Here is a simple list of the steps to take when improving your image in Photoshop or Elements. This is what the professionals call ‘workflow’, although that term can also refer to processing a sequence of images.
What I focus on here is getting the best out of your JPEG image (see my comments at the end re using RAW and Lightroom). I have kept this simple so have avoiding talking about layers and selections etc.
BUT these few simple steps will turn an average image into a good one – assuming you have got your exposure and focus basically right, and picked a good subject!
In another Blog I will talk about enhancing your image using RAW processing, selections and so on.
Here is the recommended sequence:
Note: you don’t need layers or selections to do this, and you can ‘undo’ at any step and try again.
- Open your image in Photoshop or Elements – JPEG image is OK to use at this stage. (Note: I recommend you make a copy of the image and work on that, keeping your original intact for later use if required.)
- Use the Clone tool or Healing tool to remove any dust spots (eg from sky) or other blemishes. Click OK when done.
- Go to Levels and make sure the shadow point/slider and highlight point/slider come up to the edge of the histogram (but do not cut any of the histogram off!). Move the midpoint slider to darken or lighten as required, while watching the preview. Click OK
- Go to ‘Curves’ or to ‘Shadows/Highlights’ to improve contrast and if necessary lighten or deepen each of – shadows, midtones, highlights. Click OK.
- Go to Brightness/Contrast to adjust either of these overall for the whole image – IF required. Note: do not brighten so much that you lose highlight detail or darken so much that you lose shadow detail.
- Adjust Saturation if required.
- Use the Dodge or Burn Tools to lighten (or darken) parts of the image as required. Set the Strength to about 8% and carefully click/drag over the parts of the image you wish to lighten or darken. Remember to set the tool so that you use a soft ‘feather’ (edge) and the brush diameter approximates the image area you want to cover.
- Go to Filters/Noise/Reduce Noise to reduce ‘noise’ in the image (have a look at the sky at 50 or 100% and see if any noise ‘speckling’ is evident). If so whilst using ‘Preview’ adjust the sliders to reduce the noise speckling but preserve detail. You will need to experiment with the best mix of adjustment – eg start with slider(s) at the left (no adjustment) and slide toward the right whilst watching the preview. Exit Noise filter when done. (Note: In a later Blog I will talk about how to select the sky and just reduce noise in part of your image.)
- Using Unsharp Mask sharpen the image modestly (eh around Level 8 and strength 120)
- Go to the Crop Tool and crop the image if necessary (note that a crop often will improve an image so experiment and use ‘Undo’ if you don’t like the result).
- Finally Save the image as a new file (set save settings to highest quality). Saving as JPEG is fine if you think you have finished with the image. NOTE that you should ALWAYS work on a copy or save as a new file so that your original remains there for you to go back to if needed.
General Comment:
As with many Photoshop adjustments less is often better than more… Experiment with the settings using Undo and Redo to compare the result of the adjustment.
Update – for serious landscape images, especially where there is high contrast (eg dark foreground and bright sky) I now use the RAW file and Lightroom. Using this combination allows much greater adjustment to tones, particularly the light and dark parts of the image). A good ‘package’ for processing your images is to use RAW (always shoot RAW + JPEG) and process first in Lightroom, then finish in Elements if necessary.
SM/Updated 20 September 2015