I have had Capture One for quite a while (recently upgraded to version 12) but haven't really used it much being used to working in Lightroom. Have always found it confusing compared to Lightroom. I want to make a concerted effort to learn it and would like to know the best way to do so. I know there are several resources:
--the Capture One Users Guide available from the program
--tutorials on the Phase One web site
--an ebook Photographer's Guide to Capture One 11: https://gumroad.com/l/RawCaptureGuide.
I am sure there are many other resources and am hoping for suggestions on the best written resource to learn Capture One.
Thanks.
This will be a long post - sorry.
There is plenty of tutorial info out there but just to give you an overview to orient yourself I have made a few comments that I hope you will find useful.
First important point: C1Pro is not LR.:-)
The philosophy of C1Pro is not the same as LR. Trying to restrict yourself to just using familiar LR tools and techniques will not result in a good experience. You need to learn the tools that aren’t in LR.
C1Pro is more like PS than LR. LR was designed with a mind set of “anything but PS”. Simple example is the way crop works; the opposite to PS and every other image editing program. C1Pro uses a layer model (with opacity sliders) and makes use of levels (unavailable in LR) and curves. The curves include a Luma curve which allows contrast to be varied without affecting colour – similar to using luminosity blending mode in PS. C1Pro uses “standard” image editing commands so no sync settings et. just simple copy and paste.
Background Layer:
1. Adjust white balance
2. Exposure, Contrast, Brightness, Saturation, Highlights and Shadows to taste. Note that the saturation slider in the adjustment tab works like a normal saturation slider if you move it negative but like the Vibrance slider in LR if you increase saturation. Use levels to set your black and white point if necessary.
3. Add clarity and structure to taste. Note that the clarity slider offers four types of clarity. Natural is the default and I find it works well. I find you can push C1Pro’s clarity slider far harder than the one in LR without breaking the image. The structure slider does not exist in LR and is brilliant for defining texture like feathers, rock detail etc. Experiment with this to understand how to use it.
4. Fine tune the image with curves. Remember that the UI in C1Pro is fully customisable you can design your own palletes with whatever tools you require in whatever order you like. Just like PS when you need to do detail work with the curves tool you need a large curve tool. Simply pull the curves tool out into a floating window (as for PS) and fine tune in comfort. As well as the RG&B curve you also have the Luma curve. Brilliant for tweaking contrast without affecting colours. Try it out to understand what it does. Remember the customisable UI? Want to curves tools open at the same time - no problem.:-)
5. Colour adjustments are fantastic in C1Pro. Use the Colour Balance tool for shadow, mid and highlight adjustment, great for colour grading an image. Then we have the Colour Editor. Basic is just there for compatibility with the free versions of C1, you want the Advanced and Skin tone tabs. You need to look at specific video tutorials for the advanced colour editor. Apart from the colour control you can make masks from the colour selection:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PebU2KTUcFE6. That is the basic adjustments on the background layer but the real power of C1Pro comes from the layered workflow. Virtually all of C1Pro’s editing tools work on layers, the basic colour editing tab and the B&W panel are 2 tools that don’t work. Curves, advanced colour editor, levels, clarity, structure, etc. do. The layers have an opacity slider, so you can vary the overall effect of the layer to fine tune the effect. When we are talking about layers, we need to discuss masks. C1Pro has the expected brush, gradient, radial, luma masks etc. but remember you can also create colour masks in the advanced colour editor. These masks can also be feathered and refined after creation, copied to different layers, inverted, filled and cleared. Again, you need to look at the video tutorials that explain masking in detail to be able to use these tools effectively.
7. Want to soft proof an image? C1Pro has one of the best soft proofing options (spectacle icon top right of main toolbar). Remember that C1Pro uses ICC profiles so you need to enable an appropriate output recipe eg sRGB or printer profile to see how the output will be rendered. No need to make a soft proof virtual copy just add a filled “print” layer, adjust as necessary and output the file for printing – I recommend Qimage Ultimate.:-) Want to continue working on the file, simply uncheck the “print” layer.
8. Odds and ends. Difficult file? Under base characteristics change the curve to linear from auto. Image will look bad, simply press the Auto adjustment button (big A on the main toolbar) and that will give you a starting point (using the Exposure, High Dynamic Range and Levels options only).
Want to see multiple images or process multi images? Make sure the edit primary or all variant toggle is selected. 3 overlaid rectangles in the top menu bar – turns orange when selected.
Hope this helps.
Ian