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Author Topic: Tone Targeted Sharpening.  (Read 42661 times)
Jeff
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« Reply #15 on: August 12, 2010, 07:03:58 PM »

Thanks to Mike for comments.

I thought I could be doing wrong trying to a double sharpen.

I will return to the image tomorrow and follow your suggestions, just happen to have taken the photo a few days ago and I though it was a good image for practicing on.

Only got the update this afternoon, - trying to run before walking again.

Jeff
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Jeff
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« Reply #16 on: August 12, 2010, 07:09:37 PM »


Keep on letting us know how you are getting on.
Great photos on your blog  Wink
Terry

I am afraid to admit on this forum that a lot of the photo's are down to PSElements, but most have been raw processed in Qimage.

jeff 
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Terry-M
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« Reply #17 on: August 12, 2010, 08:37:19 PM »

Quote
Select "Target all tones EXCEPT the selected tone".
I'm finding this mode is as useful as selecting a tone for sharpening.
Jeff,
Quote
I am afraid to admit on this forum that a lot of the photo's are down to PSElements, but most have been raw processed in Qimage.
It's ok, you're forgiven  Wink QU editing facilities are under valued IMHO. I normally only use an external editor for cloning or perspective correction, but that could change, he says hopefully.  Grin
Terry
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« Reply #18 on: August 12, 2010, 09:23:30 PM »

Quote
Select "Target all tones EXCEPT the selected tone".
I'm finding this mode is as useful as selecting a tone for sharpening.

I agree.  I actually find that I use the "except" mode most often.  Sometimes it's easier to identify your background and say "don't fool with that" rather than the more obvious "I want to sharpen this".  A lot of times though, the background is more uniform so it's easier to say "not that".  I had entertained the thought of allowing you to select more than one tone but between the 4 options that are there now and the ability to check "shadow noise" in conjunction with the sharpening to take control of noise, I think you can do just about anything you want with the current set of features.

Mike
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Terry-M
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« Reply #19 on: August 13, 2010, 09:11:00 AM »

Quote
I had entertained the thought of allowing you to select more than one tone
I had wondered about that initially but now I have been through quite a number of images, I've not found many cases where I couldn't manage with the existing features. It only takes a few seconds to try different options and there's always the basic camera EQ available.
Quote
and the ability to check "shadow noise" in conjunction with the sharpening to take control of noise,
That has been an old favourite of mine for some time  Cheesy
Terry
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Terry-M
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« Reply #20 on: August 13, 2010, 09:12:28 AM »

Jeff,
Quote
a lot of the photo's are down to PSElements,
I should have asked, what do you do with an image in PS-E?
Terry
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Jeff
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« Reply #21 on: August 13, 2010, 11:24:01 AM »

Hello all again.

Second attempt applying Mike suggestions.

Posted results on Blog - http://grumpy-jeff.blogspot.com/

Shot was on a dull evening 7.30 ish BST so shot at 800iso on my K20 which at 800 gives quite a lot of noise.

1st image - QU processed - Target all tones except the green background, Shad ns checked
I can still see some noise!

2nd image - QU processed the same but without the noise filter, image then put through "Noiseware Community Edition" settings shown in 3rd image

Noiseware can be more drastic and I find useful for really bad noise.

But I think QU exclusive processed is the best, the girl 'pops more' and the colour is richer which was the intention.

Jeff
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Jeff
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« Reply #22 on: August 13, 2010, 11:38:25 AM »

Jeff,
Quote
a lot of the photo's are down to PSElements,
I should have asked, what do you do with an image in PS-E?
Terry

Terry - you ask what I use PS E for.  Almost exclusively for the portraits, ie after the raw has been through Qimage.   Most of the portraits are shot at camera club studio sessions and as shot are frankly crap.  The one of the girl now seven down on blog  was shot with a single flash on right and she was leaning on a reflector against a black cloth background.

It required blemishes cloning out, shine taking off nose chin etc, shadows under eyes and chin replacing, teeth and eyes whitening, eyes darkening and sharpening, all skin tones smoothing (selectively blurring).  Having got that all done then had to go to PS E 4 with a plug in to select the girl from the background and reflector - about a hour and a half work.

Then back to PS E 7, create a background to suit the cutout and adjust as necessary, then back to Qimage to create the print file with printer profile and then we are about done.

I have to use two ver. of PS E because the plug in I use for selecting cutout 'GML matting' does not work well with Elements 7.
I also use a Action from CoffeeShop - http://coffeeteaphotography.blogspot.com/ which creates all the layers but leaves one with all the work Smiley 

I also use Elements 7 for finishing HDR's.  I use PhotoMatrix at Default and then as I say finish with Elements to avoid the HDR look, suppose I could do that with QU will try sometime.

Jeff
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Terry-M
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« Reply #23 on: August 13, 2010, 12:16:56 PM »

Hi Jeff,
Quote
Shot was on a dull evening 7.30 ish BST so shot at 800iso on my K20 which at 800 gives quite a lot of noise.
Why don't you try some different settings for NR and possibly USM in you Raw preferences? I shot some macro at 800 iso on my Canon 350D the other day, no noise at all from the raw, only when I sharpened did some "grain" appear in the blurred background but TTS sorted that out using the Exclude mode. Canon's always seems to have a good reputation wrt noise.  Cheesy
Quote
2nd image - QU processed the same but without the noise filter, image then put through "Noiseware Community Edition" settings shown in 3rd image
It may be better to do it the other way round, NR in external program first the QU TTS, might be worth a try.
I have NeatImage but never use it now since going over to raw.
Terry
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Terry-M
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« Reply #24 on: August 13, 2010, 12:25:51 PM »

Jeff,
Quote
but leaves one with all the work
You give yourself a hard time  Shocked
By "HDR" do you mean combining images or just Tone Mapping a single image?
Seems to be a popular process to use now but I'm not convinced. It achieves a certain "look" and is often overdone.
I have an open source program with several different algorithms, most of which are way over the top; also PaintShop Pro which  has a local tone mapping feature, at least there's more control with that.
Terry.
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Jeff
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« Reply #25 on: August 13, 2010, 02:07:10 PM »

Jeff,
Quote
but leaves one with all the work
You give yourself a hard time  Shocked
By "HDR" do you mean combining images or just Tone Mapping a single image?
Seems to be a popular process to use now but I'm not convinced. It achieves a certain "look" and is often overdone.
I have an open source program with several different algorithms, most of which are way over the top; also PaintShop Pro which  has a local tone mapping feature, at least there's more control with that.
Terry.

Terry

HDR the full works, 5 images combined, some times though I find it better to combine only the middle three, the most under and over exposures seem to create aberrations -if that is the right word-  fringes of colour. Green grass sometimes goes over the top and I tone it down using a LAB curve elements plug in.   Again I could probably do the necessary with QU will give it try.

PhotoMatrix is my choice, I have other progs but now never use them.

Further down the blog under Monday, 6 July 2009 are four of my efforts, I think the Torquay one is also HDR

Jeff 
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Terry-M
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« Reply #26 on: August 13, 2010, 03:01:54 PM »

Quote
Further down the blog under Monday, 6 July 2009 are four of my efforts, I think the Torquay one is also HDR
The only Torquay one is a night shot dated 2008, is that it?
In my efforts to combine images, either taken with different exposures, or developing the raw to different exposures and making a conversion for each, I've not been particularly successful (used (PS-Pro).
I've found that by exposing for highlights, QU Raw Fill does an excellent job when comparing identical HDR scenes. As soon as you start to involve tone mapping, like you, I found that colours are distorted, especially greens, and noise is created.
Terry
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Jeff
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« Reply #27 on: August 13, 2010, 03:38:41 PM »

Quote
Further down the blog under Monday, 6 July 2009 are four of my efforts, I think the Torquay one is also HDR
The only Torquay one is a night shot dated 2008, is that it?
Terry

Yes, dig out the old ones

Jeff
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Fred A
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« Reply #28 on: August 13, 2010, 08:20:05 PM »


I agree.  I actually find that I use the "except" mode most often.  Sometimes it's easier to identify your background and say "don't fool with that" rather than the more obvious "I want to sharpen this".  A lot of times though, the background is more uniform so it's easier to say "not that".  I had entertained the thought of allowing you to select more than one tone but between the 4 options that are there now and the ability to check "shadow noise" in conjunction with the sharpening to take control of noise, I think you can do just about anything you want with the current set of features.

Mike
[/quote]

Have a look at some of these. You can browse the text panel too. 
Terry and I posted some of ours for show and tell.

http://www.pbase.com/tjm04/qutts
« Last Edit: August 16, 2010, 10:26:12 PM by Fred A » Logged
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« Reply #29 on: August 16, 2010, 10:42:15 PM »

I am reading this with immense interest and having looked at the examples I must give QU a spin if only for the TTS function initially.  FWIW I do PPing on the KISS principal i.e. no messing with layers et al for selective sharpening (typical workflow for me is levels, USM LCE setting adjusted to taste and requirement by image, resize for web and Smart Sharpen) with QS obviously I move into QS after the initial levels and USM capture sharpening step ~ cropping resizing and output sharpening left up to QS.

But the TTS opens lots of new potential for sharpening only what is needed especially using the everything but this tone ~ I see this even before trying as very usefull akin to the "Relight" function LightZone.

I note Mike says he was thinking of implementing the tool to select a ranges of "tones" ~ conceptually I think this could be usefull but reserve further comment until I have tried the tool as is sometime over the next week or so.

Now remind me QU can be installed to run in parrallel with QS, yes???

Oh last question and sorry to go off topic a little?  Camera Profiles for RAW processing, anyone using these and how much of an improvement do see/get???
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