Help with a specific print

[alfarmer]

Hello.

<br><br><p>

I took a picture last month that I really like and want to print it in Black &

White. Unfortunately some of the shades are pretty subtle on the dark end. In

fact, if you view the picture here:

<br><br><p>

http://www.photo.net/photo/5330938

<br><br><p>

You will most likely see nothing but a black splotch in the lower-right quarter

of the image. But on my very-recently-calibrated monitor in Photoshop, that's

not what I see. Part of this has to do with viewing it in a web browser (vs.

Photoshop), but based on past experience the "mass printers" like Walmart or

Snapfish will print total blackness there as well.

<br><br><p>

So what should I do to get the best print out of this picture? I'm soliciting

all advice, not just what print shop to use (thought that'd certainly be quite

useful). For example, what other modifications can I or should I make within

Photoshop before sending to a printer? Brightening, channel adjustments,

cropping, etc. It's all fair game.

<br><br><p>

Your help in my education is most appreciated. :-)

<br><br><br><p>

Cheers,

<br>

ALF

[paul_sokal___dallas__tx]

Anthony, as with many things PS, there are many ways to approach this. I simply lightened the image with a curves layer and then painted on the layer mask to confine the effect to the dark, right lower portion of the image, bringing out the missing detail.<div></div>

[paul_sokal___dallas__tx]

Interesting. None of the changes I made show up. I think this image is simply haunted.

[paul_sokal___dallas__tx]

Or, maybe I attached your original file. Note to self: Don't drink that third glass of wine before logging onto PN<div></div>

[paul_sokal___dallas__tx]

Well, this is the right image and it simply doesn't show up as well in the dumbed down version for PN. Nonetheless, with a good print shop this kind of treatment should solve the RLQ problem. Nice pic, BTW.

[t.s._gordon]

WOW! I knew there was some reason I joined this forum. I won't

be here long, but I must comment on this image. -It's almost

enough for me to consider owning my own camera again!

 

I've got a painter -buddie who's inspired me in the same way. Of

course, I recognized Hawaii, (or suspected that's where you

were) right away. Few subjects would have worked equally well

in color and in B&W.

 

-Thus the Ad-addage: "The color of B&W."

 

In order to 'open the shadows' (though it will hardly matter to any

other artist,) you need to learn to build a 'duotone' mask. I use

PS5.5, because I can't figure out CS2, or whatever it's called on

mom's iMac.

 

MANUAL METHOD:

 

Select all, copy-paste. Now you have the photo laying on a

transparent layer above your work. -Save as _ _.v2.psd

 

Now, you use the contrast-brightness variables to make the layer

look excessively corrected (relative to the goal) because it's got

way too much low-end emphasis, due to your use of a --HARD

TOE-- on the "curves" -panel. Logic suggests that such a shape

rarely need dart up and down, but often takes on an 'S' -corrective

quality., or in this case, more like an airplane on take-off that

levels on cruising

 

Next, you have to set this layer at about 25% transparency. Using

your magic-wand, select the brite items from the bottom-layer.

Toggle up to the top layer, and set the 'feather' to 2 pixels, before

-erasing- the unwanted blockage.

 

**Being completely inane, (as on the bright paraphet-balconies

on the tower,) you also have to -contract- these shapes by 2

pixels, so the building won't 'glow.' from your fuzzies.

 

...Having "killed" these new highlight & mid-tones, you finally

have a transluscent "shadow mask". Adjust contrast and

brightness on -both- layers, finally opting to flatten them together,

-forever! It will look exactly like Ansel used to get on "Moonrise,"

after considerable 'water-bathing' in Rodinol, @ 1:17! :)

 

maxresolution@redlineav.com

[yanavas]

Anthony, I got the following results by adjusting Shadow/Highlight settings in CS2. First picture was done by adjusting this settings for the entire picture. The second was done by using a Magic Wand tool to select only the desired area for adjustment.

[yanavas]

And the second one:<div></div>

[yanavas]

Let's try the first one again:<div></div>

[t.s._gordon]

Moot point: This .jpg is useless. Never 'crunch' the file down to

.jpg if you can use the .tiff, or photoshop first save. Never reduce

to B&W before retouching, or generating the layers. You can

'desaturate' each layer, but you can't buy back the lost color

information, as .jpg definately killed the life of the problem

shadow.

 

There's a good chance this effect could have been achieved by

color filtration too. Like red-shift to over take a blue sky, Green to

open the grass. Either way, you can see the last example, while

dramatic, does nothing good for the 'twilight' mood here.

[alfarmer]

Thanks to everyone for their input, though not all of it is clear to me. My Photoshop skills are pretty basic.

 

As for the JPG thing, I still have the .CR2 file. I just uploaded a smaller version for easier discussion.

 

Cheers,

ALF

[thomas_hardy1]

1. How did it look on your ink jet print? It may be OK compared to a web photo.

 

2. If all the other suggestions do not work, try reprocessing the Raw file and passing bracketed "exposures" through an HDR program like photomatix. You'll have to process the raw image several times from too light - too dark. Then put all the images through the program, and see if it will preserve highlight detail and open up shadows.