Crows and Contrast adjustments

MeadsMan · #1 (**permalink**) 01-04-2009, 02:38 PM

Hello,I have been playing around with some Crow and Magpie photos in Canons DPP.I noticed that reducing the contrast slider can actually show some detail in the birds feathers and around the eye.It looks better on screne,but is there any drawbacks to doing this,in particular if you aim to print them ?

DanJeffery · #2 (**permalink**) 01-04-2009, 05:28 PM

I would have thought that it will be revealing detail in the important areas (the eyes and feathers) perhaps at the expense of other areas or possibly at the expense of making the picture overall appear flatter. Did you increase or decrease the contrast?

You may be able to achieve a better result by using levels and moving the central triangle in Photoshop - I'm not sure how this is done in Canon's DPP.

MeadsMan · #3 (**permalink**) 02-04-2009, 02:08 PM

Thanks,I am still very much a novice,so have yet to get my head around levels and Photoshop.It was a decrease in contrast that revealed more detail.As you say it affects other parts of the image,but adding contrast detail can also create loss detail in parts of the image.I suppose it`s personal choice.

Geoff F · #4 (**permalink**) 02-04-2009, 09:16 PM

Personally I only use DPP as a RAW image converter but it does have a few useful tools including a reasonable Curves Adjustment, which in reality is just a better way of doing the same thing as using a Brightness or Contrast slider.

From here on, this is going to get a bit technical but if you can manage to follow things you will find that you can easily make superb enhancements to your photos; just like the professionals.

Firstly have a read of this tutorial on using Curves, it is a tad detailed but also covers the basics quite well Using the Photoshop Curves Tool

Very basically, when using DPP for enhancement, first enlarge your image and select Tools (which I think you are already doing). When you select RGB from the Tools menu you will see a box with 3 coloured areas (representing the colour distribution of your photo) and a line running diagonally across. This is your Curves adjustment.

The top right corner represents Highlights while Shadows are on the bottom left corner and Midtones halfway inbetween. If you click and drag the Highlight corner of this line towards the left you will increase the highlights while dragging it downwards will reduce them.

The same thing happens, in reverse, for Shadows. Drag up to lighten (but do this sparingly) and drag to the right to darken.

Dragging the Midtone point towards the top left lightens midtones and dragging towards the bottom right darkens them.

Don't over do the adjustment, often just a tiny tweak is all that is needed. You can adjust all colours at once (RGB) or R - G - B individually. The Colour bands will alter as you make adjustments.

Initially, if you click the Tone Curve Assist button these adjustments will be made automatically; but once you get the hang of the Curves Adjustment method you will eventually find that you get much better results by making manual adjustments. It will be worth it in the long run.

Hope you can follow this and find it useful. If so, come back for some more complicated suggestions.

Geoff.

MeadsMan · #5 (**permalink**) 03-04-2009, 10:41 PM

Geoff, Thanks,I will have to read it a few times over,and have a play around in DPP.I am so pleased to find someone else who has faith in Canons DPP.

Geoff F · #6 (**permalink**) 04-04-2009, 08:51 PM

I wouldn't exactly say having faith in DPP. More a case of learning to make the most of limited resources. However, quite a lot can be achieved with limited tools; just look at Stonehenge!

A couple more ideas. If you use the DPP Tone Curve assist function to get an approx auto enhancement you can still click and drag the diagonal line slightly to tweak a little extra from your photo.

Here is something that I bet you haven't tried yet. You can create a rather good black & white image using the DPP Tools. Move the Saturation slider fully to the left (reading 0) then use the Curves tool to add a bit of contrast. To start with, try an 'S' type curve. Click the line about 3/4 of the way up and drag very slightly towards the top left corner. Then click the line about 1/4 of the way from the bottom and drag slightly towards the bottom right. This makes a very shallow S shape.

I never really got on well with the basic Photoshop Elements so I use Serif Photo Plus version X2 which makes more sense to me. If I remember correctly, the basic Elements software doesn't have a Curves tool (although it may be available as a download) but it does have a reasonable Levels control which can achieve the same thing.

Another link here, How to use Levels Using the Photoshop Levels Tool it maybe goes to advanced methods a bit quickly but there is a lot of good advice there.

Finally, after all this image tweaking, try a little bit of sharpening up (I mean your photos) but don't overdo things, just enough to look crisp.

Geoff.