Leen, regarding the white and black points used by Auto Contrast:
Perhaps you don’t want to drive the white point to pure white or the black point to pure black but rather perform somewhat less of an adjustment. The way to get at the points used by Auto Contrast and Auto Levels (same points) is to create a Levels Adjustment Layer (which you may turn off or discard when you’re done). When you create the Levels Adjustment Layer, you’ll get the dialog box with the histogram and the eyedroppers. Double-click on the black eyedropper and you’ll get the color picker – pick a different black point, either by clicking in the color box or putting the appropriate values in the boxes on the right. Then double-click on the white eyedropper and perform a similar routine. Now when you hit OK, it will ask you if you want to "Save the New Target Colors as Defaults"; click on "Yes" and you have new defaults. The Auto Levels and Auto Contrast tools will now use these points until changed again. If you want to get really bizarre with it, you can select white for the black point, black for the white point, and Auto Contrast will give you a negative (inverse) image! Or you can a dark color for the black point and Auto Levels will give you another interesting effect. But the real value is to those who feel that Auto Contrast goes a bit too far…
Re the exposure system, I’ve been using -1/3 stop because my camera is divided into thirds of stops. Most of the time it works fairly well.
Chuck
Chuck, thanks for your explanation; as soon as the studio isn’t that busy any more I will try. I printed your posting so it won’t get lost. (I have intentionally no internet connection on the computer I use for imaging purposes, because I ‘m afraid of a possible virus)
Jodi, I admire you for mastering so many techniques in such a short time and applying them so tasteful..
Of course you are right; you will have to start with a quality image first, but a tasteful further enhancement of the image moght increase the "Wow"-effect.
In the challenge I noticed you have the mystica lighting too. 😉
We should be working together. We are both dreamers, living in a wonderful, hardly existing, world. 😉
Leen
Leen , yet another great story! 😉
I’m in upstate NY…well they call it that if you aren’t in NYC. It is more eastern central ( near Albany ). Unfortunetly I do not buy expensive coffee for your tastes. When i first wake up i am in limbo and couldn’t care less or even notice the taste of the coffee…as long as it’s coffee. 2 and a half cups and I’m awake and done with coffee t’il the following morning. So, i may have to shop for the ‘real brew’ before you come. Any particular brand ??
Oh, ya know, we can just work together over the net 😉 …then you’ll always have your fav coffee ;))
Ok Jodi, we will work together over the net. 😉
I need at least 12 cups of strong cofee daily.
It will take me about 7 years before retiring from the studio. One of the things I plan to do after retirement is walking the 1500 miles pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and the next thing will probably be cycling (the human powered way) in the USA from coast to coast. I’ll drop by and bring my own coffee.
;-))
Leen
Leen,
Looked at the feathered picture on your web site. Now I understand what feathering can do as I had difficulty grasping what impact it has just from theory.
I copied your method and added a film grain and then unsharp to one of my pictures. It looks the business.
You can wake me up for a Rombouts any time.
Robert
Hi Robert,
Glad I could help.
I can imagine you don’t mind to wake up for a Rombouts. I’m afraid I won’t join you as I don’t drink any alcohol any more.
But you can always call me for a good strong cup of black coffee.
I’ll contact you.
Leen
Leen,
Rombouts does sound like a belgian beer.
However it is a decent brand of good flavoured and strong Belgian coffee.
Robert
I apologise. You are right.
How could I ever be mistaken like that.
Leen
