Back at my computer desk, I followed my workflow with only one difference: for the purpose of this exercise I used both Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop/ Camera Raw to open and process my files. The aim was to check and compare the programmes as well as to learn about tone and colour optimisation.
The main stages of my image processing workflow described in Exercise 1 were used to complete this exercise so there is no need to repeat myself and spell out the process.
After my image was transferred from the camera memory card to hard drive, I opened Adobe Lightroom to view it. I then followed all stages of my workflow to the final image. After the process was complete, I repeated the steps using Adobe Photoshop this time.
The summary of the steps relevant to this exercise are given below as well as the images to demonstrate these steps.
Image editing in Adobe Photoshop
Opened Photoshop: File-Open to open the file.
I used Camera Raw to open and make adjustments in raw image.
Back in Photoshop, I used Window menu to choose to display panels
Setting black point and white point: Image - Adjustments – Levels
I used Sample In to set black point and Sample in to set white point tools to find and select/ set black and white reference points.
I followed the instructions in the exercise brief and also M.Evening’s manual and experimented with closing in to almost clipping the values.
Individual image editing in the Library and Develop Modes (Adobe Lightroom)
In Develop mode (screen, top right):
Used Crop tool to achieve final composition
Turned on clipping indicators on histogram
Basic panel: adjusted Clarity, Vibrance, and Saturation sliders. Used Before/After View to help achieve desired effect
Basic panel: edited overexposed and underexposed images with Exposure – Recovery – Full lights – Blacks
Histogram and Tone curve panel: studied histogram and adjusted Highlights, Darks, Lights and Shadows using Tone Curve sliders. Used Before/After View to help achieve desired effect.
HSL/ Colour/ Grayscale panel: adjusted colours
Detail panel: Sharpening
Noise reduction: adjusted Luminance and Colour sliders
Sharpening: adjusted Amount to control the overall intensity
Vignettes panel: Post Crop section - adjusted Amount, Midpoint, Roundness and Feather slightly. I only adjusted this setting very slightly taking care not to make the wooden panel in the left bottom corner too dark.
Saved and exported modified image to the hard drive
I then adjusted Exposure, Contrast, Tone curve, Brightness and Recovery.
When editing was completed, I used a sharpening tool: Filter-Sharpen-Unsharp Mask
I then saved the file using Save As…function
