[M_Six]

Originally Posted by scollins

I've been trying that the last few days. Lots of pics, just haven't started the work flow yet to see how it comes out....

The biggest gotcha with that is blowing out highlights beyond recoverability. Make sure your histogram is to the right, but not pressed up against the right side.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by M_Six

The biggest gotcha with that is blowing out highlights beyond recoverability. Make sure your histogram is to the right, but not pressed up against the right side.

You can go right up to the right side, just don't start climbing the wall. I turn on my "blinkies" in the Preview screen. Also, remember, it's ok to blow out some highlights, just not important highlights. For instance, sparkle of water on a ducks back has HUGE dynamic range and if you try to eliminate that, you'll under expose the rest of the duck seriously. Small little blowouts are usually ok, so long as it's nothing important.

I also turn on my blinkies in post, since you can blow out parts of a perfectly exposed image by raising Contrast too much, or raising levels or any number of things.

Dave

[M_Six]

I've been making good use of the Recovery slider in ACR. Works wonders for wiping out blinkies and recovering whatever detail may be there.

[Fredds112]

Thanks for all the great info, guys. I may just end up getting myself an extra christmas present this year

[rodi]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I've been making good use of the Recovery slider in ACR. Works wonders for wiping out blinkies and recovering whatever detail may be there.

yes, and flattening out the highlights - love it.

[The1]

Originally Posted by rodi

yes, and flattening out the highlights - love it.

yeah, be carefull with that mark, there's a fine like where something that is supposed to be white turns into something grey and gross

[rodi]

ha. unless you're aiming for shades of middle grey.

[M_Six]

Originally Posted by The1

yeah, be carefull with that mark, there's a fine like where something that is supposed to be white turns into something grey and gross

I've noticed that. But so far only on clouds where the gray isn't a big deal. If the detail is gone for good, you get the gray spots.

[The1]

Originally Posted by M_Six

I've noticed that. But so far only on clouds where the gray isn't a big deal. If the detail is gone for good, you get the gray spots.

I sort of set myself a rule, no more then 10-15% on the recovery, if i need more, the picture is a junker, or I crop.

that's just me personally though. I try to keep that rule in for fill light too. I don't want to have to clean up more noise, or get banding or any of that (which doesn't seem to be as much of a problem in RAW.)

[rodi]

lately, i've been using it as a further push south for the highlight end of the curve, after making a really funky looking custom curve. it makes for a really soft gradation to the highlight.
like here:

i probably set recovery to about 50% - nothing was blown out at all (obviously) when the exposure was 0%, it just has a nice feel on my custom curve. do you think it looks bad?
and the in-focus blinds on the edge of the frame really bother me. should crop it. blah.

[The1]

I would crop the in focus part, it's creating a second focal point to your picture, and the picture is fantastic as is, but would be better without those in focus parts.

perhaps turn it into a profile pic instead of square while getting rid of lines?

[rodi]

surely you know my thoughts on vertical/portrait orientation.

[The1]

Originally Posted by rodi

surely you know my thoughts on vertical/portrait orientation.

yes, but seems like the only solution, unless there's more of this image which was previously cropped?

or was this image framed as is? I made the assumption that you're so good that it was basically framed as is with the exception of being a square crop

[M_Six]

Hmm, I agree the in-focus part of the blinds should go, but then you're messing with the geometry of the image by quite a bit. I think if the fine detail in the blinds was gone, you could leave them in and not have to crop. Maybe create a new layer and surface blur it so the detail in the blinds in muted some, then layer mask that area only?

[The1]

did you take an alternate version of this picture with everything in focus? (i assume no) because the blinds would have worked quite well as leading lines.

[M_Six]

Like so, maybe?

[The1]

not seeing much difference.... did you repost the original by accident?

[M_Six]

No. The fine detail in the blinds is gone. I don't think they grab the eye as much now.

[The1]

ahhhh, i see now, the blinds aren't as porous anymore

[M_Six]

Exactly. You really can't blur the blinds there completely because the plane of focus will be uneven and your eye will pick up on that.

[rodi]

meh.

[M_Six]

EDIT: Never mind. I like your new version better, rodi.