Highlight & Shadow detail

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Posted By
frankg
Jan 28, 2006
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516
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I’ve been asked by a client to prepare photos so that Shadows do not fall below 5, and Highlights do not fall above 250. Shall I do this in Levels and set the Output level numbers to 5 & 250 respectively, or is there a better way?

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nomail
Jan 28, 2006
frankg wrote:

I’ve been asked by a client to prepare photos so that Shadows do not fall below 5, and Highlights do not fall above 250. Shall I do this in Levels and set the Output level numbers to 5 & 250 respectively, or is there a better way?

It depends on your starting point. If you can do it in the scan software or in the RAW converter, that is the better way. If you have to work on an image already in Photoshop, setting the output in Levels is indeed a good method.


Johan W. Elzenga johan<<at>>johanfoto.nl Editor / Photographer http://www.johanfoto.nl/
F
frankg
Jan 28, 2006
I’ve been asked by a client to prepare photos so that Shadows do not fall below 5, and Highlights do not fall above 250. Shall I do this in Levels and
set the Output level numbers to 5 & 250 respectively, or is there a better
way?

It depends on your starting point. If you can do it in the scan software or in the RAW converter, that is the better way. If you have to work on an image already in Photoshop, setting the output in Levels is indeed a good method.
In Adobe Camera raw settings there isnt one for Highlight, or is it there under a different name ? How would you do this in the RAW process?
MR
Mike Russell
Jan 28, 2006
"frankg" wrote in message

I’ve been asked by a client to prepare photos so that Shadows do not fall below 5, and Highlights do not fall above 250. Shall I do this in Levels and set the Output level numbers to 5 & 250 respectively, or is there a better way? <

Yes, there’s a better way. You can simply scale your entire image to the 5-250 range, but this will result in less snap in some situations.

Highlight and shadow are special terms that mean areas with important detail. Some areas of your image that do not contain important detail can be allowed to go to pure white or pure black. An example would be a specular highlight, the disc of the sun, a black cave entrance, or the treadmarks on a tire. The highlight and shadow should also contain no color. Dan Margulis covers this concept very well in his Professional Photoshop book.

In Adobe Camera raw settings there isnt one for Highlight, or is it there under a different name ? How would you do this in the RAW process? <

Use Camera Raw to get close to the final image, and do your final changes in Photoshop.

Mike Russell
www.curvemeister.com
F
frankg
Jan 28, 2006
I’ve been asked by a client to prepare photos so that Shadows do not fall below 5, and Highlights do not fall above 250. Shall I do this in Levels and set the Output level numbers to 5 & 250 respectively, or is there a better way? <

Yes, there’s a better way. You can simply scale your entire image to the 5-250 range, but this will result in less snap in some situations.
Highlight and shadow are special terms that mean areas with important detail. Some areas of your image that do not contain important detail can be allowed to go to pure white or pure black. An example would be a specular highlight, the disc of the sun, a black cave entrance, or the treadmarks on a tire. The highlight and shadow should also contain no color. Dan Margulis covers this concept very well in his Professional Photoshop book.

In Adobe Camera raw settings there isnt one for Highlight, or is it there under a different name ? How would you do this in the RAW process? <

Use Camera Raw to get close to the final image, and do your final changes in Photoshop.
"Yes, there’s a better way. You can simply scale your entire image to the 5-250 range"
Where and how do you scale?
N
nomail
Jan 29, 2006
frankg wrote:

I’ve been asked by a client to prepare photos so that Shadows do not fall below 5, and Highlights do not fall above 250. Shall I do this in Levels and
set the Output level numbers to 5 & 250 respectively, or is there a better
way?

It depends on your starting point. If you can do it in the scan software or in the RAW converter, that is the better way. If you have to work on an image already in Photoshop, setting the output in Levels is indeed a good method.
In Adobe Camera raw settings there isnt one for Highlight, or is it there under a different name ? How would you do this in the RAW process?

Lower the exposure.


Johan W. Elzenga johan<<at>>johanfoto.nl Editor / Photographer http://www.johanfoto.nl/
RU
random user 12987
Jan 29, 2006
"frankg" wrote in message
:
: >
: >> I’ve been asked by a client to prepare photos so that Shadows do not fall
: >> below 5, and Highlights do not fall above 250. Shall I do this in Levels
: >> and set the Output level numbers to 5 & 250 respectively, or is there a
: >> better way? <
: >
: > Yes, there’s a better way. You can simply scale your entire image to the
: > 5-250 range, but this will result in less snap in some situations. : >
: > Highlight and shadow are special terms that mean areas with important : > detail. Some areas of your image that do not contain important detail can
: > be allowed to go to pure white or pure black. An example would be a : > specular highlight, the disc of the sun, a black cave entrance, or the : > treadmarks on a tire. The highlight and shadow should also contain no : > color. Dan Margulis covers this concept very well in his Professional : > Photoshop book.
: >
: >> In Adobe Camera raw settings there isnt one for Highlight, or is it there
: >> under a different name ? How would you do this in the RAW process? < : >
: > Use Camera Raw to get close to the final image, and do your final changes
: > in Photoshop.
: > —
: "Yes, there’s a better way. You can simply scale your entire image to the : 5-250 range"
: Where and how do you scale?

If you are stuck with Photoshop, the advise here will help but if you can stretch to a dedicated application like "ICorrect, Edit Lab Pro" it is pretty much all done for you if you choose auto mode. This is unfortunately for many PS users, a dedicated program, not a PS plug-in but regardless, it is a truly amazing way to control the dynamic range of an image file.
RU
random user 12987
Jan 29, 2006
I just revisited this issue and found a remarkable easy way to handle this. The latest ACDSee 8 Pro. handles most RAW files and has a fantastic slider control to help you see the areas outside the range you specify. Once you can see the out of range areas, they are easy to control. You can download a free trial version and get a 30 day key for it.

This program incidentally is one of the best image management programs I’ve come across. It’s only drawback is Windows. ‘twould be nice in Mac clothing.
F
frankg
Jan 30, 2006
"Johan W. Elzenga" wrote in message
frankg wrote:

I’ve been asked by a client to prepare photos so that Shadows do not fall
below 5, and Highlights do not fall above 250. Shall I do this in Levels
and
set the Output level numbers to 5 & 250 respectively, or is there a better
way?

It depends on your starting point. If you can do it in the scan software
or in the RAW converter, that is the better way. If you have to work on an image already in Photoshop, setting the output in Levels is indeed a good method.
In Adobe Camera raw settings there isnt one for Highlight, or is it there under a different name ? How would you do this in the RAW process?

Lower the exposure.
lowering the exposure to say -5 will bring down the highlight value to 250? I was under the impression it mainly affects the mid tones. And moving the shadows up to +5 will keep the shadows above 5.
P
PacMan
Jan 30, 2006
On 2006-01-28 10:22:04 -0400, "frankg" said:

I’ve been asked by a client to prepare photos so that Shadows do not fall below 5, and Highlights do not fall above 250. Shall I do this in Levels and set the Output level numbers to 5 & 250 respectively, or is there a better way?

If you’re talking a single channel photo – grayscale,
set it to 5-250, and in the levels output is easiest. Curves can do it, but more complex.

If you’re talking color photos on a pre-press, you need at least 20 shadow and 242 highlights.
Unless you get specs from printer, you’re good with these.

It’s always best to confirm in photoshop with the eyedropper and info palette. Never trust camera raw or any other utility since they will pick the highest and darkest point in the image. WRONG
For printing on a pre-press, your trying to get the highlight and shadow clipping in the areas that you WANT
detail to print…
If you have a black border at 0, why would you set it to 5? if you have a spectral white shine on skintone..
why would you set it to 250 ? Utitlities are mechanical and have no sense of what needs to print detail and what doesn’t.
It takes experience.

If you have to convert RGB to CMYK, for godsake’s set it to US sheetfed or US web coated, depending on the pres

Cheers
PacMan

http://homepage.mac.com/brown.joey/portfolio/
MR
Mike Russell
Jan 30, 2006
"PacMan" wrote in message
….
It’s always best to confirm in photoshop with the eyedropper and info palette.
Never trust camera raw or any other utility since they will pick the highest and darkest point in the image. WRONG

For printing on a pre-press, your trying to get the highlight and shadow clipping in the areas that you WANT
detail to print…

If you have a black border at 0, why would you set it to 5? if you have a spectral white shine on skintone..

why would you set it to 250 ? Utitlities are mechanical and have no sense of what needs to print detail and what doesn’t.
It takes experience.

PacMan
http://homepage.mac.com/brown.joey/portfolio/

What he said. PacMan has got the power dot and all the blue ghosts with this one. Pure black and white have their place on press, shadow and highlight are different concepts, and refer to areas with detail and no color.

Mike Russell
www.curvemeister.com
N
nomail
Jan 30, 2006
frankg wrote:

In Adobe Camera raw settings there isnt one for Highlight, or is it there under a different name ? How would you do this in the RAW process?

Lower the exposure.
lowering the exposure to say -5 will bring down the highlight value to 250? I was under the impression it mainly affects the mid tones.

No, Brightness moves the midtones. Exposure moves everything.

And moving the shadows up to +5 will keep the shadows above 5.

No. Moving shadows up to 5 will clip the shadows at 5. Play with contrast and brightness.


Johan W. Elzenga johan<<at>>johanfoto.nl Editor / Photographer http://www.johanfoto.nl/

How to Master Sharpening in Photoshop

Give your photos a professional finish with sharpening in Photoshop. Learn to enhance details, create contrast, and prepare your images for print, web, and social media.

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