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05/20/2004 10:50:02 AM · #1
is there a best order when fixing a photo - ex. levels, curves, sharpen, size etc.

using photoshop cs
05/20/2004 10:54:48 AM · #2
I've been taught (and have read) that it should go something like this:

adjust levels
adjust colors
level horizon if needed
crop
resize
unsharp mask

I think maybe people with neat image do that last, but I'm not sure as I don't have neat image (but am accepting donations).
05/20/2004 10:59:45 AM · #3
Originally posted by hopper:


I don't have neat image (but am accepting donations).

LOL - me too

thank you hopper
05/20/2004 11:00:17 AM · #4
anymore thoughts?
05/20/2004 11:10:24 AM · #5
what about this neat image - is it a program i must have / is it really worth getting?
05/20/2004 11:14:34 AM · #6
hoppers schedule is the best starting point. I suggest doing all of those with seperate levels. Leaving the resizing and USM till your ready to process for various applications.

Depending on your image. using sharpen during processing right after curves on a seperate layer is also done. You can use the fade command to adjust the amount of sharpening (found in the edit drop down)

When resizing and making the image smaller use the bicubic sharper option. If sizing up use bicubic smoother.

Hope this helps.
05/20/2004 11:15:16 AM · #7
Originally posted by hopper:

I've been taught (and have read) that it should go something like this:

adjust levels
adjust colors
level horizon if needed
crop
resize
unsharp mask

I think maybe people with neat image do that last, but I'm not sure as I don't have neat image (but am accepting donations).


NeatImage is free.
05/20/2004 11:15:54 AM · #8
Originally posted by lelani:

what about this neat image - is it a program i must have / is it really worth getting?


It is a good program I've tested it, but find that I can do every thing it does with CS. Might take a little longer, but there's better control, because usually I don't want to apply the effect to the entire image any way.
05/20/2004 11:21:35 AM · #9
Using curves is a little more intuitive for adjusting levels once you get used to it. After about 4000 images, I can pretty much look at it and tell you what my curve should look like to fix it.

I have neat image pro, but rarely use it, except maybe when I'm forced to shoot with a high ISO, like last night wandering the streets of Calgary after the Flames' monster win. Naked people everywhere. It was like Mardi Gras. Bless hockey :)
05/20/2004 11:30:58 AM · #10
Originally posted by StevePax:

Originally posted by hopper:



NeatImage is free.


oh yea - where can i get it?
05/20/2004 11:43:12 AM · #11
Originally posted by hopper:

I've been taught (and have read) that it should go something like this:

adjust levels
adjust colors
level horizon if needed
crop
resize
unsharp mask



what about curves? hopper
05/20/2004 11:46:45 AM · #12
Originally posted by hopper:

I've been taught (and have read) that it should go something like this:

adjust levels
adjust colors
level horizon if needed
crop
resize
unsharp mask

I think maybe people with neat image do that last, but I'm not sure as I don't have neat image (but am accepting donations).


That's my standard routine in Digital Image Pro (DIP9).

Except I will straighten first then Levels, Colors, Crop, Resize, Unsharp Mask.

I will sometimes use the Remove dust filter in Digital Image Pro for noisy High ISO/Low Light shots.

If I get the jaggies because of the resize I will use a bit of gaussian blur to soften that harsh edge (between .3 and .5).

I have tried neat image, it seemed to be ok on noisy pictures but all my pics seemed really soft when done(better than Remove dust filter in DIP9 but a lot of work IMO).
05/20/2004 11:47:38 AM · #13
Originally posted by JC_Homola:

hoppers schedule is the best starting point. I suggest doing all of those with seperate levels.


what do you mean by "seperate levels"? JC
05/20/2004 11:57:35 AM · #14
Neatimage free trial version is available at //www.neatimage.com

The trial version has very limited 'save' quality, but otherwise functions about as well as the Pro version.

05/20/2004 12:17:31 PM · #15
To counteract the softness in Neat Image output files I sometimes use sharpenning in NI, especially if I have already resized. Go to the "Noise filter settings" page and check the boxes for Y, Cr and Cb; then move the sliders to the desired level, starting low and going up until the output file looks best. I am still using 2.6 however 4.1 is the current version. It may be a little different in the newer version.
05/20/2004 12:45:31 PM · #16
Originally posted by lelani:

what about curves? hopper


I don't use them. Those are for the smart people :)
05/20/2004 01:02:10 PM · #17
How much does the pro version of neat image cost?
05/20/2004 01:14:37 PM · #18
There are several flavors of NeatImage. This page should answer all questions about relative features and cost.
I personally prefer the PRO+ version. I need it to operate on 16-bit/channel images, and need the plug-in functionality, since I want to run it on selections.
As posted earlier, the "free" version is really a demo, and if you use it regularly you should purchase it. In any case, the demo only saves at a very high compression level. The quality is not good enough for DPC submissions, it will result in "overcompression" comments and low votes. To head off the "screen capture" reply, yes, you can avoid the save limitations on images that can be displayed in their entirety on the screen by doing a screen capture, but you really want to run NeatImage on the full sized image, so screenshots are less useful than they might seem (as well as being not in the spirit of "demo" software).
If you like the software, support the developer by buying it, it is definitely worth the price.
05/20/2004 02:00:35 PM · #19
Originally posted by JC_Homola:

Originally posted by lelani:

what about this neat image - is it a program i must have / is it really worth getting?


It is a good program I've tested it, but find that I can do every thing it does with CS. Might take a little longer, but there's better control, because usually I don't want to apply the effect to the entire image any way.


What is the workflow in PS CS to do NeatImage's job?
05/20/2004 02:54:42 PM · #20
Noise Reduction Program Reviews ... some free, some not
05/20/2004 03:18:36 PM · #21
I would like to add something to the discussion here regarding neat image/noise ninja and other noise removal programs.

This is from my experience: Pics which are shot with high ISO, 800-1600 for example, it is better to remove noise first, then apply USM.

If USM is applied first, it brings out the noise in the picture alot more which makes the noise removal process very ineffective.

Just my 0.02$
05/20/2004 03:29:43 PM · #22
Originally posted by Ivar:

I would like to add something to the discussion here regarding neat image/noise ninja and other noise removal programs.

This is from my experience: Pics which are shot with high ISO, 800-1600 for example, it is better to remove noise first, then apply USM.

If USM is applied first, it brings out the noise in the picture alot more which makes the noise removal process very ineffective.

Just my 0.02$


If using the free version of Neat Image this isn't really an option since the the quality of the output from NI is 1) a jpeg and 2) has fairly high compression. Does someone have a work around for this? Is it possible to cut and paste the result from NI into photoshop so it can be saved as a TIF instead thereby allowing the USM to be applied afterwards?
05/20/2004 03:52:37 PM · #23
Originally posted by lelani:

Originally posted by JC_Homola:

hoppers schedule is the best starting point. I suggest doing all of those with seperate levels.


what do you mean by "seperate levels"? JC


I'm sorry that should be seperate LAYERS..
05/20/2004 03:54:47 PM · #24
Originally posted by cpanaioti:



If using the free version of Neat Image this isn't really an option since the the quality of the output from NI is 1) a jpeg and 2) has fairly high compression. Does someone have a work around for this?


Pay them some money for the work they've done ?
05/20/2004 03:58:48 PM · #25
Originally posted by egillibsen:

Originally posted by JC_Homola:

Originally posted by lelani:

what about this neat image - is it a program i must have / is it really worth getting?


It is a good program I've tested it, but find that I can do every thing it does with CS. Might take a little longer, but there's better control, because usually I don't want to apply the effect to the entire image any way.


What is the workflow in PS CS to do NeatImage's job?


What I do to remove noise when necessary will include a number of things.

I'll do most of my adjusting, cropping etc, but no sharpening or USM. I save that as a .psd (which is what I use for all working images)

Then open a copy of that same file (that way if I mess up or don't like the result I have an "orginal" of all the work I've already done)

From there, depending on how bad the noise is, I will usually try using the median filter or the dust/scratches filter, at very low settings.

Many times I will work on seperate channels, esp the red or blue with these filters to see if it gets enough of the noise without softening the entire image. Again using many LAYERS :} some images will have as many 10 by the time I'm done.

IF it is mainly a background you want to remove a lot of noise from, create a layer mask and use the noise/median filter on it.

After I have the noise level where I want it..and I'm realy sure... I'll flateen that image and then do any more curves/level/B&C adjusting that is needed and then work on the sharpeness,, again usually with a layer maks and on seperate layers.
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