Photo Retouching Some concepts and approaches

Stages 1. Evaluation 2. Scanning 3. Big fixes first.. Cropping Adjusting 4.Get good blk & wht or Color 5. Blk & wht… Good value/contrast 6. Color good value/ contrast/ then correct color 7. Tears and repairs/selections/ clone/ patch/healing brush 8. Filters/small stuff/ experimentation

Evaluation What is wrong with the image? What can be done to improve it?

Scanning Start with as high quality an original as possible. For print 300 dpi… 100 % or original size. 24 bit or truecolor for color or greyscale for black and white.

Big Fixes First… Crop the photo/change size of canvas Adjust the photo’s size Excise un-needed data.

Blk & Wht… Good value/Contrast  Check for value & contrast  Simple adjustment tools…  Auto contrast/ auto levels/ brightness contrast/  Complex value & contrast adjustment tools Levels

Color good value/ contrast/ then color Simple color adjustment tools hue saturation/color balance/variations complex color adjustment tools curves/replace color/ selective color channel mixer gradient map/ fun but not too useful….

Tears and Repairs Repairing with selections Repairing with clone stamp/pattern stamp Repairing with healing brush/ intelligent cloner/ Repairing with Patch tool

Filters … do these last… Sharpen/ unsharp mask Blur background or control viewer’s focus Redo lighting Noise /override original grain Dust & Scratches/ Despeckle

Sweat the Small Stuff Re-evaluate Make final corrections Save multiple copies..Psd Make test prints before committing to photo-quality paper For professional output.. Use Tiff

Experimentation Try Filters Layer-masks History Brush Special Brushes Try combinations!