List your 'standard' tweaks

ianp5a

ianp5a

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Ian
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I pick my best shots and adjust them ready to show/upload them. For each one I pick from my list of 'standard' tweaks. But I am keen to add other, new tweaks to my list. And also get the best 'order' of tweaking. These tweaks should be possible with any PP software. Not just Adobe.
Here is how far I am (and what % of shots they are used on):
  • Top and Tail the histogram. 90% (Levels)
  • Brightness & Contrast 95%
  • Gamma or Curve. 40% (usually to boost shadows)
  • Sharpness 10%
  • Noise Reduction 5%
  • Tone mapping <5% (lighten darken areas automatically. HDR like)
  • Occasional Highlight recovery <5% (Using the Raw file)
  • Locally Darken areas or corners of the picture 5% (Layers/masks) Here I am keen to hear quick ways to do this.
I am trying other, one-off tweaks. But I am interested in the standard ones people use repeatedly.
 
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It may be a good idea if you let us know what PP software you have to get a better response :)
 
I have no one method of working. I don't see how anyone can. All your images would end up looking the same.

There are certain things I always do however. Lens profile application in LR, and CA removal are always part of the RAW workflow no matter what. Beyond that, I do what the image demands. I have no one method I repeat.
 
Pookeyhead said:
I have no one method of working. I don't see how anyone can. All your images would end up looking the same.

There are certain things I always do however. Lens profile application in LR, and CA removal are always part of the RAW workflow no matter what. Beyond that, I do what the image demands. I have no one method I repeat.
Click to expand...

Same here... Bar the fact I have 3 LR presets, one for each lens I use and they add the tweaks as above along with some slight tweaks which I knew virtually every raw I import will need for said lens. From there EVERY image will require different tweaks, especially if grads have not been used.
 
I agree that you can't have a standard 'tweak' for every shot.

If you apply the same to each shot then you will end up ruining some shots as they simply won't benefit from these. Not every shot will be perfectly exposed but some will; not every shot will need saturation boosting etc. etc.

As David has said, you can have a workflow which will start with the basic adjustment to Lens Profile etc and then go through a routine of checking exposure; alignment; crop;saturation and so on but each individual shot will require different adjustments to take it to the end result. Also, depending upon which software tool you use, you may well lead to a different workflow or method of adjustment.
 
No presets but in LR I always:
* apply lens profile correction to everything
* check the blacks/shadows/whites and correct as needed
* apply NR as needed on higher ISO shots
* check contrast/white balance/vibrance/clarity and tweak as needed.

Not rocket science, but it's what I do.
 
Thanks landwomble. What does clarity do? And why would you pick it?
@DayDreamer: The PP software is irrelevant. I'd like suggestions for any program. As there will be a way to achieve it in most other programs. And if not, maybe I should try that program too! And i dont want to exclude people with useful suggestions.
@Pookeyhead, Stu Blackpool, Buck: I am clearly not using all of them on all my shots. That would be silly. Which is why I wrote that I 'pick' certain tweaks and I also showed roughly how often I use them. Some shots need them, some don't. This is not a workflow question, it is a 'toolbox', or 'arsenal' question. And I have gained some tools/weapons already here. It is possible that some of you are very experienced and do certain things automatically when needed. I wish to find out what those things are and when best to use them. As landwomble said, its not rocket science. So I might be missing out on something mundane but useful.
 
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Do mean the clone/stamp tool? To Remove clutter?
 
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Well, this may or may not be PS or gimp specific.
Almost always on eyes:
Create a new layer as a copy/duplicate of the eyes. Run it through a high-pass filter, blend it with a 'light' function. Then mask and enable over the iris.
Set opaque/fill to suit
 
Thanks. Sounds interesting. What is the intent?
I cant find anything in Gimp called High Pass.
 
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Adding clarity boosts the mid tones. Useful in many photos if used carefully. Also seems to make landscape photos look a little sharper.
 
Thanks. Sounds like lifting the middle of a curve controlling exposure. Or a bit of Gamma.
 
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ianp5a said:
Thanks. Sounds like lifting the middle of a curve controlling exposure. Or a bit of Gamma.
Click to expand...

I think you'll find that it increases micro-contrast. Clarity (sometimes also known as "defogging") often involves the use of Unsharp Mask with a small Amount, a large Radius and Threshold 0. Parameters often quoted are Amount 20%, Radius 60 pixels, Threshold 0. I find this rather strong and use ... well, it varies, but often something like Amount 7%, Radius 30 pixels, Threshold 0. In fact these days I use Lightroom and use a mild application of its Clarity slider on most of my photos.
 
The only thing I do to ALL images is apply lens correction and CA correction on import into Lightroom.
I have created my own import preset which does it all automatically.
Then I spend a bit of time applying keywords, so I can search for them in the future.
Other than that, whatever needs doing on a pic by pic basis.
 
Thanks. Keywords is probably hugely important. I have not started adding any yet. Apart from face recognition. I can imagine over time it would get extremely difficult to find an individual shot. I shall add it to my list. So I remember to add keywords to my best shots. As I can't imagine keywording every single picture.

Yes, CA correction belongs in an automatic process for 'all' shots. Rather than in a 'pick and choose' list.

For Clarity, it appears Raw Therapee's Tone Mapping and Microcontrast sliders might be the equivalent. They seem quite useful to add to my list anyway.
 
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If shots arent good enough to keyword, are they then good enough to keep? Delete, delete, delete.
 
Hmmm. So far I've kept every single shot like I used to keep negatives.
Though, as none of my shots, good or bad, have keywords, it's not a criteria not to delete them.

So now I've got:
  • Brightness + Contrast (Slide & trim the histogram)
  • Gamma or Curve Highlight Shadow (morph areas of the Histogram)
  • Sharpness
  • Noise Reduction
  • Tone mapping + Clarity
  • CA Correction
  • Locally Darken areas or corners of the picture
  • Organisation (Delete or Keyword)
 
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Heres the deal, you need to know how to use all the tools in front of you. Once you do that how often you use each one is irrelevant, what can you do with that information?
You say you want to know so you arent missing anything, well its just in front of you all the controls, learn what each one does, and then use them accordingly.

And what does top and tail the histogram mean??? Just stretching the histogram out so you have a white and black point? this isnt post production, its machine like copying. If you want to prove that then download some of the best photos you can find online, load them into your editor and check their histograms. then delete the histogram view.
 
Mart. There are hundreds of commands available in pp software. Many will not be needed. And many are best used in combination with others in particular sequences. E.G. Layers. And I am already familiar with a great many of them.

I am specifically interested in sequences that people find useful on a regular basis. Not automatically for every shot as I repeated above. What are people are trying to "achieve". Details of the actual commands is important, but secondary.
Take, for example, coldpenguin's suggestion about the eyes. They actually explain the commands only, not the aim. But it gives me a clue to investigate treating the eyes in portraits to make them stand out.

Regarding trimming the histogram, yes, stretching it to refine the black and white points if necessary. Not, as I have repeated above, blindly repeating the same operation. But I find it is often worth a look. And I'm keen to hear what other people do in that regard. I am also keen to discuss local darkening of parts of a shot, as I find that quite a useful enhancement to many pictures.

Different people enjoy different parts of photography in different ways. My interest in these things may be different from yours.
 
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