[davemdsn]

This is a good toning tool. Certainly not the simplest one, though. For those that have Lr, I did a test to see how close I could get. I didn't take the time to try to match the colors perfectly. I also didn't try to match the shadow density perfectly because in the Gorman version I lost too much shadow detail in the photo I used. Here are my results....

Images no longer available.

I should note that I forgot to start with the same conversion of the file, so they didn't start out exactly the same. I guess I botched that test, didn't I?

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Last edited by davemdsn; 08-15-2009 at 03:22 PM. Reason: images no longer available

[pentkon52]

Never used Lightroom...

I seem to have better' luck' with LR than PS. I use the channel mixer in PS but i seem to have to spend a great amount of fiddling. In LR i find i can get decent start results pretty quickly.

dave

[travis_cooper]

Did anybody that is having trouble following the steps try to use my action? If you don't know how to load the action you just have to save it to your computer, then go into PS and, at least for CS3, on the actions palette in the fly-out menu there is an upload actions option, then just direct it to your file. Or, I think you can even just double click on the file after you download it, and it will automatically import it into PS. Anyway, tell me if the file works, I haven't tried to export my actions before, so I'm not sure if I did it correctly.

[creampuff]

Actually I find the conversion method to be so-so only. Using the Lightness channel in Lab mode usually gets a B&W image that is detailed but pretty flat. The key to this method is the need to bump up the contrast, which is step 15 & 17. To me it gives a nice contrasty image but at the expense of shadow detail.

It is far easier to use CS3/Lighroom with the new B&W adjustment layer.

[Tingchaleun]

[QUOTE=davemdsn;132729]This is a good toning tool. Certainly not the simplest one, though. For those that have Lr, I did a test to see how close I could get. I didn't take the time to try to match the colors perfectly. I also didn't try to match the shadow density perfectly because in the Gorman version I lost too much shadow detail in the photo I used. Here are my results....QUOTE]

I like the GG version better. It toned down the highlights on the forehead, nose and the white sleve in the background. You do lose very little detail (in this particular photo) in the hair i guess, but that's not a huge loss. Maybe it is just my preference, but i usually favour contrasty images.

[davemdsn]

I like the GG version better. It toned down the highlights on the forehead, nose and the white sleve in the background. You do lose very little detail (in this particular photo) in the hair i guess, but that's not a huge loss. Maybe it is just my preference, but i usually favour contrasty images.

Preference certainly does come into play. As far as highlights and shadows: on my calibrated monitor the highlights in the Lr version are well below being blown out (except the window itself), and in the GG version the shadows are completely gone. I like contrast as well, but in the Lr version I was able to maintain detail throughout the image. With a little stronger curve in the Lr version I could have matched the shadows in the GG version, but chose to leave some detail in the shadows. They both work, and are both adjustable, making them both valid.

[daacon]

Did anybody that is having trouble following the steps try to use my action? If you don't know how to load the action you just have to save it to your computer, then go into PS and, at least for CS3, on the actions palette in the fly-out menu there is an upload actions option, then just direct it to your file. Or, I think you can even just double click on the file after you download it, and it will automatically import it into PS. Anyway, tell me if the file works, I haven't tried to export my actions before, so I'm not sure if I did it correctly.

I Loaded it Tarvis and it works fine. I also made my own but I got stuck on step 20 where is the Option Button ?

I think it makes for a better picutre but the differences are subtle . The lights are better in the action one (they pop out more) . For the "Travis" action I just it ok did not other adjustments when offered.

Here are the results. 3 shots What do you guys (and gals ) think ?

The Original (some PP done)


Straigh BW conversion no actions


Travis PS3 Action

[travis_cooper]

I Loaded it Tarvis and it works fine. I also made my own but I got stuck on step 20 where is the Option Button ?

I think it makes for a better picutre but the differences are subtle . The lights are better in the action one (they pop out more) . For the "Travis" action I just it ok did not other adjustments when offered.
...

I option button is the PC alt button. Also I had to hold down the mouse button, usually when you click on the fly-out menu it stays open until you make a selection, but with the alt button held it would go away, so I held alt clicked on the fly-out menu, but didn't release the mouse button until I was over the merge visible layers, then I released it and it worked fine. I never knew about that little trick, it will probably come in handy in the future. For those of you that don't know what this does, it basically takes all your visible layers and merges them into the current layer you have selected, so instead of merging them and having them go away, all your layers are still there, but you now have a layer that represents all the merged layers too. Pretty cool, I think.

[Tingchaleun]

Does anyone do something similar, in terms of conversions, for colour photos? I tend to, out of habit i guess, to just press CTRL + ALT + L for automatic levels adjustments. This is satisfactory enough for me about 80% of the time, considering that the original photos were decent as well. But, what i've never tried anything else more complicated, nor have i seen anything that yields better results, so i don't know what to expect. I guess, what i'm describing is, some coloured photographs just really "pop" - possibly shadows, highlights, contrast, etc. I know you can adjust these manually; but is there more that i can do than just adjusting a coloured photo by eye? Even if someone could suggest a useful, "hidden" tool for colours (or something of the like...)

[daacon]

Does anyone do something similar, in terms of conversions, for colour photos? I tend to, out of habit i guess, to just press CTRL + ALT + L for automatic levels adjustments. This is satisfactory enough for me about 80% of the time, considering that the original photos were decent as well. But, what i've never tried anything else more complicated, nor have i seen anything that yields better results, so i don't know what to expect. I guess, what i'm describing is, some coloured photographs just really "pop" - possibly shadows, highlights, contrast, etc. I know you can adjust these manually; but is there more that i can do than just adjusting a coloured photo by eye? Even if someone could suggest a useful, "hidden" tool for colours (or something of the like...)

Now that my eyes have been open to Photoshop actions, if you have Photoshop google photoshop actions - there are hundreds of readily available free actions for you to download , inlcuding color pop ones.

[travis_cooper]

Does anyone do something similar, in terms of conversions, for colour photos? I tend to, out of habit i guess, to just press CTRL + ALT + L for automatic levels adjustments. This is satisfactory enough for me about 80% of the time, considering that the original photos were decent as well. But, what i've never tried anything else more complicated, nor have i seen anything that yields better results, so i don't know what to expect. I guess, what i'm describing is, some coloured photographs just really "pop" - possibly shadows, highlights, contrast, etc. I know you can adjust these manually; but is there more that i can do than just adjusting a coloured photo by eye? Even if someone could suggest a useful, "hidden" tool for colours (or something of the like...)

I do a lot of my color popping in LR. In the color adjustment area you can choose between hue, saturation, and lumination and there are 6 different color sliders for each. The best part is you can click on the little tool and move it to the part of your picture you want to change, then click and while holding the button down you can move the mouse to adjust that color, and LR moves the sliders for you. I am pretty sure that you could find some good actions out there too.

[Tingchaleun]

I do a lot of my color popping in LR. In the color adjustment area you can choose between hue, saturation, and lumination and there are 6 different color sliders for each. The best part is you can click on the little tool and move it to the part of your picture you want to change, then click and while holding the button down you can move the mouse to adjust that color, and LR moves the sliders for you. I am pretty sure that you could find some good actions out there too.

I tried out your suggestions. I have Lightroom as well, and i found "Hue, Saturation and Luminance" under the "Develop" tab. I got lost where you said that i could "click on the little tool" - what little tool? - "and move it to the part of your picture you want to change" - as in 'click and drag'?

What i AM able to do is just play around with the sliders and this changes the photo appropriately.

[Tingchaleun]

I Loaded it Tarvis and it works fine. I also made my own but I got stuck on step 20 where is the Option Button ?

I think it makes for a better picutre but the differences are subtle . The lights are better in the action one (they pop out more) . For the "Travis" action I just it ok did not other adjustments when offered.

Here are the results. 3 shots What do you guys (and gals ) think ?

The Original (some PP done)


Straigh BW conversion no actions


Travis PS3 Action

I like the "travis" ps3 action better. the snow appears whiter, and the city glow is brighter - without actually too much loss of detail. I notice the straight BW conversion is a closer representative of the original though.

[Tingchaleun]

Now that my eyes have been open to Photoshop actions, if you have Photoshop google photoshop actions - there are hundreds of readily available free actions for you to download , inlcuding color pop ones.

Hi Daacon, i tried the search and i got a lot of mixed results, a lot of tutorials and nothing really "free". Probably because i don't know what i'm searching for, specifically. Have you tried anything that has worked for you?

[daacon]

Hi Daacon, i tried the search and i got a lot of mixed results, a lot of tutorials and nothing really "free". Probably because i don't know what i'm searching for, specifically. Have you tried anything that has worked for you?

Hi Tingchaleun - Google can be a mess. Here is one site I have loaded a few from The Photoshop Action Exchange In the middle frame you will see Over 160 others available in Downloads you can start there.

I have just started playing with them. So far I do like the one called Sharpening_Actions and just started playing with once called SB-Color-Boost. There are quite a few there and like most of us time is something I never have enough of !

On the main Web page there are instructions on how to load and FAQ's and such. Some of the actions come with instructions some do not.

Good Luck.