Author Topic: Curves Adjustments- To Use 'Auto' Feature (Read 3940 times)

tab62 · « **on:** December 10, 2012, 16:04 »

Hi MSG Folks,

While in a Photoshop course our instructor told us that most of our work is okay to use the 'Auto' in Curves Adjustment to do the trick. Well, one student got into a heated debate and said you have to use the channels on each individual color and not Auto! He felt that a "Low End" processer using Auto might be okay but not at a higher level. Your take?

Thanks.

Tom

sgoodwin4813 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 10, 2012, 16:21 »

I have CS4 and stopped using auto levels or auto curves a long time ago - much better to make the changes according to your own eye. I wouldn't bother with individual channels for most stock - takes too much time (or maybe I'm too slow).

If you want to know for sure, on your next batch do auto curves on half and manual on the rest and see what the reviewers say. Let us know what you find out.

Pixart · « **Reply #2 on:** December 10, 2012, 16:46 »

I don't know what the heck I did to mine but when I try to use Auto everything goes to pure white. Also when I use the black eye dropper (white dropper works!).

I think I've turned made a change myself but didn't know - anyone able to help?

Something else that has been irking me - everytime I use a new adjustment layer, it opens up as a clipping mask. Any idea how to turn this off?

Gosh, i've derailed another topic.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #3 on:** December 10, 2012, 16:55 »

If you can't get better results than "Auto" then you really shouldn't be using Photoshop - stick with iPhoto or one of the push-button image-fixer-uppers. Or use Lightroom for basic tone, contrast and white balance and leave the image alone.

Photoshop isn't easy to learn, but it's worth the effort and there's no substitute for spending a lot of time with a lot of images so you can control the results you get. You don't have a single "right" way to do anything, but you do need to look at your image. Why spend a ton of money on a program to let you tinker with all the details and then click "Auto"? Makes no sense.

gillian vann · « **Reply #4 on:** December 10, 2012, 18:46 »

when i was at college our teacher told us to ignore all of the Auto settings in Photoshop.

tab62 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 10, 2012, 19:55 »

Just tried the dropper on levels- wow! So cool and my pics looks great thanks folks!

Tom

Ed · « **Reply #6 on:** December 10, 2012, 20:15 »

Use a gray card and set a custom white balance - your images from the session will have a consistent white balance and your clients will be happy (as opposed to using auto white balance, then using auto curves adjustments to adjust the auto white balance).

Only you can control your camera - don't let your camera control you and then try to make up for it later in Photoshop. If you're doing something in Photoshop, then it should be to get a particular effect....and usually, effects like that don't sell (well) for stock.

tab62 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 10, 2012, 22:41 »

The Gray card is a great idea- I shoot in Raw thus do mod the white balance some in RAW 7.1- generally to warm it up a bit but not over kill...

RacePhoto · « **Reply #8 on:** December 11, 2012, 01:00 »

Quote from: vannphoto on December 10, 2012, 18:46

when i was at college our teacher told us to ignore all of the Auto settings in Photoshop.

And on the camera and probably on everything else you use for processing.

ClaridgeJ · « **Reply #9 on:** December 11, 2012, 01:22 »

Forget Auto!

Curves has to be calibrated, set the highlights for 248, shadows for 8 and neutral for 128. use the eyedroppers for the lightest and darkest places on the picture. If you are going to learn PS at all you might as well learn it the correct way, right. Using PS the way the Professionals do is a very steep learning curve and if you are not prepared to do it, get the Elements instead. Micro is one thing, but should you want to do business with lets say RM agencies, etc, then the learning is a must. They will check it!
What your eyes see is one thing, ¨getting the correct output values is totally differant but thats what counts.

Your entire PS has to be calibrated as well, going into the color-settings under Edit, etc.

gillian vann · « **Reply #10 on:** December 11, 2012, 03:28 »

Quote from: RacePhoto on December 11, 2012, 01:00

Quote from: vannphoto on December 10, 2012, 18:46
when i was at college our teacher told us to ignore all of the Auto settings in Photoshop.

And on the camera and probably on everything else you use for processing.

yup.

except flash.... she did say, "even in auto your flash will probably do a good job" and I do agree, when i don't have the brain power to juggle the A, SS, ISO + do maths with the guide number, then auto or TTL has saved me in a few tricky situations where I had 20 seconds to get the shot.

rubyroo · « **Reply #11 on:** December 11, 2012, 04:06 »

Agreeing with others who say stay away from 'auto'.

The great pleasure in mastering editing techniques is that the more you learn, the more creative and interesting choices you have in your approach to solving problems. If you stick with 'auto' you only have one - and that's a choice that's been made for you. No fun at all.

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Author Topic: Curves Adjustments- To Use 'Auto' Feature (Read 3940 times)

tab62

sgoodwin4813

Pixart

Jo Ann Snover

gillian vann

tab62

Ed

tab62

RacePhoto

ClaridgeJ

gillian vann

rubyroo

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