What's wrong with this pic?

[dvincent]

Hi Dan,

I think I understand most of the steps you explained. However, I am unsure what method to use to find and set my whitepoint. What I just did is trying to find my whitepoint using Threshold. Just as you explained, I defined a point in the nose area as my whitepoint and then brought up my Levels palette in order to do the actual adjustment. I don't really see a noticeable improvement in the picture which leaves me asking myself whether I did the right thing...

But thanks so far for all the tips, and also to you Brian

Are you using full blown PS or Elements? Do they still leave out the curves tool in Elements? If so, that's a crime against image editors everywhere...

Look at the picture of the curves dialog I posted. Notice that there's three eyedroppers, one with a black (black point), grey (50% point) and white (white point) fill. Click the white point dropper, then click the area you want to be white (like near the nose or where Brian suggested above the first officer's window). It should "snap" the whites to an even neutral, like a 230-230-230. Make sure you're doing this in the curves dialog, it does a slightly different adjustment than setting the white point via the levels dialog.

It's hard to explain these things in a message board post, maybe I should do up a video on how to use curves. It's very organic and requires some skill, but it's one you will learn very quickly, I promise.

[brianw999]

Click the white point dropper, then click the area you want to be white (like near the nose or where Brian suggested above the first officer's window). It should "snap" the whites to an even neutral, like a 230-230-230. Make sure you're doing this in the curves dialog, it does a slightly different adjustment than setting the white point via the levels dialog.

Do you know ?....I didn't know about the difference between levels and curves white dropper. Up to now I've always used the levels white point dropper, after I've adjusted the histogram. Actually, thinking about it, would I be better off setting the white point before adjusting the histogram or am I correct in adjusting the histogram first ?

BTW, I use CS2 if it makes any difference.

[dvincent]

Do you know ?....I didn't know about the difference between levels and curves white dropper. Up to now I've always used the levels white point dropper, after I've adjusted the histogram. Actually, thinking about it, would I be better off setting the white point before adjusting the histogram or am I correct in adjusting the histogram first ?

BTW, I use CS2 if it makes any difference.

Everything you can do with the levels tool can be done with the curves tool. Not everything you do with the curves tool can be done with levels. When you pull back the white clip slider with the levels tool, that's the same as pulling the last point on a curve back slightly. The same goes for the blacks. You can't necessarily control where the resultant tones will end up with the levels control, only generally say "Here's where I want 0 to start and 255 to end and roughly where 128 should be." Curves can push more direct areas of the histogram around while leaving others alone. I would say that levels is like a steak knife, while curves is a surgeon's scalpel.

For example, the curves dialog and the levels dialog both have "auto" controls. Try the auto controls on the same image and you will see that you get two different, yet similar results - this is because both tools use different methods to try to achieve the same results. Curves just gives you more flexibility.

I know that really didn't answer your question, but I generally set a white point first, then I start going with the sliders. Keep an eye on your info and histogram palettes when you do.

I don't want to get out of my league here... there's a lot of good information about curves on the web. A big thick book on PS doesn't hurt either, that's how I learned.

[magic48]

Are you using full blown PS or Elements? Do they still leave out the curves tool in Elements? If so, that's a crime against image editors everywhere...

I'm using Photoshop 7.

I think I got the idea now, even though it took me a while. Comparing my first edit with the one I just did I am glad realize a noticeable color improvement, as well as some gain in contrast.
Thanks again for taking the time!

It's hard to explain these things in a message board post, maybe I should do up a video on how to use curves.

That would be great

[dvincent]

Hey, glad to see you got it in!

http://web2.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=5947204