Post Processing...

[UK_Tomcat_Fan]

Could someone layout a set of steps on how they go about post processing images, as i have no idea where to start,

Currently i am shooting Fine Jpegs and leaving them where i start to notice they look a little soft (straight from Camera),

Please could someone point me in the right direction on how to do it and in what order....

Thanks

Martin

[Mickey]

Martin,

Of course everyone has come-up with his or her own workflow, but this is mine, in Photoshop Elements 2 (I shoot high-res JPEGs as well - RAW is better, I know...):

• Open the image at original size.
• Check for dust and clone-stamp out dust-spots.
• Depending on the lens used and achieved sharpeness of the picture, apply Filter -> Sharpen (when not too sharp to begin with) and / or Unsharp Mask. Within USM, use the slide-rules to get the required result. My settings with an L-lens and a pretty sharp picture are Amount 25 to 40%, Radius 1,5 pixels and Threshold 1 level. When less sharp, I bump up the Amount and sometimes Radius.
• Then I always check and if required adjust levels through Enhance -> Adjust Brightness / Contrast -> Levels. Go for a nice spread and no flats to the left (dark / contrast side) and right (light / overexposed). Exposure can be corrected with the middle ruler.
• Every now and then, I use Enhance -> Adjust lighting -> Fill flash -> Lighter, but only one or two indents, to lighten faces for example.
• Then I go to Enhance -> Color -> Color Variations and add a little saturation (select saturation, slide amount one indent from the left and then click more saturation).
• Then, if required, I crop a little but always keep the 3:2 image-ratio.
• Choose a traceable filename and Save As at least compression (12).
• Resize to 840x560 with Image -> Resize.
• I then save for FenceCheck using File -> Save for Web. With the Quality percentage you can get as close to 200 kB as possible.

I hope this helps. Remember, if you resize your image and then sharpen or use USM, it will have a more dramatic effect with the same settings. In general, Jorgo (where's he gone, by the way?) once said that when editing, if you think you should make an adjustment of 10, go for 5 and the end-result will be better. In other words, don't over-edit your pics. After all, they should be acceptable to begin with.

This is just my workflow, other who actually had some kind of PS education might have different workflows, or use different or additional versions of PS or different programs all together. I would highly appreciate their input! Particularly from Apple-users.

Mickey

[UK_Tomcat_Fan]

That helps alot now i dont feel so lost in the world of post processing

Thanks Mickey

Martin

[Andyman]

I'll share my work flow just to give you some addtional points of view to consider.

I shoot mostly RAW, so with JPEG you'd just cut out the adjustments done when opening in PS/Elements.

1. I sort with Microsoft RAW viewer, I check for composition, and focus.  If the images "pass" they are put into a folder named "selects".

2. Open the RAW file with Elements 5.0.  I adjust the exposure, saturation, zero out the sharpening, and bump both noise reduction scales to about 25, sometimes more if needed.

3. Once the image is open in Elements, I rotate (if it's not level) and crop to the "normal" photo ratio.

4. Remove any dust spots with the healing/cloning tool.

5. Apply Unsharp Mask, usually about 103%.

6. Add my copyright text.

7. Save as JPEG, on max resolution (12).

Once I've got the JPEG's I upload them to my website and from their can post them on the web. 

Hope that helps..........................

[cj-ld50]

Hi Martin,

Below is my Photoshop post-processing process.  Since moving from Kodachrome to digital, I have found that the act of physically taking the picture is only about half of the photo process.  In the digital realm, the photographer has become the "developer".  Because photo editing can be very time consuming, I do not edit every photo I take, only the ones I wish to share.  The photos I share will normally be my best efforts (unless the subject is something rare, obscure, retired, etc.).  By using your best work, you will minimize your editing time.  I do not know your photographic experience level, so please don't take this wrong, but you can also minimize your editing time through "pre-processing" steps such as equipment checks (condition and camera settings, clean sensor) and planning the photo (sun angle, minimize background/foreground clutter, minimize heat haze, etc.).  The pre-processing steps are covered in more detail within other threads in the forums.

My post-processing steps are:
1. Level the horizon - Image > Rotate Canvas.  You may find this to be particularly needed when photographing taildraggers on the ground.  If the ground or runway is not level, then use a building wall as a vertical reference.  Try to avoid using light poles or transmission wire poles for vertical reference - they are seldom perfectly vertical.
2. Crop the photo - Image > Crop.  For web or publisher use, I general crop close to the edge of the aircraft.  If you wish to place an enlargement in a frame, you will want to leave a little space around the edges which will be under the matte or frame.  In some cases, you may also want to crop wider (to show jetwash for example), but in general try to keep the airplane centered.  If submitting to a publisher, minimize the crop as the editor will crop as required (personal preference or space on the page).
3. Resize - Image > Image Size.  I try to keep the 3:2 image ratio (I agree with Mickey), but this is really your preference and depends upon intended photo use.  If you are going for a published photo, the editor or printer may resize to their liking.
4. Remove dust spots.  They are especially notable in monochrome areas such as the sky.  I use Image > Adjust > Equalize to find all dust spots.  Use the rubber stamp or cloning tool to "remove" the dust spots.  Also, the cleaner you keep your camera sensor, the less time you will spend on this step.
5. Adjust brightness or saturation - under the Image > Adjust command menu.  Use only if required and you may only need to adjust specific dark or light areas.  I like to compare the photo I am working to similar shots already on the web for contrast, lighting, saturation, etc.  When submitting to the large online photo databases, such as airliners or jetphotos, I have found that taking the time to compare with existing photos increases my acceptance ratio.
6. Sharpen the photo - Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask (USM).  For photos 1200 pixels and wider, I normally start with USM settings at 500%, 0.2, 0.  For photos at 1024 or smaller, I usually start with 300% or 400%.  If you oversharpen, then surface edges in the photo will appear jagged - hence the term "jaggies".  You can smooth the jaggies with further editing or reduce the amount of sharpening.  I have found that "jaggies" will appear first on diagonal surfaces - look closely at the vertical tail, the leading edge of wings and at stripes on the fuselage.

That is basically my standard process although each photo may have subtle deviations (especially in the amount of sharpening or brightness/contrast adjustments).  Everyone has their own process, so I'm sure you will receive many different opinions and suggestions.  I hope this helps and...
See you by the fence!  Good luck!

Blue Skies,
Curt

[UK_Tomcat_Fan]

These tips are helping no end, i will show some of the images i think are "soft"







hopefully these will be improved once ive processed them...

[Roger]

We need some more info from your end Martin.

What is you method of processing? What software do you use? etc.

Those images you posted are not processed, correct?

Here's my workflow:

- Edit the images - meaning, throw away to bad ones
- Open the image in PhotoShop RAW
- Adjust exposure, shadow detail, brightness, contrast, saturation, etc.
- Open image in photoshop
- Run noise reduction
- Crop if needed (includes horizon leveling)
- Adjust levels
- Remove Dust Spots
- Adjust Shadow/Highlight
- Adjust Curves
- Smart Sharpen
- Resize for web (1000 pixels wide)
- Smart Sharpen
- Save for Web (keep under 200KB)

That's it.

I don't have a workflow for printing, since I don't often print.  Would be interested in that (someone start a new topic?)

Roger
Roger

[skippyscage]

ok in for a penny....

Lightroom (all in RAW):
Copy to disk and import into Lightroom from portable HD (rename, and add copyright to exif at the same time)
Throw away all crap images
Flag as picks good images for final editing
Select similar picked images and whittle down to ONE image from each set.
Select the final picks and perform... dust spot removal, level, adjust exposure brightness etc, and crop

(all the above does not change the RAW image, it creates virtual layers)

Export the worked on RAW images as tif's to disk

Open tif's in CS2:
remove dust spots (using the equalize effect for the spots that were not obvious)
apply sharpening and any curves/levels adjustments
re-save each tif after the above.

these tif's are now my master copies to play with if needed later to print, or use for magazines or web etc.

use the re-worked tif to covert to web:
resize to desired size
sharpen
save for web

as you see I now do hardly any work in CS2 and if I need to revisit an image to provide a copy for something it's very quick

[Photogal]

You might want to consider sharpening last. Sharpen for each size. Smaller images may require less sharpening.

**If you had Meta data, don't use the 'save for web' function. This will wipe out any meta data. Use the 'save as jpeg' function.

**If saving lots of images, consider learning to make actions. This is helpful for meta data and resizing.

[skippyscage]

You might want to consider sharpening last. Sharpen for each size. Smaller images may require less sharpening.

**If you had Meta data, don't use the 'save for web' function. This will wipe out any meta data. Use the 'save as jpeg' function.

**If saving lots of images, consider learning to make actions. This is helpful for meta data and resizing.

I've tried sharpening just once but I get better results from sharpening twice (different amounts on each one) - started a thread on this here

I use save for jpg as it's quicker - I forgot to add that I'll just re-import the saved JPGs into LR adding the copyright meta data back in at the end - takes all of 10 seconds for a 100 or so.

but there are so many ways to skin a cat, that there isn't really a correct way IMHO - whatever works for you after experimenting is the one to use - ask 20 photographers what they do, and you'll get 20 different answers.

(and if the reply wasn't for me Michelle then I'll say  )

anyway, not to get off topic discussing different options, what is your flow?

[UK_Tomcat_Fan]

I have Lightroom and CS2, lightroom i think im currently under using, all im using it for is a archive scheme  and CS2 when i wish to edit pictures, all of my pictures are straight from camera currently i have a week off work coming up so i will mainly be trying out workflows and finding out what works for me 

[Roger]

I have Lightroom and CS2, lightroom i think im currently under using, all im using it for is a archive scheme  and CS2 when i wish to edit pictures, all of my pictures are straight from camera currently i have a week off work coming up so i will mainly be trying out workflows and finding out what works for me 

Well archiving is part of the total image work flow / editing.

Editing images is part of the hobby / job.  I think I spend more time editing digital images than I ever did scanning and preparing film images for online posting.

Posting images straight out of the camera never ends up with a satisfying result, in my experience.  They are always soft, not properly exposed, in need of a horizon leveling, etc. in short: they are always in need of some editing.

What made me edit my images more and more is the other great photos I saw online.  I want mine to look as good as the best of them.  For me it doesn't make sense to post a shot, which could be a great shot with some editing, but without editing, it just looks average, or worse.  I personally strive to post only my best work, which means not posting 99.9% of the stuff I shoot.

Roger

[Tonyz]

Martin,

The Swiss Hornet is just out of focus.  No sharpening will help with that.  The other two can use some work.

I did a quick edit on the helo.  Slight adjustment in curves for contrast and a tad of USM.  Took about 30 seconds and I think you can see the difference.

[Photogal]

Here's mine
Import from portable storage
Back up RAW files to DVD
Quick Edit in PS
Convert to TIFF, rename
Make back up of TIFF to DVD
Enhance (crop, levels, spots, etc)
run Meta Data action

Import to database (in my spare  time I will keyword)

Reopen images and apply actions as needed for web, wall paper, FC. These actions may include resizing, adding visible copyright mark, and sharpening.