
Include your professional photography business name and add "All rights reserved" on a separate line
Example
© 2011 Garry Stasiuk (If I'm shooting "professionally" It's © Copyright 2011 Stasiuk Enterprises)
All rights reserved

Step 4

Crop to only include the text you typed…

I used:

Tool Bar > Rectangular Marquee

Then:

Menu Image > Crop

Step 5:

Control D (PC), Command D (Mac) to deselect the "marching ants"

Emboss the text…

Menu: Filter > Convert For Smart Filter

Menu: Filter > Stylize > Emboss...

Because it's a smart object, if you want to change the embossing effect, you may do so...

Save as a .psd file. my copyright.psd

If you are saving for use in Lightroom or some program other than Photoshop save the file as mycopyright.png

(The .png file format allows transparency)

Step 6:
Open an image that you want to apply the copyright notice.
Drag and drop the image "my copyright" on the new photo and place it with the move tool at the location you want on the image.

Step 6…
Nice for one image, but what if you have 1,000's you want to watermark!!!

1. If you use Lightroom to output Web Pages, you'll discover that most of web page "engines" have a watermark feature built in, that automatically paces your watermark on the images. You'll need to use the .png file "mywatermark.png" that you saved earlier.

2. In Photoshop you can make an action, and batch the action so that it'll be applied to as many images as there are in the folder...

But, better still you can install a Russell Brown Adobe Extension that does it all for you!

You'll find Russell Brown scripts on this web page along with CS5 Panel: Adobe Watermark Panel 2.1.0

Right Click here to dowload the extension

In Photoshop you'll find the extension at the menu

Window > Extensions > Adobe Watermark

Have fun!
But, ask yourself… do you really need to watermark your images?

Next up: Making a "Digital Signature" for your Prints!

Week 7 Review --Black and White Conversion

2011-12-11T14:27:00.001-08:00

Sometime a photo just looks better as a "Black & White" ...

This image was shot way under exposed, as my electronic "finder" had just failed and… I was in the Forbidden City at the time!

Even though the resultant photo was way under exposed, and the recovered photo was really noisy, conversion to Black and White really helped the "image".

Note that Lightroom's export function has a built in watermark utility that lets you add a text or a graphic watermark to any image you save from Lightroom... I'll write a "blog" about how to make your own "graphic" watermark in Photoshop and a batch method to add it to folders of photos in a few steps.

In Adobe's Bridge program the only place that you can export an image with a watermark is in the Output Module and saving the image as a PDF! In the OUTput PDF Module there is dialogue for entering copyright text or a graphic… BTW if you use a PC the copyright symbol can be typed using the alt key and typing on the keypad the numeric code 0169. More about that later...

Black and White Video

I found a really excellent video on Black and White conversion using Lightroom on the Luminous Landscape web site. The Video features Michael Reichmann and Jeff Schewe. It is an excerpt from their video tutorial sequence Camera to Print and Screen.

Michael takes us from his original photo through to the black and white conversion in this video step by step. To detail his process of how he arrived at the final image Michael uses Lightroom "presets". (Quite innovative!) Watch the video full screen! I really found the video refreshing and inspiring. http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/bw_workflow_in_lightroom.shtml. The whole series is outstanding!

Enjoy!!!

Photo Opportunity - Lunar Eclipse Early Saturday Morning

2011-12-09T10:13:00.001-08:00

Howdy

The diagram shows where the moon will be ink the western sky at 5 am about 20 minutes or so after the partial eclipse has started

Put your camera on a tripod, have fun, and at least enjoy the event!

If there are hills on your horizon, or you live in a valley...the moon may be obscured by the hills at Totality

This diagram is for 6:30 am near Mid-eclipse

For details about the eclipse go to Sky & Telescopes web site

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/A-Dawn-Eclipse-of-the-Moon-134436603.html

You have almost an hour when the Moon is Totally eclipsed from 6:05 to to 6:57 am

But Moon will be really low in the sky in the North West , it will set when the sun rises.

Sunrise Saturday morning is: 7:39am

December 10th's Total Lunar Eclipse
Event	UT	CST	MST	PST
Penumbra first visible?	12:05	6:05 a.m.	5:05 a.m.	4:05 a.m.
Partial eclipse begins	12:45	6:45 a.m.	5:45 a.m.	4:45 a.m.
Total eclipse begins	14:05	—	7:05 a.m.	6:05 a.m.
Mid-eclipse	14:32	—	7:32 a.m.	6:32 a.m.
Total eclipse ends	14:57	—	7:57 a.m.	6:57 a.m.
Partial eclipse ends	16:18	—	—	—

Enjoy!!!

PS4P - Week 6 and 7 and Your Topic!

2011-12-07T12:17:00.001-08:00

Review Week 6

Just a reminder that there is a web page with complete step by step instructions on how to use the pen tool to create a selection and convert the selection to a mask.
The instructions go on and detail what you need to to do to "refine" the mask using the Refine Edge dialogue.
Click here to go to the Selection and Masking Tutorial

Preparing for Week 7 and beyond

Bring to class images that you would like to convert to Black & White, or split Tone. The class is partially about how to convert your images into Black and White. We'll also look at how to split tone images.
We will also be looking at techniques that used to belong to the realm of Photoshop, but can now be better accomplished in Camera Raw.
In this class we will begin to look at how to deal with "retouching" portraits, but concentrate on that during week 8's class. Bring to class a portrait that you'd like to work on...

It's Your Topic!

Is there a technique or subject that hasn't been covered in class? Send me an e-mail! Is the a technique YOU developed that you'd like to share with the class?
Either leave a comment on the blog, or send me an e-mail. garry@uofgts.com
See you in class!

Homework!

Post some pics to the blog and share them with your class mates!

Review -Week 6, Part 1, Smart Layers

2011-12-03T16:53:00.001-08:00

The rest of the story...

Photoshop CS 5 has the following different kinds of layers

Normal, Text, Fill, Shapes, Adjustments. 3D, Video and Smart Objects.

Smart Objects Layers

Originally Smart Object layers was introduced for just importing data created outside of Photoshop. Raw photographs. 3d objects, and file formats native to other programs like Adobe Illustrator, e.g. illustrator vector drawings.

Now, you can now convert any layer into a smart object, and you can turn all layers into a single smart object layer for export to other programs like Dreamweaver and Illustrator.

Why make an ordinary layer a smart layer? If you need to scale down a layer for it to fit with the other layers, and then perhaps later up rez (scale up the layer) you can do so with out causing pixelation from the loss of data when the layer was first first down sized. The smart object retains the original image data that normally would have been thrown away when the normal layer was scaled down…

If a Dreamweaver web designer uses smart objects on a web page that was created in Photoshop, the graphic on the web will be automatically updated when the edited object is simply saved again from Photoshop as a smart object. Dreamweaver automatically detects that the graphic was changed, and it will replace the object displayed on the web automatically!

Nice!

Here's a Photoshop Killer Tip from Matt Kloskowski on Kelby/TV on how to duplicate 2 different kinds of smart objects andy how to use them in Photoshop.

http://kelbytv.com/photoshopkillertips/2010/07/13/duplicating-smart-objects/

Editing Raw Images in Photoshop

When you have a single photo where global edits in Camera Raw cannot process detail in highlights (sky) and shadows (landscape) or other similar situations without blowing away details in one or the other... Use smart objects to merge a blending of 2 copies of the same image, one processed for highlight recovery and the other(s) for mid-tones and shadows.

Using Raw Smart Objects in Photoshop

Your homework! Share with us in/on the class blog images that you have edited using layers in Photoshop!

Bring to Saturday's Class...

2011-12-01T12:16:00.001-08:00

Howdy

Saturday we are going to learn about the "Pen Tool" --The pen is indeed mightier than a sword...

We will be using the pen tool to cut out a person, portrait, pet or object that would be difficult using any other selection tool.

We will then place the person/object into another scene…

In this process we will learn how to make paths, masks, and use the "refine edge" dialogue in Photoshop CS5 that makes selecting complicated edges like hair… easy.

You'll also need to bring some background pictures to….

I will bring some photos to work with in class, but, it's much more fun to work with your own.

See you in Class

Camera Raw Detail > Input Sharpening

2011-11-29T16:12:00.001-08:00

I hope you all had a terrific Thanksgiving and you are ready for Photoshop for Photographers! on Saturday Morning

Camera Raw, the Detail Panel > Input Sharpening

Camera Raw Sharpening applies some "input sharpening" even if you make no adjustments.
This sharpening ONLY applies to Raw images. ACR will ignore .jpg's and .tiff's

Sharpening has been greatly improved in Camera Raw V 6+ (V6.5 as I write this…)
As a result you should now do the majority of your sharpening in Camera Raw.

The Default ACR sharpening settings are:

Amount: 25

Radius: 1.0

Detail: 25

Masking: 0

Remember, it's a starting point for most images.

Always evaluate your sharpening at 100%

Amount and Radius

The Amount and Radius should be adjusted together.
The Amount determines how much sharpening is applied.
The Radius lets you decide how wide you want the white edges (the halo contrast on the edges) to be.

A radius of 1.0 works for most edges.

Suggestions for Landscapes and Portraits

Fine detailed subjects will benefit from a small Radius setting < (Less than)1 (about .8)

Soft detailed portraits can use a radius > (Greater than) 1 (1.1–1.3)

Sharpening Suppression

The Detail slider
is a “halo avoidance slider,” Suppresses the sharpening effect so you don’t get sharpening artifacts and other unwanted effects from over sharpening.

You can "see" the effect detail has on the image by holding down the ALT or Option key, the sharpening is occurring in the grayscale, hence the gray display.
The larger the value the more the sharpening effect is passed through (100 % allows the total sharpening effect to happen.)

Mask
creates a grayscale mask that works exactly like a layer mask in Photoshop.

0 is no masking, and 100% is a full mask protecting as much of the photos as possible.

Set the mask high for skin and sky, lower values if you want to sharpen details. Again the ALT or Option key reveals the masking effect showing you what's being protected.

Making a Portait and Landscape presets for ACR!

Lightroom comes with presets built-in: They are in the Develop module, preset panel:

Remember, this is always a starting point…

you can make additional adjustments and save them as your own presets.

Back to Camera Raw

Here are some "standard" input sharpening settings...

ACR Presets
Portraits:

Amount 40

Set radius at 1.3

Detail 15

Mask 60

ACR Presets
Landscape:

Amount 40

Set radius at .8

Detail 35

Mask 0

You can save these settings as a preset.

Saving Preset Settings

Choose from the drop down Menu: > Save Settings...

This requester will pop-up,

Choose Subset : Details

Then click on the save button, name the file…

Landscape sharpening

Portrait sharpening...

or what ever you wish.

Free Presets

OnOne software has some prepared presets that they are giving away for free.

You can download and install them, (They will want you to register first)

I discovered that when I added Set #2, In Camera Raw I could not access the sharpening presets… (There too many of presets!)

You can get the presets here

http://www.ononesoftware.com/free/

OnOne has presets for Camera Raw and Lightroom, for PC's and Macs!

Remember, as always these presets are good places to start… or experiment.

Creative Sharpening in ACR/Lightroom

For when you need to have two or more levels of sharpening in an image.

This method uses an Adjustment Brush, As you paint on the image you create a mask and apply the settings you have chosen.

In this case we are just applying sharpening. First set your sharpening using the detail panel then invoke the Adjustment brush as shown below.

Smart Object Sharpening

Using Photoshop to edit your image as a smart object processed for two levels of Sharpening.

Definitely a subject for the classroom!

Week 5 Outline --Sharpening your Image... What you need to do to output to a printer.

2011-11-19T23:54:00.001-08:00

Objectives

Things you need to do before you print

Sharpening Your Image

Soft Proofing: How to save time and money (ink and paper) setting up the best print possible...

Materials

On the class server, in the folder PS4P you'll find a folder labeled "week5 Copy "week5" to YOUR folder/flash drive/laptop!

Photo Printers

HP Designjets

Canon Photo Inkjet printers

Epson Photo InkJets

Epson Professional Printers

Imaging Resource Printer Reviews

ShutterBug Reviews

Printer info .com Rankings

I'd love to hear about your printing experiences! And printing services that you have used!

Saving jpegs, the saga continues...

2011-11-19T00:12:00.001-08:00

Sam Siciliano asked the following question...

Gary, I tried using the alternate 'save for web' rather than 'save as', but I ran into many memory issues. I'm not exactly sure what is going on. I'm running Windows XP, and I have about as much usable memory as possible with that OS. I have 4G, of which about 3.2G is addressable. Photoshop Preferences shows that it can get up to around 1.6G, and I set the level up to 1.2G, which it seems to recommend. However, I keep getting warning messages pop up when I try to view jpegs in 'save for web' 2-up. Forget 4-up! If I lower the percentage (of which I'm not sure) and start shrinking what is displayed in the windows, I have better luck.

I wondered if the sheer size of my files is creating a problem. My Sony full-frame has one of the biggest sensors available, and my raw files are around 33M. When I save a psd file in CS5 in 16-bit mode with that Prophoto RGB color profile and with even a couple layers, I get files of about 350M! This does seem rather huge to me. When I was using Photoshop Elements, 8 bit, and default sRGB, my files were only around 150M. However, I had memory issues with 'save for web' there as well. Anyway, I'll try to bring in a file to try on the class PCs, but let me know if you have any ideas or suggestions!

You actually are asking a real good question here…

and It finally dawned on me what the "size" requester is useful for in Camera Raw.

At some point when you send photos to Photoshop you need to decide what size you require for final output. What you see in this requester depends on the camera that you are using.

You need to be careful here, as you need to choose a size that is going to give you the best print at the ppi (Pixels Per inch) that you are sending to the printer.

The larger the print the more resolution (Total megapixels needed)

Save for Web will issue a warning about size as it creates cache space for each display window…

Most .jpg files are used for display on the web. Or for Computer slideshows with images formatted for the resolution of the screen. And as a result are have a "Low" Resolution...

One of the places where you can make a resolution (size) commitment is with

Image > Image Size…

How large a resolution do you need for a "perfect" print?

Divide the width of a picture in pixels by the # of pixels per inch (PPI) --the value you told the printer to print per inch

EG from the data in the above requester

Width:
3456 pixels / 300 pixels per inch
= 11.52 inches

Height:
2304 Pixels / 300
Pixels per inch
=7.68 inches

You can of course turn that around and calculate the # of pixels needed for say a 12 x 18 print @300 PPI

12 inches x 300 Pixels/inch = 3600 Pixels

18 inches x 300 Pixels/inch = 5400 Pixels

To print a bigger picture you'd need either more resolution (More Mega-pixels) or print with less ppi

and, you can always change the PPI without affecting the Resolution of the image

decisions, decisions, decisions

got more questions?

as usual 'holler!

Transferring/Syncing metadata from Bridge to Lightroom

2011-11-19T00:00:00.001-08:00

Roger Pace wrote: and asked the following question

Where do I find the notes on how to set up and save a metadata profile & can I transfer that into Lightroom as well?

In order for Lightroom to read the Metadata (IPTC + EXIF) you attached to your photos in Bridge, you need to

save the data to the sidecar file using the Camera Raw Preferences setting in Bridge. That will happen automatically if you set the following you'll be compatible with Lightroom:

Edit > Camera Raw Preferences

on the Mac it's

Bridge CS5 > Camera Raw Preferences

To set up the IPTC data in the Bridge use the Menu:

Tools > Create Metadata Template…

After you create and save the metadata file, with the following menu, you can find the file you saved and copy the file…

and paste it into Lightroom's Metadata folder

Mac

Username/Library/Application Support/Adobe/XMP/Metadata Templates/

PC

local disk (C:)\Username\Application Data\Adobe\XMP\Metadata Templates\

However, if a Photograph already has IPTC metadata embedded in it's xmp file you can import and export that data (synchronize it) to other files directly in Lightroom

(Use the metadata menu) or use the "sync" button to apply the metadata to selected files...

Note that Lightroom cannot display ALL the Metadata that the Bridge can… It hasn't disappeared it's still in the file, just not accessible.

Back In Bridge if you select multiple files and right click on one of the highlighted photos choose the Menu

You get this "Wizard"

and you can apply the metadata to all the files you have selected.

A Mystery for You...

2011-11-11T00:48:00.001-08:00

Here's the question posed by class member Sam Siciliano

I am working with 16-bit files now. However, there's one minor oddity I can't figure out. I'm saving files as PSD files, but I will then often save a jpg copy as well. I flattent the file, then change to jpg. The jpg option pops up, and I have the preview box checked. However, I'm never getting the size to show up like it does in elements. As you change the resolution by sliding the bar or modifying the number, you should see the file size in megabytes. I do see that in Elements, but in CS5, a number never shows up, only the '--' where a number should be. Any idea why I'm not getting a preview of the size?

I checked this out on my Win XP Laptop with Photoshop CS5 … and my Mac with OS X Lion with Photoshop CS3, Choose
File > Save As… and select the file Format: JPEG

Please check this out on your computer, note the OS and the version of Photoshop… And, leave a comment! Let us know if that feature is working or not with your setup.

In the mean time, if you want to see how big your Jpegged file will be, and how it looks compressed you can use the menu item
File > Save for Web & Devices...
not only can you see what the Jpegged file will look like, you can see several jpeg settings at one time… (4 up) at the left of each image you can see the size, and the amount of compression...

By the way, you don't have to flatten your layers to save a jpeg file, Photoshop will flatten all the visible layers for you when yoiu choose to "Save As…" Jpeg or use the menu item
File > Save for Web & Devices...
Remember Jpeg is a lossy format, it will degrade the image.

Non-Destructive Editing in Photoshop

2011-11-09T14:00:00.001-08:00

The Goal:

Edit an image in Photoshop, to enhance, to improve it... and be able to easily "tweak" or undo/redo the "fixes" at a later date.

In Photoshop you are editing pixels, as a result you should always work on a "copy" of the image, not the original.
1. In Photoshop after loading an image, use the File > Save As menu and save the files as a copy, or rename the file as... I usually just use a numbering system like imagename-001.psd.
This ensures you have an "original" RGB copy, even if you have the original raw image.

2. In your editing process you always want to use the Adjustment panel and the Adjustment layer tools.

list of adjustment layers… from the layers menu

An Example of using Adjustment layers...

3. Use Smart Objects for elements you are merging
in the photo, especially if you are using the Menu item: Edit > Transform > Scale (etc).
Transform Edits changes and "throws away pixels" especially if there is a scaling down in size… By transforming your layer contents to a smart object, the original data is available to re-size the new element without pixilation or having to start over again. In this example both Logos were scaled smaller, then resized upwards… The Logo on the right was converted to a smart Object.

4. Use smart Objects for applying Filters
Using "Smart Filters" let's you
adjust the effects of the filter
later…

5. Create a Blank Layer
When using any of the tools like the Clone or Healing Tools to edit pixels, create a Blank Layer and use the Tool Bar to toggle on "Edit layers below"

Here's a short tutorial that uses "Edit Layers Below"

6. If you can only edit pixels directly
make a Flattened copy of the visible layers .
This is useful if you want to use the Menu Image > Adjustments > Shadow/Highlight…
or another "Adjustment" that does not have an "Adjustment layer"
Mac (Command + Option + Shift + E)

PC (Control + Alt + Shift + E)

and apply the Adjustment to the flattened copy of the all the layers...

To re-edit the Shadow/Highlights… you'll need to delete the layer and repeat the process...

Enjoy! As Always 'holler if you have a question or comment

Week 4 Review --Class schedule for November-December

2011-10-30T13:32:00.001-07:00

Objectives

Color Management -Two PDF's (right Click Downloads)
- Color Management - Simplified
- Color Management - The Details
The Adjustment Panel
Levels And Curves
Non destructive editing in Photoshop

Class Schedule PS4P Part 2

Just a reminder for you to mark your calendar...

2 weeks off ---classes resume on...
- 11/19/2011
- 11/26/2011 No Class Thanksgiving weekend
- 12/03/2011
- 12/10/2011
- 12/17/2011

Homework

Practice, practice, practice and post a sample of your work to the class photo share site.

Puppet Warp and Animation in Photoshop

2011-10-24T13:39:00.001-07:00

Howdy

For those of you that are interested in the Puppet Warp and Animation features in Photoshop I have completed the tutorials for those subjects.

You'll find them here

Puppet Warp

Animation

Enjoy!!!

Week 3 -- Notes Content Aware Fill and Layer Masks

2011-10-23T00:46:00.001-07:00

Objectives

Setting up Photoshop for best performance

Learning the Work Environment, The canvas, tools, tool bar options and the dialogue panels.

The "power" in Photoshop is: Adjustment Layers, Selections and Masks

Homework

Practice, practice, practice and post a sample of your work to the class photo share site. Ask questions if you get stumped.

Wrong link -Week 2 Review

2011-10-16T17:28:00.001-07:00

Howdy The week 2 link should be

Camera Raw

The link to the ZangZing sharing site is..

Before-After

If you didn't get an invite, it's only because I don't have your e-mail address ... e-mail me directly if you want to share your photos

Thanks

Garry

Week 2 Review - The Program Camera Raw

2011-10-16T17:14:00.001-07:00

Howdy

You'll find the "overview" handout and links to a step by step discussion of the "Toning Techniques" using the Basic Panel in Camera Raw at this link: Using Camera Raw a Case Study in 4 parts

I'd love to see your before and after photos... If you post links or upload them to the Blog please keep the :size" down to 1024 x 768 pixels (jpg) or png format for the web.

I have set up a free account at "ZingZang" That is supposed to make this sharing process easy... You should be getting an e-mail from ZingZang inviting you to participate.

If have a question 'holler or post a comment

More soon...

Adobe Releases Camera Raw 6.5

2011-10-13T12:21:00.001-07:00

Howdy

Adobe has released a Camera Raw up Date V 6.5

You can down load here for Windows

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=5260

for Mac

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=5259

or in Photoshop CS5 and Photoshop Elements 9 & 10 use the menu item:

Help > Check for Updates

Help > Updates...

To "auto" install the update(s)

If you have Lightroom, it has been updated to V3.5 along with Camera Raw 6.5

Use Menu

Help > Check for Updates

To "auto" install the update(s)

Details about all the updates are here on Tom Hogarty's blog

http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal/

Enjoy!!!

Batch converting .jpgs to tiffs

2011-10-10T00:42:00.001-07:00

Why Convert?

If you are working in PSE or PS with a .jpg file every time you save the file as a .jpg you will re-compress the image. and loose detail and Jpg artifacts will appear in the image.

Batching in PSE

Menu File > Process Multiple Files

You get this requester in PSE 8

You select the source and destination for the files

Set up your renaming scheme

Choose file type...

you can also do some "quick" processing, water mark the images or add a caption.

Batching in PS --Use The Bridge and Camera Raw!

Photoshop doesn't have a convenient "batch" Dialogue Box/Wizard

1. Use the Bridge to send a batch of .jpg files to Camera Raw

Highlight the images

right click (pc)

Press Control Key (Mac) and Click mouse

Choose "Open in Camera Raw"

2. in Camera Raw (illustrated below) Top left choose Select All (1) then Save Images(2)

You'll get a robust conversion dialogue box that will allow destination, renaming and several file types...

What's neat about this process is 1. It's really fast and 2. you can start multiple conversion sets one right after the other...

Gota a question 'holler

PS4P I -- Importing iPhotos (Mac) using the Bridge (and Lightroom)

2011-10-09T01:04:00.001-07:00

Settings
1. Color Management
This is an excellent article written with a bit of humor... about Color Management Settings in Photoshop by Ben Willmore
http://www.digitalmastery.com/downloads/pdf/Color_Management.pdf

2. Calibrate your Monitor
This is the link... http://uofgts.com/PS-P2Site/Calibration.html

3. Using the "Bridge"
If you want to always have jpg's and or tiffs photos to load into Camera Raw Do This...
hold down the following key board keys and then double click the selected photos.
PC Control R
MAC Command R

In Camera Raw preferences you can check the following boxes

4. For iPhoto Mac users
How do I get Bridge to access my iPhoto's?

If you are using Photoshop Elements 9/10 it's real easy... there is an "iPhoto" Import Button!

If you have Lightroom 3 accessing your iPhotos is really easy.

Just choose the iPhoto library in the import module in Lightroom 3

If you are Using Bridge or Lightroom (1 or 2) There are a several ways to get Bridge to see your iPhoto's.

Method 1 (preferred): Copy your iPhoto Pics to a new location
1. Start iPhoto.
2. On the left side of iPhoto Under "LIBRARY" select "Photos"
If you have thousands you might want to instead select Under "ALBUMS" and export one Album at a time...

3. Choose the menu item
File > Export...

4. When you click on the export button, choose your destination (external Drive and a Folder?)
If you have been using iBuddy for iPhoto, do this for ALL your iBuddy iPhoto Libraries.

Method 2: Make an aliased folder.
(leaves your iPhotos in their current location, the folder "Originals" and "Modified.")

(Note):
On my Mac I was able to use Spotlight to search for the folders labeled "Originals" and "Modified"
Apparently Apple changed the behaviour of the iPhoto Library folder after iPhoto version 6? or so that just clicking on the folder won't open it. You have to right click on the folder and choose "Show Package Contents"
(Note:)
On my Mac the path to the "Originals" folder is located as shown below because I used Photoshop Elements 9 to import the iPhoto Pics into the PSE 9 Organizer!
/Users/gts/Pictures/Adobe/Organizer/iPhoto Library Media/Originals

B. On Your Mac the path to the Originals and Modified Folder should be
/Users/Username/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Originals

1. If using Spotlight works for you and can find your "Originals" folder... Click on Show ALL to get the full listing... Look for the "Originals" Folder, you might find more than one if you backed up your iPhoto Library or use the iPhoto aid iPhoto iBuddy.

2. Right Click on the "Originals" folder in Spotlight
3. . Choose "Open Enclosing Folder"
4 . Right Click on the "Originals" Folder and choose "Make Alias"

If you have a newer Mac/iPhoto right click on the "iPhoto Library" folder and choose
"Show Package Contents"

Right Click on the Originals Folder and choose the menu item "Make Alias"
Now drag the aliased folder to your Pictures Folder (Or where ever you want them)
Do the same for the "Modified" folder
Now you can use Use Bridge or Lightroom to navigate to the location of the Originals aliased folder in your pictures folder and you can then access your iPhoto pics via Bridge!

You might want to repeat for all "Originals" and "Modified" Folders. if you used iBuddy

Photoshop4Photographers --Week 1 Links

2011-10-08T13:52:00.001-07:00

Week 1 Outline

Settings

Subjects

Bridge/Organizer
Photoshop Layout and Settings
Camera Raw Settings
Content Aware Fill

Contact -- Use the comment button below!

The links below will take you to the class web site and material covering most of what was covered in class!

Objectives

The Monitor
Install the latest updates
Learn The layout
- Bridge
  - Make a Meta Data file
  - Set Camera Raw Prefs
- Camera Raw Settings
  - Space, size, depth and resolution
- Photoshop Settings
  - Preferences, Scratch Disk, Undo's, etc.
  - Color Management
  - Sampling
Something New

Materials

The PS4P I CD

Homework

Apply the "settings" for Bridge/Photoshop and Camera Raw on your personal computer

Adobe Photoshop Elements 10

2011-09-19T23:41:00.001-07:00

In time for it's 10th Anniversary Adobe releases Photoshop Elements 10

Adobe Photoshop Elements 10: ""

Sign Up Next Class Starts Oct 8th

2011-08-27T12:12:00.001-07:00

Next Class Starts October 8th, Sign up Now!

New!! PS4P II an extended Part 2!

Begins November 19 Register Now!

Take both classes (Combo) and get a discount Register Now!

Arrows missing | Custom Shape tool | Photoshop Elements | 8, 9

2011-08-04T10:55:00.001-07:00

William Shakespeare - To be, or not to be (from Hamlet 3/1)
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune..

Here's the link to the Adobe Bulletin

Arrows Missing

Here's the article

Issue
When you use the Custom Shape tool in Photoshop Elements Editor and load the Arrow shapes, only one arrow appears.
Solution
Replace the Arrow shapes preset file.
Note: Make sure that you are logged in with Administrator privileges to do these steps.
Close Photoshop Elements Editor.
Right-click the following link and choose the option to save a linked file: Arrows.csh. (Depending on the web browser, this option can be called Save Link As, Download Linked File As, Save Target As, or something similar.)
Save Arrows.csh to the following folder and overwrite the existing file:
Windows: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements [Version]\Presets\Custom Shapes
Mac: Applications/Adobe Photoshop Elements [Version]/Presets/custom shapes
Additional information
The Arrows.csh presets file installed with Photoshop Elements 9 and 8 is missing many of the arrow shapes. The copy of the file attached restores all of the arrows.

Photoshop Lightroom 3 on sale! Save $100

2011-05-25T10:05:00.001-07:00

B&H Photo Video and Pro Audio has Photoshop Lightroom on sale for$179.95 (Save $100)
Offer is good until June 4th.
B&H Offer

Review Class 3 --And your Homework!

2011-04-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

"Photoshop is a great plugin for Camera Raw," Photographer and Camera Raw Guru, Jeff Schewe.

As you have seen in class, It is by far easier and quicker to enhance your photos in Camera Raw than using Photoshop Elements or Photoshop.

Photoshop is good for complex composites, merging photos, removing or adding objects in a photo... where you need to use layers, masks and selections.

Here's the page I put together, with notes from Class 2 --Using Camera Raw, you'll also find keyboard shortcuts, and other resources for Camera Raw, Including where to get Adobe's Lens profiler, How to

calibrate your camera, and get presets for Camera Raw

Here are the other photo enhancing tips for Photoshop/PSE some of them I covered in class 3.

Gradients

Layer Masks and Wrinkles

The Healing Brush

Skin Tones and the Clone Tool

Over or under exposed images in Photoshop/PSE

In class 4 I will show you how to use Smart Objects to edit your photos in Photoshop.

Camera Raw and Smart Objects

I will also discuss in class 4

Cropping your photos for composition

1. Crop to simplify the photo by eliminating distractions at the edge of the photo.

2. Crop Rules

There is a reason why a photograph looks good, or looks compelling...

Hidden in the photo is a mathematical progression that occurs naturally in nature. We call it the Golden Mean. It is based on the progression of numbers known as the Fibonacci sequence:

For Photoshop there is a free "open Source" Javascript that you can run, that will aid you in deciding how to crop your photos

The Script is in the CD I gave you in class, it's in the folder called Actions. Golden Crop.jsx

For those of you that are Using Adobe's Lightroom you can toggle the grids on and off only when the crop tool is running in the develop module! It's the O key, that's the "letter" o

You can double click the script and it will launch and run in Photoshop. Or you can load the script from the Menu: File > Scripts

If you don't have the disk, you can find the script here...

http://goldencrop.sourceforge.net/

SHARE YOUR PHOTOS

Share your "before" and "after" photos!

Now that you are an expert at Camera Raw, I'd like to see your work! And, I'm sure other is the class would too!

E-mail me your photos Labeled with your name and with before and after...

Re-size your photos for the web

Landscape orientation at 1024 pixels x 768 px

Portrait orientation at 768 px x 512 px

I will post'em side by side here...

Bring your problem photos to class, we'll work on them there!

Of course there is always more!

Adobe Releases Camera Raw 6.4 and Light Room 3.4

2011-04-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

Howdy
If you have a new Camera, you have been waiting for this Upgrade for Photoshop CS5

April 27, 2011

Lightroom 3.4 and Camera Raw 6.4 are now available as final releases on Adobe.com and through the update mechanisms available in Photoshop CS5 and Lightroom 3. These updates include bug fixes, new camera support and new lens profiles.

For details on the Upgrade you can read about it here from the "Lightroom Journal"

Review Class 3

2011-04-23T18:22:00.000-07:00

Here's some "step-by-step" tutorials that go over some of what we did in class.

Fixing Wrinkles
Here's the technique for removing wrinkles using Gaussian Blur

Fixing Skin tones and Wrinkles
Using Hue and Saturation and the clone tool

Using the Healing Brush
There are also instructions for Photoshop Elements ... The Healing Brush
Do Watch the Russell Brown Video

4 Video from Martin Evenings -Photoshop for Photographers
A really good reference to add to your library

Got a question? 'holler

(The car started after 4 hours of charging, will it start tomorrow with out charge??

More soon

Week 2 Review -- Setting Mid-Gray

2011-04-19T16:50:00.000-07:00

The Art of Photography Part 4

So what's the difference between Exposure and Brightness?

The Exposure settings either brightens or darkens the entire image with the largest affect on the highlights. We used Exposure to reduce highlight clipping.
Recovery, by the way, attempts to pull data out of the clipped highlights.
Black
The Black slider does the same thing for the blacks that are clipped (It gives the overall effect of increasing contrast in the shadows and mid-tones.)
Brightness
The Brightness setting brightens or darkens the image around the mid-gray values without forcing clipping in the blacks and highlights (however, large changes might re-introduce Clipping...) If you move the slider to the right highlights will compress and shadows will expand. The opposite occurs when you move the slider to the left.

Contrast
Contrast increases or decreases image contrast, mainly affecting midtones. When you increase contrast, the middle-to-dark image areas become darker, and the middle-to-light image areas become lighter. Generally, you use the Contrast property to adjust the contrast of the midtones after setting the Exposure, Blacks, and Brightness values.

Tone Curves
The Parametric and Point Tone Curves fine tune the Brightness/Contrast settings...
This is the Parametric Tone Curve Panel...

This is the "Point" Tone Curve

Getting closer

Next, using the target select tool to fine tune Hue, Saturation and Luminence of specific regions

Week 2 Review -- Setting White Balance

2011-04-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

THe Art of Photography --Part 3

Before we move onto Mid-gray we'll set the White Balance First
Setting The White Balance

There are two ways to do this. one is more "Technical" -Objective the other is more "Personal", or subjective

Objective method...
Look for a white value as close as possible to R=245 G=245 B=245
You can use the Color Sample Tool (keyboard shortcut (S)) to find the area of the image that contains that value...

In the Rock Creek Example the closest values are in the foam in water... And, because the photo is over exposed the values aren't very close... It might take you a while to find the point you are looking for.
When you find an RGB value, just click with the White Balance Tool (Keyboard Short Cut = I (the letter i )) inside the Color Sample circle, and as soon as you do that the white balance will change.

Also at the same time Camera Raw will write the information to the "change file" So that every time you make a change you don't have to "save" the file... Camera Raw does that automatically for you. When you are done with the image in Camera Raw, you "Save" or make the changes "Official" by selecting and clicking on the "Done" button. That action will also take you back to the Bridge or the screen where you sent the image into Camera Raw.
"Open Image" will send the file into Photoshop. The Save Image button at the left is for exporting or saving your raw image to a different file format.

The subjective method is to use the Temperature slider...

In our Class example RockyCreek-7.CR2, the image is over exposed, As a result I did Recovery and Exposure first. And then slid the slider to the Temperature setting of 6500 K (Full Sunlight)

Here's the result

Your mileage may vary

Now! Mid-Gray!

Week 2 Review THe Histogram

2011-04-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

THe Art of Photography --Part 2

From 2011-02-02

This is a movie of the Histogram in Lightroom. (It displays the same information as Photoshop and PS Elements...Except that it is interactive). Placing the cursor in the histogram shows you what area Recovery, Exposure, Fill Liight and Blacks are affected by the sliders, or in the case of Lightroom holding down the mouse and moving the cursor left or right inside the histogram changes the data!

Recovery = Highlights
Exposure = the full histogram
Fill Light = Shadows
Blacks = Blacks

In Lightroom the Clipping indicators change when you move the slider in one of the "areas" and the data shifts across a threshold.

In the case of a photo that is so overexposed or underexposed you set the exposure/recovery first, then you set your White Balance.

For Photos that are more accurately exposed, the first step is to set the White balance.

Remember in order to display the correct colors we need to know what's white, what's mid-gray and what's black

Next... Mid-gray

Week 2 Review -- Camera Raw Work Flow Part 1

2011-04-19T13:00:00.000-07:00

Howdy

We covered a lot of ground in class on April 16...

Here are the major points to consider with this working sample (case study) on the class CD in the folder
DemoPics > Rocky-Creek-7.CR2

There is no one correct way to "render" how a photograph looks. It's up to you. Just ask yourself... is it Art, or is it just a photograph?

The Art of Photography
Part 1

Histogram Analysis

The first step is to check for clipping (areas of the photo that may be over or under exposed and then set the white point. I have chosen an extreme example here so that the choices are obvious.

The highlight clipping indicator (on the right) when turned on shows that there is a lot of clipping in the highlights
#1 points out that the clipping indicators are turned on (the white outline surrounding the up arrows). You could just turn them on and leave them on... There is no clipping in the shadows or blacks otherwise we'd see a bright blue areas in the "Preview" window of the photo.

Our first goal here is to remove the clipping if we can..

#2 arrow is pointing out the highlight clipping on the left and the oval area on the histogram that shows the pixels that generates the highlights.

In general here's what we need to do if there are Highlight Clipping Warnings in the histogram

If it's white on the very right: All three channels (R G and B) are clipping
If there is a color, one or two channels are clipping and that implies there is usable information, picture data that contains detail in one or two channels and that we should be able to successfully recover.

As far as I know, Camera Raw is the only image processing software that can recover and display information from any one of the Red, Green or Blue channels.

To recoup the overexposed data use the "Recovery" slider

The #2 in the following image is showing how the histogram has changed after using the Recovery Slider
Note: If you hold down the alt Key (PC) or the Option Key Mac while moving the slider a mask will be generated that will show you just the clipped data... as you move the slider to the right the clipped information will decrease in size. Stop when it's
smallest.

Second, Set the white point.
To set the white point you can use the White Balance Selector... and choose as close as you can to R = 245, B=245, G = 245.

Then Set the Exposure... When using the Exposure slider, hold down the Alt/Option key, you'll just see the pixels affected when moving the Exposure slider... Stop when they have disappeared or you like what you see!

You'll note that the image has changed dramatically using only these 3 sliders...

In a well exposed photo you would set the color temperature first then the exposure and recovery sliders if needed...

Next... Set mid Gray.

Photoshop for Photographers

White Balance --Setting the white point

Ooops... Links went weird Here's the fix

Week 2 Outline Photoshop for Photographers

Camera Raw...

Class AgendaReview Catch UpThe HistogramPhotoshops Camera Raw Environment Case Study... Toning an image.Links to the PS4P website… Topics covered in Class 2...THe Art of Photography

Objectives

Calibrate Your Monitor!

Step 1: (Test your monitor and set the monitor controls)

Step 2: "Calibrating Monitor" Software.

To start Display Color Calibration

Photoshop for Photographers -Week1 Review

Howdy

Objectives

Materials

Homework

Adobe CS6 Upgrade Policy Changes Postponed! CS3 & CS4 on Track | ProDesignTools

Lightroom 4 Beta --- Free Download

Lightroom doesn't like Nvidia's Desktop Manager!

Setting IN-Camera picture styles...

Where to from here?

Review Week 8 --Part 1 Links to Class Notes

Working with Portraits

Objectives

Homework

Last Class Saturday!

Objective: The Perfect Portrait!

Signing Your Prints --Digitally

Why Sign Your Prints?

Here's how to add your signature to a print.

Here's how to do it electronically!

A Fancy Electronic Signature

Some Loose Ends --CR Adjustment Brush and Editing Actions

Watermarking and Digitally Signing your prints.

Week 7 Review --Black and White Conversion

Black and White Video

Photo Opportunity - Lunar Eclipse Early Saturday Morning

PS4P - Week 6 and 7 and Your Topic!

Review Week 6

Preparing for Week 7 and beyond

It's Your Topic!

Homework!

Review -Week 6, Part 1, Smart Layers

The rest of the story...

Smart Objects Layers

Bring to Saturday's Class...

Camera Raw Detail > Input Sharpening

Camera Raw, the Detail Panel > Input Sharpening

Suggestions for Landscapes and Portraits

Sharpening Suppression

Back to Camera Raw

ACR PresetsPortraits:

ACR PresetsLandscape:

Free Presets

Smart Object Sharpening

Week 5 Outline --Sharpening your Image... What you need to do to output to a printer.

Subjects

Preparing for PrintSharpening ToolsSoft ProofingPrinting

Objectives

Materials

Photo Printers

Saving jpegs, the saga continues...

Transferring/Syncing metadata from Bridge to Lightroom

A Mystery for You...

Non-Destructive Editing in Photoshop

The Goal:

Edit an image in Photoshop, to enhance, to improve it... and be able to easily "tweak" or undo/redo the "fixes" at a later date.

Week 4 Review --Class schedule for November-December

Week 4 Outline

Editing in Photoshop

Objectives

Class Schedule PS4P Part 2

Homework

Puppet Warp and Animation in Photoshop

Week 3 -- Notes Content Aware Fill and Layer Masks

Week 3 Outline

Photoshopped

Subjects Setting up PhotoshopHow Photoshop WorksSelectionsLayersMasks

Objectives

Homework

Class Agenda
Review Catch Up
The Histogram
Photoshops Camera Raw Environment
Case Study... Toning an image.
Links to the PS4P website… Topics covered in Class 2...
THe Art of Photography

ACR Presets
Portraits:

ACR Presets
Landscape:

Preparing for Print
Sharpening Tools
Soft Proofing
Printing

Subjects
Setting up Photoshop
How Photoshop Works
Selections
Layers
Masks