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Thread: the correct way

  1. #1
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    Default the correct way

    hello, is this a good way to handle my pictures;

    1) work on the raw format; crop the image , than adjust if needed; lighter or darker , shadows ,....

    2) convert and safe it to tiff without downsizing it

    3) then if needed make from the tiff master file a JPG (800x800 ? ) for web and then noise reduction and sharpening and safe the JPG.


    Is the way to sharpen a JPG file a right way or should i do noise reduction and sharpening already on the RAW or TIFF file ?


    Another question ; should i save the files on 72 dpi or can i always save them with 300 dpi even if i put them on the web only , but then i am ready to print them if neeeded.

    i use lightroom.

    And when i applying noise reduction is it not best to apply noise reduction onlt on the background and not on the bird, and with lightroom must i do this with the brush ?


    thanks
    Last edited by John Chardine; 06-25-2013 at 04:43 PM. Reason: typos

  2. #2
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    Lots here to answer, but you can "Export" a JPEG from your LR "master file" -- either the RAW with adjustments, or a .psd you have worked on further in PS. Once you specify the export parameters you can save it as a preset, such as the size for BPN, etc.

    No need to make a TIFF or PSD unless you need to do further work in PS.

    I'm not a big fan of sharpening -- it introduces artifacts. That is best done in-camera.

    Noise reduction is also not exactly magic -- my best results are by going to PS and using NeatImage. NR and sharpening mostly just work against one another. I do NR on a separate layer in PS and then add a mask to that layer and mask out the bird. It can usually be selected very well with the Quick Selection tool.

    Hope this helps!

  3. #3
    Super Moderator Daniel Cadieux's Avatar
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    You can ask 10 people and get 10 different answers...

    - I do my basic adjustments in RAW (but no cropping or NR or sharpening - except for default capture sharpening) , then export as a tiff to work on in PS. The reason I do not crop except near the end of my workflow is that if, for example, I crop for an 8x12 and the subject is now perfect in the frame, then later on I need the same image for a 8x10 then you may run into trouble as far as subject placement in the frame and you then need to restart from scratch.

    - Work on the tiff in PS for additional tweaking...everything else but cropping, NR, or sharpening. If you decide you want to crop at this point remember to crop loosely in case you need to crop later for different aspect ratio. Save as a jpeg, which I then use for "final" work. At this point I do not see the advantage of keeping the tiff as it is a much bigger file and I cannot visually see the difference between the two, even at 100% magnification or more. Some will disagree but I have not ever seen the need to keep the tiff from this point on in the workflow.

    - Now I have a "final" jpeg that I can use for whatever use I need it for, all I need to do is crop, NR (to BG only), and sharpening.

    *** P.S. I love Lightroom but I do not find it intuitive or easy to use for localized adjustments...hence those are done in PS.

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    BPN Member Don Lacy's Avatar
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    Here is my workflowIn ACR I do the following adjustments if needed in the following order
    Choose which camera profile I will use base on the image
    Lens correction
    White point adjustment
    Exposure and Recovery
    Black point and shadow
    Clarity
    Vibrance
    Saturation
    Capture sharpening I usually use the default setting but always use the masking slider to only apply sharpening to the subject never the BG
    Export to PS as a PSD
    In PS I will do I loose initial crop if needed then move on to my localize adjustments which I do with layers an average image will have 4 to 8 layers once I have the image the way I want it I save as a PSD file with all layers active. Once saved I will do a finale crop and down size for the web its at this stage that I will apply any NR if needed again using a layer and only on the BG and finish the image with sharpening on another layer and also only on the subject at no stage do I globally sharpen my images. Now I am ready to save for the web as a Jpeg. Now if you're using a Lightroom only workflow use the brushes to apply NR and sharpening locally at the end of your workflow along with your adjustments if needed I would also save a none cropped master file as a Tiff A Jpeg file open and saved repeatedly will eventually show image degradation from the Jpeg compression.
    Don Lacy
    You don't take a photograph, you make it - Ansel Adams
    There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs - Ansel Adams
    http://www.witnessnature.net/
    https://500px.com/lacy

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    further on this subject; what color , adobe rgb or rgb and if you must take one dpi , 300dpi or 72dpi always

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    Most recent cameras will capture a color space close to ProPhoto RGB, and Lightroom uses the equivalent of that space internally, so the camera's color gamut is preserved. Only when you render a file (.psd, .jpg or .tif) do you need to specify a color space. The best new monitors can only display Adobe RGB, and most older ones only sRGB. (Having a calibrated and profiled monitor is also very important.) If you are only doing web-based output, sRGB is fine -- anything going to the web is best saved in that gamut, and with the profile tagged. But if you will ever print, or want the best forward compatibility, set your PS working space to Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB. If the latter, always work in 16 bits.

    You don't specify a dpi until you open in PS, and you can use any one you want -- it's just a scaling factor and doesn't interpolate anyhing. (The file size in pixels isn't changed.) Most people use 240 or 360, because it is believed to cause less interpolation by a printer, but in truth it seems to be a great secret what a printer actually does with the input size. 240 will give you a bigger dimension, so you probably have to do less drastic resizing, and the experts say you won't see the difference using 240 or 360.

    For resizing for prints, interpolation is so good now it's hardly a thing to be concerned about. And PS does just as good a job as the programs you pay extra for. There are several options when you interpolate -- Bicubic Automatic decides which is best depending on the initial and final sizes.

    For JPEG output, although there is a space for dpi, it no longer matters -- used to make a difference for Power Point or something. Just size by pixel dimensions -- that's how it will be displayed in a browser. But 72 is usually used to tell them what they want to hear.

    Comment on Daniel's answer: disk space is cheap and I'd never convert a final image to a JPEG, which is 8 bits and flat. My master file will be a 16 bit .psd (or .tif is the same) with adjustment layers (and any pixel layers such as for cloning) preserved. If I look at a favorite file next year the tools (and my eye) will be be better and I'll often want to go back and tweak something. I just pulled up one featuring a full moon from several years ago to post in OOTB and was shocked how bad the moon was. So I did a new version, dropping in the recent full moon that I shot with my new 600 + 2X. Lots sharper!

    Comment on Don's answer: Excellent information. But no rigid order in the sliders for me -- as you adjust some you will often want to go back and tweak ones you already did. They are completely non-destructive and it's just a balancing act. A good general order is suggested in LR by working from the top down. Much personal preference here.

    Your saved PS file will come back into LR and from there you can export JPEGs with various settings -- saved as presets, such as one for this forum. But if you're into sharpening and doing further adjustments on the JPEG then save it from PS as Don suggests. (I don't do that; I just export from a corrected master file, or sometimes a copy corrected for the web.)

  7. #7
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    I work on the raw : crop
    exposure
    shadows
    blacks, whites.......


    Convert to Tiff

    Then work on the tiff : maybe noise ,sharpening (mask)

    Convert to jpg where i do no more work on ,only resizing.

    Is it necessary and save to work on the jpg ??

    Everthing now i do in lightroom , but i have heard from people who work on the raw in DPP (crop, exposure) and covert to Tiff and then import the tiff in lightroom or PS.

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