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Author Topic: Curves  (Read 8832 times)

Jeremy Roussak

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Curves
« on: November 29, 2006, 06:20:06 pm »

Hi,

I'm new to PS, having graduated from PSE. PSE doesn't have curves. I gather they're extremely powerful, and I'm used to seeing comments (on this forum and on the User Critiques forum) suggesting adding a curves layer to bring out the sky texture and so on.

Every time I try to use the Curves dialog, I get an unholy mess.

There must be a good tutorial somewhere! Suggestions? I've seen something called CurveMeister, but I use a Mac.

Thanks

Jeremy
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dlashier

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« Reply #1 on: November 29, 2006, 06:56:15 pm »

Ron Bigelow has good tutorials on levels and curves:
http://ronbigelow.com/articles/articles.htm

- DL
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thompsonkirk

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« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2006, 08:28:48 pm »

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to-mas

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« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2006, 07:10:43 am »

imho
if you dont know how to use curves, you dont know the basics.
if you dont know basics i suggest you should get a good book or better lynda.com video training like this one
http://movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modPage.asp?ID=191
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Jeremy Roussak

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Curves
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2006, 02:03:25 pm »

Quote
imho
if you dont know how to use curves, you dont know the basics.
if you dont know basics i suggest you should get a good book or better lynda.com video training like this one
http://movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modPage.asp?ID=191
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=87820\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

A recommendation for a good book is one of the responses for which I was hoping. Thanks for the web suggestions, though.
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mbutler

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Curves
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2006, 03:59:14 pm »

Quote
A recommendation for a good book is one of the responses for which I was hoping. Thanks for the web suggestions, though.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=87913\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Try Martin Evening, a countryman of yours, I believe, or Real World Photoshop.

Don't be scared of curves. Do it as an adjustment layer and delete the layer and start over if you have to.

You'll get there.
« Last Edit: November 30, 2006, 04:01:25 pm by mbutler »
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to-mas

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Curves
« Reply #6 on: November 30, 2006, 05:44:48 pm »

Quote
A recommendation for a good book is one of the responses for which I was hoping. Thanks for the web suggestions, though.
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
sorry i didnt read any good book about general use of photoshop.
I have Adobe.Press.Adobe Photoshop.Classroom.In.A.Book but its just little bit better than photoshop help.
I know some about raw, but that far away from basic.

I found that the price for that video tutorial is [a href=\"http://www.lynda.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=438]http://www.lynda.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=438[/url] 150dollars. If it is much or not depend on you. But I can tell you that is really good. And I think its much easier and faster than reading a book.

another - the cheapest way is to lear from internet sources
Its cheapest, but it can be longest and hardest.It depend on your ability to learn. Some people need teacher some dont. I learned in photoshop this way, but I can tell you it wasnt so fast as If I have a teacher or that video tutorials.
I can suggest this http://ronbigelow.com/articles/articles.htm

and one another way is to hire teacher or get som evening classes (whatever)
But this can be good or bad. Its really depend on you,teacher, class, whatever.

anyway, the basic rule is
Work in PHOTOSHOP as much as you can!!!
« Last Edit: November 30, 2006, 05:48:03 pm by to-mas »
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to-mas

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Curves
« Reply #7 on: November 30, 2006, 05:51:00 pm »

Quote
Try Martin Evening, a countryman of yours, I believe, or Real World Photoshop.

Don't be scared of curves. Do it as an adjustment layer and delete the layer and start over if you have to.

You'll get there.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=87923\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


yes, dont worry. just backup your original files as well.
If you will try and spend time you will learn it 8)
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bjanes

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Curves
« Reply #8 on: November 30, 2006, 05:54:01 pm »

Quote
Try Martin Evening, a countryman of yours, I believe, or Real World Photoshop.

Don't be scared of curves. Do it as an adjustment layer and delete the layer and start over if you have to.

You'll get there.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=87923\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Martin's book is excellent, but it IMHO it is for a more advanced user, especially if you are into fashion photography. The basic book that I have found most useful over the years and through several editions is Fraser & Blattner Real World Photoshop

Bill
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Christopher Sanderson

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Curves
« Reply #9 on: November 30, 2006, 07:43:57 pm »

FWIW I too had hellacious problems learning curves - until I learned to simply work with _just one point_ on the curve, then two, then perhaps three. The geometry/math of multiple adjustment points is clearly very complex.

After I had that down, finer more specific adjustments were easier when using multiple adjustment points.

Chris S
« Last Edit: November 30, 2006, 07:44:32 pm by Chrissand »
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Guillermo Luijk

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Curves
« Reply #10 on: December 15, 2006, 08:52:13 pm »

I encourage you to definitively learn and master curves. So many people don't use them just for having fear to the unknown. Curves are far more powerful than Bright/Contrast, Levels, Tone,... or any imaginable control afecting levels on your image. In fact you can gather all those settings in a one-step curve adjustment, and that means the best possible quality on processing.

Perhaps this little software tool I wrote, where RGB curves from any B&W toned picture are obtained, is of help to you to understand curves better:
http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....showtopic=12955

Cheers.

feppe

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Curves
« Reply #11 on: December 15, 2006, 11:12:20 pm »

With the threat of derailing the discussion, I've always found curves a bit clunky to use - and I consider myself an experienced PS user. The main problem is that you have to have so many anchor points to just affect a certain luminosity level that it often turns into a nightmare trying to keep everything in order. And don't get me started on how the vector-points bow out when you don't want them to.

I really loved ZoneMapper in Lightzone, which is a curves-replacement. More info here: http://www.lightcrafts.com/help/Tool-ZoneMapper.html The beauty of the system is that it's based on principles familiar to most photographers (stops and the zone-system) and is so much more intuitive than curves. But I prefer other tools for post processing and using that program just for curves is overkill and makes the workflow, well, not flow.

My favorite wet dream is to come up with a good plug-in or action set in PS which would allow me to split an image into zone system zones and adjust each of those zones like one can do in ZoneMapper. That and the one involving Salma Hayek and chocolate syrup...

K.C.

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Curves
« Reply #12 on: December 16, 2006, 03:18:39 am »

Quote
With the threat of derailing the discussion, I've always found curves a bit clunky to use - and I consider myself an experienced PS user. [a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=90783\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Curves take a big leap forward in the next PS. Lots of cool features and an improved interface.
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Jeremy Roussak

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Curves
« Reply #13 on: December 16, 2006, 03:39:36 am »

Quote
I encourage you to definitively learn and master curves. So many people don't use them just for having fear to the unknown. Curves are far more powerful than Bright/Contrast, Levels, Tone,... or any imaginable control afecting levels on your image. In fact you can gather all those settings in a one-step curve adjustment, and that means the best possible quality on processing.

Perhaps this little software tool I wrote, where RGB curves from any B&W toned picture are obtained, is of help to you to understand curves better:
http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....showtopic=12955

Cheers.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=90771\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I expect it would, if it would run on my Mac. Any chance?

Jeremy
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DigitalDarkroom

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Curves
« Reply #14 on: December 30, 2006, 11:25:09 pm »

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My favorite ... is to come up with a good plug-in or action set in PS which would allow me to split an image into zone system zones and adjust each of those zones...
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Feppe,

Like you, I wanted a means for dividing an image into the various Zones and then be able to work with each, or several at the same time.  Since I could not find such a tool, I created one.  You can find it at the following url.  It is called Tone Selection Script and it the last download on the page.

[a href=\"http://www.zuberphotographics.com/page_Downloads.htm]http://www.zuberphotographics.com/page_Downloads.htm[/url]

It is not a plug-in or an action.  It is JavaScript and will create each of the 11 Zones as alpha channels.  As you may known, you can load one or more alpha channels as selections and then perform whatever adjustments you need.  I have pre-defined the range for each zone. but you can define, and save, your own range.  Please be sure to go to the Support page to read how to download and install the tool.  On the support page you will also find the user guide and a FAQ document.  The tool is provided at no cost, but be sure to read the license agreement.

Hope it helps.

Thomas

p.s. I am unable to help you with your second dream.

p.p.s Kirk, thanks for mentioning my web site.
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feppe

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« Reply #15 on: December 31, 2006, 10:06:38 am »

Quote
Feppe,

Like you, I wanted a means for dividing an image into the various Zones and then be able to work with each, or several at the same time.  Since I could not find such a tool, I created one.  You can find it at the following url.  It is called Tone Selection Script and it the last download on the page.

http://www.zuberphotographics.com/page_Downloads.htm

Thanks! This is a good start and should prove useful. But it still falls short of the usability of Zone Mapper in LightZone: in it the mapping is done dynamically, so after each adjustment the zones change. With this I'll have to reload the zones each time I do an adjustment, right?

Also, the Zone Mapper is dynamic in the sense that, say, widening Zone 5 makes all other zones equally smaller. With your script any drastic adjustments would lead to harsh luminosity changes at the edges of the selection.

DigitalDarkroom

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« Reply #16 on: January 01, 2007, 06:45:51 pm »

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With this I'll have to reload the zones each time I do an adjustment, right?

Also, the Zone Mapper is dynamic in the sense that, say, widening Zone 5 makes all other zones equally smaller. With your script any drastic adjustments would lead to harsh luminosity changes at the edges of the selection.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=93025\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Feppe,

Since the zones are stored as alpha channel selections, you would have to recreate them.

If I understand the next paragraph, if you have an active selection and you make a drastic adjustment to that area, then it could lead to harsh changes at the edge of the selection.  But that would be true regardless of how you made the selection: magic wand tool, maraquee tools, etc.  The only way to temper this that I know of is via a feathered selection.  My script does not create feathered selections.  You could, of course, feather them manually.
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