Help me tweak a photo...
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- trainer
I composed a poster and I saved a couple of reduced copies out of Photoshop after adjusting several settings. I'm looking for help deciding which one to have printed. Which looks best, or it it somewhere in between? Other adjusments you think I should try?
First is the original, the photo layer is untouched except for the process of stitching the panoramic and making it a greyscale:
Next I let Adobe take it's best shot with Auto Levels:
After undoing the Auto Levels, I eyeballed what I thought looked best by bumping the brightness up 40 and contrast 28:
The last one is both of these steps combined, my manual changes plus Photoshop Auto Levels:
I actually had this printed out once already, and it was entirely too dark. The snowdrift on the bottom right contrasted with the white gutter way too much - I mean come on, it's snow, it's supposed to be white. So I want to brighten it but without losing any clarity, especially to the ridge on the right side where the sun hits. And without losing the overall impression of a pretty overcast day, because that's what it was.
By the way these are half the original size; they will be printed on 20x30 :D
Thanks in advance
- gruntt0
here is what i like to do when converting color images to B&W. First, while still in RGB mode, i expand the canvas and add 3 boxes. 1 filled with 255 Red, 2nd with 255 Green, 3rd with 255 Blue. Then I go to the channel mixers, select gray and then I adjust the mix so that the RGB boxes that I made (which will appear in grayscale at this point) are all distinctly different in tone (a nice dark/nearly black, a nice midtone, and a nice white or nearly white). It works quite well.
- brandelec0
print the final one...
- timg0
i would think your decision should be made at the printers... collecting random feedback from people viewing your jpeg images in their browsers is not a good idea.
the printer should be able to provide you with test proofs.. maybe gang up a single page of slices using several different adjustments to compare. the actual print could difer so much depending on a number of factors.. digital vs. offset printing being #1. its really hard to know how much detail will get lost in your shadows and/ or blown out in highlights.
a general rule i try to follow for offset is black values approx 95-97%, white around 3-5%.
and i would not recommend PS auto levels or brightness/ contrast.. you want to be using manual levels or curves for accurate adjustments.
- Tara0
it's hard to see b/c i can't see the photos in their entirety.
- Mick0
Be careful about dot gain. Make sure you're using a good stock and ask your printers how much dot gain you can expect from your stock. You can always give them a sample of your photo printed from a photo printer at the brightness/contrast you want and ask them to match it. Regardless of your digital file the printers can adjust the darkness (to a small degree) on the press. At least if you give them a photo to match they know what to aim for.
- 2cents0
you've blown out a lot of detail in your highlights in the last 2 options... big no, no.
you want to keep all that texture and detail in that area as opposed to blowing it out the way you have.
although it looks good from a contrast stand point i think you need to try an retaiin that detail as much as possible... and overall I think they're all looking a bit flat.
- junker0
the white is some areas is way too bright.
You should be able to use the levels in certain sections of the graphic rather than in the whole thing.
- trainer0
Thanks. This has all been helpful.
gruntt, timg, thank you, I will put your edvice to work in Adobe.
Mick, here is the print vendor I'm using; I have heard nothing but great things about their b&w photo paper. I will ask them specifically about dot gain as you suggested.
2cents, that's just what I was afraid of, I really do want to maintain the clarity of the textures on the cliffs, so I may end up working on that bottom right snowdrift as a selection as junker suggested. Could you define "flat," I think it's what I'm deliberately going for.
Thanks to everyone btw, your feedback has been very worthwhile.
- trainer0
Mick, it might help if I actually linked to them
http://www.mpix.com/