frustrating photoshop questions - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

01/10/2010 08:39:15 AM · #1

Ok, I switched from elements to CS4, and I'm feeling totally lost. There are two features that made life so much easier that I can't find in photoshop. Could you please tell me where they are (if they exist)?

1. The shadows/highlights command. I know I can to the equivalent in curves, but I really liked this command in elements.

2. Remove color cast. I shot my son's basketball game. I thought the lights were flourescent, the were mercury vapor lights. Even with playing with the temperature adjustments in RAW, I can't get it right. It was so much easier in Elements to use the "remove color cast" and click on what was supposed to be white

Thanks! I was excited to change, but I'm finding the whole process annoying. There are so many things that Elements did well: saving in version sets, the ability to rate a photo in full screen preview, being able to double click on an image to view it full screen in the organizer instead of having to click a preview tab. *sigh* I hope this is worth it.

Delta_6

Canon EOS-7D

01/10/2010 08:52:14 AM · #2

I have CS3 and shadow/highlight is in Image/Adjustments.

Don't know about the other one.

see

Canon PowerShot S95

01/10/2010 08:53:11 AM · #3

I don't have my CS3 up yet, but Shadows/ Highlights are loated at Image-> ajustments

see

Canon PowerShot S95

01/10/2010 08:58:22 AM · #4

For my White point, Image-> ajustments-> levels-> click on the white eye droper, click on the part of the image that should be white.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

01/10/2010 08:59:21 AM · #5

ah yes, I was assuming that the adjustments were all on the right with the icons. silly me. thanks!

anyone know color cast?

oops, a little late on this. Thanks Alan, I'll play around with it.

Message edited by author 2010-01-10 09:00:04.

LindaLee

Canon EOS-40D

01/10/2010 10:29:03 AM · #6

Another easy way to adjust color cast is to open your images in ACR and make the adjustments there - you can fine tune the color quite easily there.

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

01/10/2010 10:33:24 AM · #7

Originally posted by vawendy:

*sigh* I hope this is worth it.

Oh, it is. I had used Elements for about the last 4 versions. I switched to CS4 and have not regretted it at ALL. It really helped me to do tutorials on thekelby training website. They have one called "Photoshop CS4 for Beginners" & then others like "Mastering layers in Photoshop" (a SUPER one). You can pay by the month (I think $19.99) so you can do a whole bunch of "classes" and get your moneys worth. The classes are pretty in depth and you learn a lot.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

01/10/2010 10:45:29 AM · #8

Upgrade to PaintShop Pro.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

01/10/2010 10:46:06 AM · #9

(Sorry, had to do it, it just seemed too much like the Windows discussions that always have someone tossing in the advice of "Get a Mac")

michaelmonn

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

01/10/2010 10:48:30 AM · #10

ok so the best color cast removal ive found is this...

make a threshold layer above all other layers and find the whitest area in the image
use the color picker tool (the alternate eyedropper, hotkey "i" then press "shift+i") to mark that whitest area
** make sure to zoom way in and place it accurately**
then change the threshold layer to find the darkest/blackest part of the image
use the color picker again to mark that blackest part
now press shift+command(on a mac)+n... the new layer dialogue should appear
change mode to soft light and check the tick box that says fill with 50% grey and click ok
move this layer below the threshold layer and set its mode to difference.
adjust the threshold layer to find the lowest values (left hand side of the slider)
** these are the greyest values in your image**
use the color picker to mark this greyest area
now delete the threshold and 50% grey layers
create a curves adjustment layer on top of your image
you will see 3 eyedroppers (black white and grey) next to where the curve is (left hand side of the curve)
click the black and zoom in and click to match it to the color picker mark indicating the darkest part of the image
click the white and match it to the whitest
click the grey and match it to the greyest

this should leave you with a color corrected image :)

Elaine

Canon EOS R5

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS II USM Lens

01/10/2010 11:16:04 AM · #11

I'll ask... What's a threshold layer?

Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III

01/10/2010 11:22:57 AM · #12

the color cast tool in elements seems so much easier... They're just basketball pictures, and the problem is that I have about 100 of them. Isn't there an easier way--something I can apply to all 100 photos? I'm beginning to think that for photos that aren't all that important that just need quick cleanup, that maybe Elements is better... It's just a one-click step for elements.

Yo_Spiff

Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO

01/10/2010 11:36:08 AM · #13

Canon DPP can copy the settings (called a recipe) for one pic, then you can select all, apply the recipe to all the selected photos and do a batch operation to export them all.

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

01/10/2010 12:03:39 PM · #14

OK, next stupid question. I went to save for web/device to upload the file for tonight's challenge, but I don't see where I can set the file size to 300...

Please help!

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/10/2010 12:18:42 PM · #15

Originally posted by chaimelle:

I'll ask... What's a threshold layer?

Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Threshold

Creates a layer with a histogram and a slider; it breaks the image down into black/under and white/over, and allows you to slide the slider to determine where the cutoff point is. You slide until it's almost all black, and the last bit of white is the brightest spot in your image. Then slide it the other way, and the last bit of black is the darkest spot in your image. Hold down shift key while using the eyedropper, click on one of these spots, and it will leave a little target marker on your image. You can make many of these.

Then when you switch over to curves, you know exactly where your white and black points are to use the curves eyedroppers to select them.

R.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/10/2010 12:20:11 PM · #16

Originally posted by vawendy:

OK, next stupid question. I went to save for web/device to upload the file for tonight's challenge, but I don't see where I can set the file size to 300...

Please help!

To the right of "preset" at the top of the dialogue box is a little >> symbol; click that and get the optimize menu and select "optimize to file size".

R.

Message edited by author 2010-01-10 12:20:45.

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

01/10/2010 12:30:16 PM · #17

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by vawendy:
OK, next stupid question. I went to save for web/device to upload the file for tonight's challenge, but I don't see where I can set the file size to 300...

Please help!

To the right of "preset" at the top of the dialogue box is a little >> symbol; click that and get the optimize menu and select "optimize to file size".

R.

Thanks! I clicked on everything else, but missed that one.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

01/10/2010 12:34:17 PM · #18

Originally posted by vawendy:

Unless you already uninstalled Elements, why don't you just use it for this step? There's no rule which says you *must* use a more complex tool when a simple one will do ...

01/10/2010 12:41:34 PM · #19

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Originally posted by vawendy:
the color cast tool in elements seems so much easier... They're just basketball pictures, and the problem is that I have about 100 of them. Isn't there an easier way--something I can apply to all 100 photos? I'm beginning to think that for photos that aren't all that important that just need quick cleanup, that maybe Elements is better... It's just a one-click step for elements.

Unless you already uninstalled Elements, why don't you just use it for this step? There's no rule which says you *must* use a more complex tool when a simple one will do ...

It just seemed like there should be an equivalent. Just because there's a good reason for the longer, more involved method, doesn't mean that there isn't a need for the short cut. But you're right; I guess I will leave elements installed. I'm glad that bridge gives the option to open in either program.

01/10/2010 12:44:06 PM · #20

Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:

Canon DPP can copy the settings (called a recipe) for one pic, then you can select all, apply the recipe to all the selected photos and do a batch operation to export them all.

I'm no expert, but in CS4 you can create actions (VERY easy to make and use actions). Once you have an action, you can do batch processing.

I think I've used it once, but you can do File, automate, batch to run the action on a bunch of pictures.

Another way, File, scripts, image processor... at the bottom you can choose the action & it will run it on all images chosen.

Not sure what the difference between these two are... or if there is another easier way. Lots of options, though.

01/10/2010 12:48:16 PM · #21

Originally posted by vawendy:

I agree... eventually you will figure out the equivelent, but in the meantime keep Elements handy. The only thing I remain frustrated with in CS4 is leveling the picture. It's very easy in Adobe Bridge but once you get to CS4 it's not nearly as easy as in Elements.

JuliBoc

Apple iPhone 6s+

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

01/10/2010 01:52:50 PM · #22

Originally posted by Tammster:

The only thing I remain frustrated with in CS4 is leveling the picture. It's very easy in Adobe Bridge but once you get to CS4 it's not nearly as easy as in Elements.

Leveling a photo in CS3 is very easy. Under/behind the eyedropper tool is a ruler tool. Select the ruler, mark a point on one side of the image at the horizon (or whatever you are trying to level -- it works vertically too) then mark a point on the other side of the image at the horizon. You will have a line across the image. Now go to image>rotate canvas>arbitrary. When you click on arbitrary, the values to straighten the image based on your ruler line will already be filled in -- just click ok. It works like a charm.