Monday, January 23, 2017

Fotofusion Class Worksheet: B&W Image Processing with Adobe Lightroom CC

Notes and cheat sheet for the "B&W Image Processing with Adobe Lightroom CC" at fotofusion 2017, Wednesday Jan 25.



Adobe Lightroom CC Black and White Quick Tips

Lightroom is a browser and processor in one. While it does not have the power or full toolset of Photoshop, it contains most if not all you need to create and print great BW images. Keep in mind that LR does not contain images, just thumbnails to which your processing instructions are attached in the metadata, which is then applied to your originals when you open them from within the program. It is called “non-destructive” because it does not change the nature of the original file; it creates a “sidecar” with processing instructions. However, the gotcha is that you must be hooked up to an access point to the originals to be able to work on them. You always have to have the originals somewhere on your system (other than Lightroom) to work on them.

Note: If you work with specific papers and printers consistently you may want to use Soft Proofing, although there are mixed opinions on this. You need a calibrated monitor to do this. See Printing (last item) for tips on soft proofing and print setup.

PREP
1)   Import your select images into a Folder on the desktop or on your card or stick. Label it FF17. Keep your memory stick in. (Note: Trash this folder from the desktop at the end of the class.)
2)   Go to the Library module and make a new Folder: Import images from your folder, memory stick, memory card etc. Use Add. This is your work file. 
3)   Click on the Folder. They will show up on your thumbnails on the work screen. Click on an image within the thumbnails. At the top of the workspace click on Develop.

PROCESSING

If you are working from a color image scroll down to HSL first. This is where you convert to BW using the color contrast controls. This sets up the overall look of the converted image that can be modified later using the various brush controls. You may find that this accomplishes 80% (or more) of the work.

1)   Click on Treatment: BW
2)   Scroll down to HSL
3)   Move the sliders on each color to preview the effects.
4)   Then you can scroll up and down to modify areas, change specific contrast points and burn and dodge, etc.

Shortcut option: Click on Presets on the left side panels. Try out different looks. When you click on the preset it will be previewed in the workspace/navigator. These can be modified later.


Scroll up to the Tone Curve control. Use the sliders or you can work within the curve box itself. This sets up the overall contrast.

Scroll up to Tone and work with Exposure, Clarity, etc. Again, this works with the overall look of the image.

Once this is done we have set the base characteristics of the image, and that might be it. However, there are numerous modification tools you can also use.
Scroll up to the top of the right side workspace.

A) Rectangular grid: Crop & Straighten:
1)   Aspect: Aspect ratio or measurements:  Click on Original for a drop down for presets, as shot, custom. Presets allow for immediate aspect ratios: “as shot” follows the camera aspect ratio settings, and custom lets you set the crop.
2)   Angle: Straightening: Move marker left and right (Note hold down CMD key and crop switches to Level)
3)   Constrain to Image: This maintains (by constraining the crop) image data in the crop—necessary when you do Transform work
4)   Auto—LR’s best guess

Note: O (oh) allows you to cycle through overlay grids

Hit ENTER to make the crop and disappear the crop panel

B) Spot Removal: (Horizontal male symbol) Like a Healing Brush, this can be used to touch up flecks on scans and small dust from your sensor or even disappear phone lines, etc.  This can be helpful for cleaning up scans or minor sensor dust. If you want a quick guide look at the bottom of the picture panel and click on Visualize Spots. Use the “Heal” option for cleanups.

The Clone tool does the same as the Clone tool in Photoshop, but, to me, in awkward fashion. You’re better off cloning in PS, but this can be a quick fix.

The red eye tool is just what it says.

C) Graduated Filter and Radial Filter: Drag and control tone and noise, Clarity etc. You can drag from any direction. I use the Grad filter as an ND filter on sky etc. and the Radial for vignetting on portraits etc. Check out the Effects options, as this lets you apply various changes to selections.  On the Radial Filter you can create an oval and move the circumference and shape around. The Brush (at base of this module) allows Layer Mask work, which means you can modify areas that have been changed. Click on “Show Selected Mask Overlay” at the base of the image window to see the areas in which you have applied your brushwork.

D) Adjustment Brush: Hand done and selective burning, dodging, noise and a whole lot more. I prefer this to the somewhat unmanageable Grad and radial filter. Go down to the bottom of this control and set up the brush size, density, and flow. You can brush and then modify the exposure, contrast etc or modify first and then brush. You will get a feel for that as you work. You can see a before and after by clicking on the small slide control at the base. In the Brush/Erase control you can drop back or modify the Brush strokes.

Use New for a new area (“pin”) and Edit for existing Mask corrections. You can set up two separate brushes: A and B. The Erase option does just that: either full erasure or subtle touchups. The Mask Overlay (bottom of picture panel) shows where you have worked. You can show or hide pins using the option at the base of the image window. Click on Done when work is complete.

G) Split Toning: This can be a simple toning tool or you can add different color tones to the highlight and shadow areas separately. Click on the box next to highlight and choose the highlight tone color; same for shadow. Move the slider up and down for subtle effects. To taste.

H) Detail: The sharpening tool. Use discretely.

Noise Reduction: As it says.

Lens Corrections: Turn on Manual and play. Distortion: for fisheye and ultra-wides, etc. Click on constrain to keep image within frame lines.

Transform: A play area. Click on Constrain Crop at bottom of box.

Effects
Post Crop Vignetting: Edge burning and movement of center point

Grain: To add, with modification

Camera Correction: For profiled lenses.


Left Side

Navigator: Watch this space! It is a very good guide to see effects as you work.

Presets: Quick filter effects. Interesting bw filters that can be modified

Snapshots: States you want to save or revert to. Like freezing one step and then being able to revert to it.

History: Step by step through what you have done. This is how you back out and go back to that fork in the road. NOTE: Use this to go back, not the tempting REVERT button, as Revert will go back to start.
Printing

If you want to print out with Photoshop or another program simply Export the image to a folder and open it in a different program. Lightroom certainly can be used for printing and after a few tries you will find it easy.

Assuming you have a printer set up, and have loaded profiles of the printer/paper, and that you have coordinated the printer with your system: go to the base of the image window and click on Soft Proofing. This is how you see the effect of the paper/printer on the image. The differences can be profound.

When you have done your adjustments click on the Print module.

On the left side, click on Page Setup, which will bring up your usual dialog box. Choose Paper Size and Printer here.

On the right side go to Guides and turn everything off except Dimensions. This will show the print size and the resolution. If the resolution is below 240 ppi the program will upsample for you. A bit is fine; too much may be a problem. You can make a smaller print by using the Cell Size sliders; note the ppi as you work.

Scroll down to Print Job dialog. Check the print resolution box if you choose to upsample (for me a minimum of 240 dpi). Consider the Print Sharpening setting (I keep this at Low or Off but you might want to check and test out the different settings) and how color is managed (Photoshop or Printer). If Photoshop, scroll down to the profile. If you are using a matched paper (Epson or Canon brand printer and paper) you can use Printer Managed; if you are using a “third-party” paper then use Photoshop Managed. Once you have chosen a paper the setup will pick the ink, platen etc.

Click on Printer on the right side and go through the usual settings. Color Matching and Quality and Media.

Click on Print.

Contact Sheets
Go to Print module. Click on Image Settings. Choose Rotate to Fit. At the image roll at the base of the window image choose one image and then click on other images you want on the contact sheet. Use Shift to choose a series, Command to make individual selections.

Click on the Layout module. Choose cell spacing and size. Note the Preview Grid in the Navigator. Go to the Page module and choose ID: use File Name.

Go through the Print setup as outlined above. Click on Print.




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