Touch-ups

"Don" wrote in message

In general, should touch-ups (like removing specks and blemishes, as well as other finicky stuff) be done before or after "global" corrections (like contrast, color balance, etc)?

Don.

I prefer to do most detail stuff before I do the global ones (unless the pictures are just not very well editable as they come, ie. way too dark). Often the global effects further reduce the visibility of artifacts or not so successful effects. Especially sharpening, resizing and such. But there will be a ton others probably who prefer to do things the other way around. Matter of taste perhaps ?
Also I try to do global stuff as much as possible/sensible on effects layers rather than on the original layer.

Pjotr

(Don) wrote in
news::

In general, should touch-ups (like removing specks and blemishes, as well as other finicky stuff) be done before or after "global" corrections (like contrast, color balance, etc)?

Don.

Do the global changes first. Otherwise you run the risk of exagerating small differences introduced by your retouching, and having to start all over.

—
– Doug Nelson

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http://www.retouchpro.com — the #1 online community for retouchers and restorers

On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 19:16:32 +0200, "Pjotr Wedersteers" wrote:

"Don" wrote in message

In general, should touch-ups (like removing specks and blemishes, as well as other finicky stuff) be done before or after "global" corrections (like contrast, color balance, etc)?

Don.

I prefer to do most detail stuff before I do the global ones (unless the pictures are just not very well editable as they come, ie. way too dark). Often the global effects further reduce the visibility of artifacts or not so successful effects. Especially sharpening, resizing and such.

That’s exactly my dilemma. While global changes help mask and hide detail stuff, sometimes you need global adjustments (when the image is too dark or too light) in order to find the details. Catch 22…

Also I try to do global stuff as much as possible/sensible on effects layers rather than on the original layer.

I do use layers but this was really a loaded question:

I’m looking for a streamlined workflow, where I would do one-off corrections (like speck removal and cropping) once and then save that as my "digital negative". After that, the idea is to play with global changes (such as color adjustments, etc) until the image looks right, and still have the ability to return to the "negative" at a later date, should I so wish, without having to repeat all the one-off finicky stuff all over again.

Don.

On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 19:50:31 -0000, Doug Nelson
wrote:

(Don) wrote in
news::

In general, should touch-ups (like removing specks and blemishes, as well as other finicky stuff) be done before or after "global" corrections (like contrast, color balance, etc)?

Don.

Do the global changes first. Otherwise you run the risk of exagerating small differences introduced by your retouching, and having to start all over.

As I just mentioned to Pjotr, that’s exactly my dilemma. Sometimes global changes actual help hide small touchups and I’m trying to come up with a standard workflow to avoid having to repeat the one-off finicky stuff and still have the ability to re-do global changes like color adjustments at a later date without having to start all over again with touch-ups.

I suppose, due to complexity, there probably is no one single "right" answer.

Don.