Adobe Photoshop and CS

[photo_chick]

Make sure when you start adjusting colors and such that you save your exising profile so you can come back to it. It does not take much to muck everything up.

see if you have Adobe Gamma installed on your machine and run it if you do.

Also, sometimes simply adjusting the color temperature of your monitor will line it up better with your printer.

 

[GrillMouster]

Make sure when you start adjusting colors and such that you save your exising profile so you can come back to it. It does not take much to muck everything up.

see if you have Adobe Gamma installed on your machine and run it if you do.

Also, sometimes simply adjusting the color temperature of your monitor will line it up better with your printer.

If you're talking about adjusting the settings on your monitor so that what you see more closely matches what comes out of the attached printer or a drug store/Wal-Mart lab, I'd say that's the wrong way to go. That logic assumes that the prints coming from the printer are consistently accurate, which is almost NEVER the case. Adjusting the monitor to match those prints means that you'll be screwing up the images even more to compensate for the color inaccuracies of the printer. Running Adobe Gamma is better than nothing, but it's very subjective and real-world results are less than stellar.

 

[photo_chick]

That's the rub, isn't it? Is any calibration better than no calibration?

I have three monitor settings. One for when I edit for the web, one for my printer, and one for the print house I use. But none of that replaces a good, old fashioned press check.

I totally agree that one hour labs are compeltely unreliable. Ink jets are only reliable for consistency if you maintain them well, and even then you have to recalibrate periodically.. especially after you've changed an ink tank. Then there is the natural creep of the monitor, variable ambient light that changes the view, in the case of LCD screens viewing angle.... I could go on. In the end it's almost a feeling of why bother.

What it comes down to is if it matters to you personally and or professionally. Me, I've been doing this long enough that I see the value in having a monitor that's at least in the ballpark of my output method.

 

[VVFF]

That's the rub, isn't it? Is any calibration better than no calibration?

I have three monitor settings. One for when I edit for the web, one for my printer, and one for the print house I use. But none of that replaces a good, old fashioned press check.

I totally agree that one hour labs are compeltely unreliable. Ink jets are only reliable for consistency if you maintain them well, and even then you have to recalibrate periodically.. especially after you've changed an ink tank. Then there is the natural creep of the monitor, variable ambient light that changes the view, in the case of LCD screens viewing angle.... I could go on. In the end it's almost a feeling of why bother.

What it comes down to is if it matters to you personally and or professionally. Me, I've been doing this long enough that I see the value in having a monitor that's at least in the ballpark of my output method.

If you've properly set up color management, colors should be in the ballpark without needing multiple setting variations.

 

[GrillMouster]

Adjusting your monitor to match your printer is like chasing a moving target. Having different monitor settings for different output (printer, web, lab) is crazy; you'd have to re-process the image for each output method. You'll get better and more consistent results if you just make sure that your output methods are calibrated. That way you only process your image once and can count on it being correct on all output devices. You don't have to break the bank to do this. Monitor calibration devices, like the X-Rite Huey, are available for under $100. For a little more you can get a really good one, like the EyeOne Display 2. For a little more you can get the ColorMunki, which adds profiling for your printer & projector, but you can usually do pretty well on a decent printer using the printer/paper profiles from the web.

 

[photo_chick]

If you've properly set up color management, colors should be in the ballpark without needing multiple setting variations.

I guess it depends on how big your ballpark is. I'm on the more precise side of things than the average person. Comes from my background I guess.

 

[VVFF]

I guess it depends on how big your ballpark is. I'm on the more precise side of things than the average person. Comes from my background I guess.

Well I'll just have to agree with Grillmouster here. Your system is overly complex for something that can be achieved through color management. This technique then allows you to "soft proof" your images to see how they will look in print and adjust accordingly. It's impossible to adjust for color gamut differences between multiple devices without using color management.

 

[photo_chick]

Well I'll just have to agree with Grillmouster here. Your system is overly complex for something that can be achieved through color management. This technique then allows you to "soft proof" your images to see how they will look in print and adjust accordingly. It's impossible to adjust for color gamut differences between multiple devices without using color management.

OK.. DUH!

The suggestions I was giving was for someone who doesn't have any kind color managament software other that what comes on the system. And I agree, it's impossible to get very accurate when you hand calibrate things. Maybe I wasn't clear there.

Not that it matters.... but I use a colorimeter. Sometimes supplemented by a Pantone swatch book when I'm sending to the print house and not the regular photo lab. My system is no more complex than necessary for what I need.

 

[WdwforLife]

I couldn't find a decent thread for an outlet for some Disney photography I've been working on in Photoshop. So I decided to start one! And...well...here's my first submission! I really like how it turned out.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

 

[Marlton Mom]

Are there any special effect plug ins for Photoshop that would be free or perhaps packaged in a reasonably priced group?

Does any one have a special site that they like that connects you with features like special effects for Photoshop?

I have Photoshop CS4. What are some of the special effect software packages that work with this program that you like? What have they brought to your pictures that you really like?

Feel free to show off with some pictures!

Thanks,
Marlton Mom

 

[Snappy in OK]

I am just starting to learn PS, and it is going very slowly. The Pioneer Woman has some free ones on her website. I have played with them, but that is about all so far. Good luck!

 

[MICKEY88]

topaz labs, offers some awesome plug ins, they are not free though

you can download and try for 30 days.

 

[Gdad]

Action Central has some good free stuff-

http://www.atncentral.com/

Also I like Topaz quite a bit- it's $50 I think though.

 

[NateNLogansDad]

Another vote for Topaz.

 

[MICKEY88]

Action Central has some good free stuff-

http://www.atncentral.com/

Also I like Topaz quite a bit- it's $50 I think though.

$50 if you only buy one

the bundle is more like 180

 

[ranthony]

My DH coaches ice hockey and his goalie is graduating this year. He wanted to give the parents of this student a 5 x 7 photo of their son in goal. He's been with the team for 4 years and they were undefeated this season. The parents have always been very supportive of the team.

The best picture I could find is this one...hockey photos are tough! I was going to ask a friend to try to edit out the other player's head that is on the edge of the right side. Then, when I really looked closely I thought it might be too tough of a job because of the netting in the background. She's not a professional so I can't speak to her proficiency with Photoshop. Is this a tough fix? I don't want to ask her for something that's impossible.

TIA

 

[VVFF]

Should be doable, it'll just take a bit of time. Do you have a higher resolution version?

 

[ranthony]

No, I wish I did.

I guess I'll ask her and see what she thinks.

 

[MICKEY88]

No, I wish I did.

I guess I'll ask her and see what she thinks.

here's a quick edit..

cleaned up the background a little and cropped to 5x7