ADVICE: Topics to include - IT Training - RAW & PS?

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

04/19/2005 04:44:39 PM · #1

Hi Folks

I could really do with some advice/ links/ material on converting RAW (any general and specific information) plus advice on what you might cover in a BASIC training session on Photoshop for photographers.

Whole session to last about half day.

I'm an IT Trainer by profession though haven't previously trained on PS or related...

I get a (small) discount off the next annual wildlife festival which will be in India for a) providing training on this stuff for the owner of the tour operator and one of the photographer experts and b) for giving a digital workshop during the next festival. Next festival I have time to prepare well for but they need the training ASAP.

I have a pretty strong idea of what to cover (they effectively want me to explain/ teach them what they saw me doing on my laptop to my images during the recent festival) but any additional info/ ideas/ material wouldn't go amiss.

THANKS!

phreakon

Olympus C-740UZ

04/19/2005 05:01:21 PM · #2

I would go over file types, modes, basic use of the tools, filters, layers, and where to find the answer to questions they'll have after you leave. Also, use of contrast, levels, saturation, and curves. You wouldn't have to pull your hair out with details, but give an overview of the most important editing tools for cleaning a photo. It sounds like they just want an overview of the program.

phreakon

Olympus C-740UZ

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

04/19/2005 05:02:40 PM · #3

Oh, and have example photos, and bring different types of shots to clean up. Maybe a night shot, macro, portrait, landscape, etc.

04/19/2005 05:05:11 PM · #4

Yeah those things were pretty much on my list...

Actually, the Photoshop side of it I think I'm pretty comfortable with it as I've learned such a lot myself since getting PS, gleaning tips from forum threads and from people like Gordon, in DPC Fanatics etc.

I've only very recently started shooting in RAW, mainly because of situations where I felt less in control of exposure and of WB so I'm not experienced in the RAW conversion workflow.

That's where I'd most appreciate advice.

Though PS advice still helpful too...

I'll take them through adjustments with and without using layers and explain the reasons for layers, also show them layer masks, spot editing, different ways of converting to black and white. I'll also talk them through an understanding of programs such as Genuine Fractals, Neat Image, when/ why to use and not to use...

04/19/2005 05:06:12 PM · #5

I'm a trainer... Trainers (decent ones, anyways) ALWAYS have example files and training examples for both demonstration, working through together and for them to practice on alone!
:o)

THANKS for your input! Very helpful!

Message edited by author 2005-04-19 17:07:09.

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

04/20/2005 05:56:53 AM · #6

Are there any other tools that anyone regularly uses in their normal post-processing workflow?

THANKS

BobsterLobster

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

04/20/2005 06:05:20 AM · #7

A brief taster on restoring old photos might be interesting to most people, and serve to introduce some of the more advanced tools towards the end of your course.

04/20/2005 06:21:22 AM · #8

That might be interesting... though I've not done it myself.
What tools would be used in main, other than clone/ heal?

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

04/21/2005 10:34:04 AM · #9

Top...

Any more ideas/ detail on the restoration side of things? Key techniques and tools used?

BobsterLobster

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

04/21/2005 12:43:10 PM · #10

Clone/heal would be the main ones I imagine (I've not done a huge amount myself), but I think you'd be lucky to get that far after half a day. Otherwise, I think it would capture people's imaginations for sentimental uses of PS.

dwoolridge

04/21/2005 02:09:34 PM · #11

You might want to download/buy copies of C1 LE, Bibble Pro, and RSE just so you have a grab bag of RAW processing tools. Compared with all of those, ACR is very slow (though one of the better ones). ACR in CS2 will probably be a huge improvement though. Touching on color management and color spaces (especially as they relate to bit depth) might be useful too. A rudimentary overview of why doing X (e.g. overall contrast) during raw conversion is generally/theoretically better than doing X afterwards would also be good. Oh, the "expose to the right" theory might also be of interest. I have sample images if you're interested.

superdave_909

Canon EOS-60D

Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

04/21/2005 02:23:17 PM · #12

I didn't read all the posts so if someone else mentioned this... sorry!
But a great site for some photoshop tutorials is:
//www.good-tutorials.com/

moodville

Nikon D100

04/21/2005 03:32:50 PM · #13

RAW Workflow

Various RAW converters - canon, nikon, third party software

Transferring files
Batch processing
Understanding the histogram
Fixing exposure
Fixing the white balance
Sharpening

Differences between RAW workflow of a RAW converter and PS

Photoshop

If they are working on an image in a RAW converter then they dont really need to mess with levels/curves et al but it is always a good basic thing to know about PS.

Rotating
Perspective
Cropping
Removing dust and other cloning
Resizing and upsampling
USM
Saving for print and saving for web
PS Actions (creating and using)

Third party software

Neatimage and other noise reduction software
Genuine Fractals
Nik multimedia filters (color efex and sharpening)
Possibly auto FX but it depends on the type of people you're teaching

Retouching is a little more advanced and more specific. If you want just a basic overview and only have half a day then I'd stick with the basics. That also gives you time for q&a too.

05/03/2005 09:58:56 AM · #14

Mood
I saw this when you posted it but wasn't able to login and post a reply at the time, just wanted to thank you for it (better late than never) as it's a really useful outline.

THANKS

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

05/23/2005 12:04:09 PM · #15

Don't know if anyone is interested but here is the course I developed:

Obviously it takes a lot from what I learned from Bruce Fraser's books though all training examples are, of course, on my own files and I've added additional information in areas where I felt it was useful such as on the Unsharp Mask Tool in photoshop. The photoshop stuff is not from his book, obviously, since the book doesn't cover that, but is just a basic introduction...

I'm training it tomorrow so will let you know how it goes.

WHAT IS A DIGITAL RAW FILE?
HOW DOES THE CAMERA SENSOR RECORD INFORMATION?
Colour Channels
Bit Depth
White Balance
Colourimetric Interpretation
Gamma Correction
Noise reduction, Antialiasing, Sharpening
WHAT IS A JPEG FILE?
Cameras Creating JPEGS
WHY TO SHOOT RAW?
Control over interpretation of the image
Bit Depth
White Balance
Colourimetric Interpretation
Exposure
Detail and Noise
WHY NOT TO SHOOT RAW?
USING THE CAMERA RAW TOOL
CAMERA RAW ANATOMY
Tour of Screen
The Preview Controls
The Histogram
Settings Menu
Workflow settings
IMAGE SETTINGS
Adjust Tab
Detail Tab
Lens Tab
Calibrate Tab
SETTING UP CAMERA RAW PREFERENCES
OK & Update Buttons
INTO PHOTOSHOP
COLOURSPACE PREFERENCES
SAVING CONVERTED FILES AS TIFFS AND JPEGS
ADDITIONAL PHOTOSHOP PROCESSING
Adjustment Tools
Cropping
Rotating
Using Layers & Layer Masks
Spot Editing
Dodging & Burning
Sharpening
Converting to black and white
FILE MANAGEMENT
Transferring Images
Directory Structures & Archives
File Naming
THE FILE BROWSER
USING THE FILE BROWSER
The Preview
Preferences
Viewing EXIF Data
Customising the Layout
Selecting Images
Flagging Images
Ranking Images
Sorting Images
ADVANCED FILE BROWSER & WORKFLOW
Applying Camera Raw Settings to Multiple Images
Using batch renaming
OTHER CONVERTORS
Capture One by Phase One
RawShooter Essentials by Pixmantec
Bibble By Bibble Labs
GENUINE FRACTALS
NEAT IMAGE
OTHER INFORMATION RE UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL
Understanding Pixels and Resolution

dpdave

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

05/23/2005 12:56:10 PM · #16

Kavey...the only thing I noticed missing was a basic primer on color (colour?) correction, which is a function I've learned fairly recently for doing away with color cast problems. Very useful.

05/23/2005 01:12:29 PM · #17

Dave

Actually, I cover it in most detail in the Raw Conversion tool rather than in Photoshop but it IS also touched on under the section called Adjustment Tools in the list above under Into Photoshop (where I look at things like Levels, Curves, Hue/ Saturation, Colour Balance and so on).

Thanks for looking, though!

Message edited by author 2005-05-23 13:15:01.

dwoolridge

05/23/2005 04:17:28 PM · #18

I see you're not covering colour management at all. Although it may be difficult to adequately squeeze it in, I would consider optionally including it (depending on the needs of your target audience), even if it's just to cover the bare boned basics. It seems to me that the minute you start trusting what's on the monitor, you're pretty much fsck'd unless the monitor is (hardware) calibrated.

p.s. if you want sample color checker shots with a calibration tab xmp for show, let me know.

05/23/2005 05:13:38 PM · #19

Dale, the training session is only 3-4 hours long so really not time to cover it.

Where I talk about colourspace and colourprofiles I do briefly mention the concept of calibration and colour management but literally just to introduce them to the fact that the issue exists and suggest another session or further research on their own part to address it.

To be honest, I'm not sure we'll cover what I've already listed given existing levels of students and the time we have...

Thanks though!

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 12-24mm f/4.0G IF-ED

05/24/2005 12:41:22 PM · #20

Just to let you know that the training went extremely well and the client seemed really, genuinely delighted with how much we'd covered in the one session.

jbsmithana

Nikon D300

05/24/2005 12:50:54 PM · #21

Jeez! All that in 3-4 hours? These must have been advanced users or maybe just way smarter than me. LOL