Stale current workflow, need help injecting life into it

[SENster7]

My current workflow feels stale, and I'm not happy with the results I'm producing as of late. I currently use a batch process on all my photos in PSCS, and would like to keep using a batch process because I don't have the time to work on each photo individually. My shots are usually of my family in the 28mm-105mm range. I would like help and will take all suggestions. Here is my current workflow:

Digital Rebel always shoot RAW usually Av mode always with the Adobe RGB profile in the camera.

BreezeBrowser 2.9 to convert from RAW to 8 bit TIF only changing WB leaving the rest on default

PSCS with the following batch process:

Auto Levels
Contrast +5
Saturation +20
USM 150,1,3

Here have been my results so far on pbase.com/aferr

I would like to continue using a batch processes, but would like all suggestions what I can add, change etc within BreezeBrowser and PSCS to my current batch processes.

Thanks

[Scottes]

Running btach with such static (and harmful) settings would suggest just moving to shooting JPG in the camera. Everything you're doing can be done in camera with JPGs - saturation, sharpening, contrast. (OK, not auto-levels.) The only thing RAW is doing for you is the ability to save a shot.

Due to your time constraints I would suggest continuing what you're doing, but then pick and choose images that *are* worth some time. I process only 2-3% of my images and spend about 2 minutes on each. Only about 1/10th of those get more than 5 minutes of my time.

6 months and 5,000 pictures ago each processed image took me more like 10-15 minutes. But practice gets experience and automatic habits which means less and less second-guessing or trials and errors. It will take some time at first, but you'll get used to it.


Take a look at this topic: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=34606 - it has a number of tutorials including one that sounds perfect for you: Post Processing #5 - Camera to JPG, Quickly (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=34934).


For your workflow, the best suggestion that I'd have is to stop using Auto-Levels and Contrast +5%. Use levels by hand (tutorial 1 or 5) to do both steps at once - after doing 5 images this will take you about 15 seconds per image - and you can cut that to 12 second by using Control-L rather than choosing Levels from the menu. :-)

[SENster7]

Thanks for quick response and great info Scottes!

[maderito]

I looked at your shots. The colors generally look good - no color cast (good work with setting WB) and well saturated (as expected from your batch workflow settings).

There is virtually no shadow detail in any of the shots. Many possibly have none of interest - but some certainly do. We can't see the details because you've increased the contrast uniformly on every shot. Thus all shadows and highlights are compressed.

If you find an image on which you want to improve tonality (the distribution of brightness levels in the image) try learning how to use the Shadow/Highlight adjustment in Photoshop CS. Proceed in this order:

While working in 16 bit mode:

- Perform color correction by adjusting WB in Breezebrowser
- Adjust tonality with levels and contrast adjustments
- Refine tonality with shadow/highlight adjustment concentrating on the deeper shadows and brightest highlights. As a starting point, move the "tonal width" sliders to 25% or less and then increase the "amount" shadow and highlight sliders to taste.
- Adjust saturation if needed

Then convert to 8 bit TIFFs or JPEGs for final printing or web display.

Obviously, you can't batch process this workflow. It's just a suggestion for the occasional image you want to fuss with. Good luck. :)

[SENster7]

Thanks for the feedback maderito, I will definatley take your advice!

[chris.bailey]

I tried your batch setting on a few of my shots and I really did not like the results, rather too obviously post processed for my liking. If you just want to tweak it try -

Start with a 16 bit TIFF, it does make a difference, not on everyshot but on some it can make a lot.
Levels adjust as Scottes suggests (it really does take a couple of seconds)
Use shadow, highlightsif you need to. I dont like it as a general adjustment tool.
Push Saturation up 7 or 8%, no more I would suggest.
Switch to Lab mode and apply USM 125,1,3 to the Lightness channel.
Switch back to RGB.

For my prints I finally tend to pull back on the brightness by a couple of % and push the contrast by a couple of % but that is probably just a personal taste thing and something I know suits my printer. I dont save shots with those adjustments.

[Roger_Cavanagh]

I don't like batch processing images with a set of standard settings. The autolevels and fixed contrast adjustments are guaranteed to screw up some of your images. Especially, if you have not adjusted the default settings - I assume you haven't since you make no mention.

You could move some adjustments back into BB in addition to white balance. Post-processing settings allow saturation adjustments, sharpening, levels and more.

You should convert to 16-bit TIFF rather than 8-bit. This gives more image data to work with in PS.

There's no benefit in switching in and out of Lab mode to sharpen. The conversion in itself is a destructive move. You get the same result by using USM, then Edit>Fade>Luminosity.

You have PSCS, so you could use Camera Raw to set tailored conversion settings and then batch convert. Here's (http://www.pixelpixel.org/pstips/tip13-1.stm) one way to do that.

Regards,

[SENster7]

Thanks Chris and Roger for your feedback as well! I'm hoping to get some time soon and apply all your tips to my photos and I will post the results! I'm starting to come out of my depression regarding how bad my photos suck, and there is hope after all! :)

[Scottes]

I'm starting to come out of my depression regarding how bad my photos suck, and there is hope after all! :)

Your photos don't suck. They will certainly benefit from a better process.

I guarantee that you'll be a hell of a lot happier after about 2 or 3 hours with PS CS.... Trust us. :)

[SENster7]

I'm starting to come out of my depression regarding how bad my photos suck, and there is hope after all! :)

Your photos don't suck. They will certainly benefit from a better process.

I guarantee that you'll be a hell of a lot happier after about 2 or 3 hours with PS CS.... Trust us. :)

Thanks Scottes, I appreciate your encouragement! I totally agree that my photos will benefit from a better process. I'm totally going to drop the batch process that I adopted, and adopt the method of levels and curves thanks to all of your advice!

[SENster7]

Wow, I can't believe the difference when adjusting the levels and curves!

This is the one shot that I did with my horrible old batch process..

http://www.pbase.com/image/31958014.jpg


This is what I did today with playing with levels, curves, and USM in about 5 minutes...

http://www.pbase.com/image/31958015.jpg


I'm so happy now! I can't thank all of you enough for helping me out!

The subject of this photo isn't so happy as you can see, wait until the subject finds out that I just bought another lens :)

[Scottes]

Excellent. Much better.

This image looks like it runs the gamut from shadows to highlights before you even touched it. As a result a few of your shadows went black, and you blew out some whites like the sleeve on the person on the right. To protect them in Curves put down "anchor points." (I have no idea what they're really called - that's what I call them.)


The hard but more proper way:

Open Curves, and look at the image to find a shadow area that has some detail. The darker - but not black - parts of the bush behind her left shoulder are good. Move the Curves window to one side so you can see the image, and move your cursor over that area, hold down the Control key and click. You'll place a dot in the shadows section on the curve (which is currently a straight line, of course).

Now find a highlight area - the brighter part of the guy's sleeve on the right looks good - and do the same thing, Control-Click.

Now place your points between those points and adjust contrast and such. Those two anchor points you initially placed will lock everything darker/lighter than those points, and protect them. Now the darkest and lightest colors won't change when you adjust the Curve, and you won't lose the details in those areas.


Now the easy way:

Open Curves and Alt-Click on the background grid. The grid will change from a 4x4 to a 10x10 grid. Click on the curve about 2 boxes up and over from the bottom left, and another 2 down and over from the upper left. You might find 1.5 boxes to be better on this image, but somewhere between 1 and 2 should be good.


Note that this type of thing always depends on the image. From what I can see this image has detail from the brightest to the darkest, so what I described is a good bet. Some images might only need one anchor point to protect the brighter areas. It all depends on the image.

Also note that this may require some extra finessing with the Curve. It's easy to adjust an image with just 2 points - but it can get frustrating as you add more points. DON'T change any point too much at once. Click on a point and then use the arrow keys to nudge the point a little at a time.

[SENster7]

Scottes,

Wow you've helped me out so much! I added two new galleries that I used levels, curves, and USM, no more batch! Please check them out and let me know what ya think...

http://www.pbase.com/aferr/a_thursday_in_july
http://www.pbase.com/aferr/the_last_friday_in_july

[maderito]

Quite an improvement! Surely you family will thank you one day for capturing and presenting them at their best. :D

Of note, your skin colors have a consistent tone and color across the two galleries. Sometimes when you start making WB, saturation and contrast adjustments, you mess up the this essential part - skin tones go too red, too yellow, or whatever. Also, you've developed or retained tonal depth in other facial and hair features.

Nice work...really.

[SENster7]

Quite an improvement! Surely you family will thank you one day for capturing and presenting them at their best. :D

Of note, your skin colors have a consistent tone and color across the two galleries. Sometimes when you start making WB, saturation and contrast adjustments, you mess up the this essential part - skin tones go too red, too yellow, or whatever. Also, you've developed or retained tonal depth in other facial and hair features.

Nice work...really.

Thanks maderito, I appreciate your compliments, and all your help!

[Scottes]

Excellent work! They show a hell of an improvement.

Funny how you can find time when the end result is worth it, huh? :wink:

Good job.

[SENster7]

Thanks Scottes! Yes, you are completely right, I have adopted your suggestion of taking the time to process less shots, but quality shots, rather than using a destructive batch process on multiple shots with no quality! I still have a lot to learn when it comes to using levels and curves, I find myself blowing out the backgrounds quite often, but I'm hoping over time I will learn to get it just right! I'm finding myself to spend about between 2-5 minutes per picture with levels and curves, the end result is so worth it!