• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Post process this!

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
I would also add a horizon check and a wire removal to the tasks. Both pics seem to have a less than 1 percent tilt. And the taro field photo has those pesky wires in the lower left.

Can't comment on the color as all of my monitors suck.
 
Glad you like them. 🙂

I mostly just fiddled with it. But the tools I used to fiddle with is what allows me to create what I did.
My main objective in retouching has to do with lighting and tone. I find the most valuable tools to manipulate lighting and tone is the gradient tool, paint brush tool, and the art history brush tool on various blending modes.
For example, to add light to something, I'd use the art history brush tool at the current history state, and set the blending mode to screen. To take light away from something, you would use the same tool, but with the blending mode on multiply. If you wanted to create contrast/color vibrance in an area, again, use the same tool, but with the blending mode on overlay, or softlight if you want something less harsh.

If I wanted to cast a light at an area, and have it gradually fade away, I find the gradient tool indispensible for this. First set the gradient tool blending mode to overlay, or soft light if you want something less harsh. I generally use the single color to transparent gradient. The color you choose will be whatever color light you want to cast on your image, or you could take away light by using a very dark color.

The rest of what I do is just some USM, curves, and color balance. I like to use high radii USM to fix poor lens contrast. I would usually apply it in various px. I think you used this technique in yours, so I won't go too into detail.
Curves, I generally find the contrast too high after the high radii USM adjustments. I would fix this by using curves to do the backwards S to reduce contrast. This would give it a more realistic color saturation and tone.
What I also like about curves, is that you can adjust each color channel individually. This is especially useful if there's a color hue on just the shadows or just the highlights. Then you can color correct just the shadows or just the highlights very easily.
 
Wow! This is like an illustrated PP tutorial!

This is quickly becoming my favorite forum.

A pat on the back to all of you.
 
Dark pictures are always extremely hard to correct. I almost think that the bright spots in the corrected one look too bright, since they already have the flash reflection. I like the use of the healing brush, and the USM, but think the color balance was correct to begin with, IMO. When I correct pictures, I find that the auto levels can tend to take the colors a little far...

This has been an extremely informative thread; thanks for starting it!
 
Originally posted by: ryan256
Hmm.. interesting here I am cleaning up all of my photos from my weekend at Dragoncon and I find a thread about post processing photos. SO... let me know what y'all think about the ones I've been working on. And can you do some of them better??

Original #1
Edit #1

Original #2
Edit #2

Original #3
Edit #3

Original #4
Edit #4

The edits have all been fairly simple ones. Correcting red eye and adjusting levels a bit. I'll admit I'm not very good at it.
Click to expand...

Golden Axe! Awesome 😛
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top