HELP! Not Getting Smooth Transitions in Clear Skies..

[scott_reither1]

<p><p id="">If anyone can offer some advice, I'd greatly appreciate it!</p><p id="">On occasion, I have a lot of trouble

getting smooth gradations in clear skies. I'm shooting Raw and working in 16-bit, and recently the ProPhoto RGB workspace, but still

have problems - even with properly exposed-to-the-right images. Generally, the problem becomes intolerable after moderate use of

levels and/or burning, but I want to have the freedom to heavily burn in the sky if I choose, without getting this "banding". What can I do

to get smooth transitions without these "choke-lines", "banding", and other unsightly and unnatural "lines of imperfection"??? What

process do you recommend to get smooth transitions even while heavily burning in a sky, or is there a better process than burning and/or

using levels/curves?</p><p id="">I will attempt to include a cropped piece of an image which should show an example of the lines,

and is representative of the type of image that often gives me problems.</p><p id="">PLEASE HELP</p><p

id="">Thanks!</p><br id=""></p><div></div>

[jacopo_brembati]

<p>Try a small color space: Adobe 1998 or sRGB.</p>

[david_banks2]

<p>This looks to be somewhat more than 'moderate' darkening of the sky..?</p>

[pbarnes]

<p>Have you tried using the graduated filter tool in ACR or Lightroom, or the gradient tool in Photoshop? I understand the dodge and burn tool in Photoshop is a bit of a blunt instrument, although supposed to be improved in CS4.</p>

[sattler123]

<p>Don't use the "burn" tool. Use curves, instead of levels and use the graduated ND filter in PS. But even then, there is only so much you can do. It would be better to use filters on your lenses to achieve the look you are after.</p>

[josephbraun]

<p>Use 'perceptual' instead of 'relative' rendering when changing color spaces</p>

[sam_zaydel1]

<p>Consider making adjustments prior to converting from RAW, unless of course you are already doing that. There is always the possibility of using HDR for scenes with a lot of contrast.</p>

[Tim_Lookingbill]

<p>I had the same problem in this thread:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00V3TS</p>

<p>Scroll down close to the bottom where it shows a deep blue sky and white cloud. Note the histogram screenshots at the end of the thread.</p>

<p>The only solution I can offer is to not apply Luminance Smoothing slider in the Sharpen section of ACR. Can't remember off hand where this slider is located in Lightroom.</p>

<p>The dithered texturing of noise aids in smooth transitions within abrupt gradations like yours. This is why in the "Convert to Profile" dialog box in Photoshop they have a check box for dithering. In addition if you shot in color and converted to B&W, do all of your edits in color to utilize all the noise in all RGB channels.</p>

<p>Also as mentioned in the linked thread above applying vignetting can amplify banding especially if the rate of transitions don't match up with the vignetting rate of transition.</p>

<p>You have to remember you're working within a gamma encoded 8 bit video system where the slope of the gamma curve distributes the majority of the <strong>"Rate of Transition"</strong> within 255 RGB steps to the lower mids and upward or what the eye most notably sees. Your rate of transition from dark gray to almost what looks like black in that sky doesn't have enough steps to "preview" through this limited bit video system and you've now limited to one channel B&W. You might as someone else suggested distribute gradation<br /> at a more gradual rate.</p>

<p> </p>

[bengt1664878721]

<p>All good advice. To fix post factum, adding just a wee bit of noise (often not even apparant in a print) will usually do the trick. Look at the histogram before/after to see how it smoothens out.</p>