just finished

[ydelle]

I just finished another flower pic and would like some helpfull hints - I used photoshop dreamy action I got form the other site or maybe from Danny's action sets??
Dup background (dreamy action on original background)
davids simplifier-can't afford buzz
put that between the luminaton layer and simplelayer
added hue and satuation

if this pic turns out too small how do I get it larger?

[Kraellin]

ydelle,

from what i can tell it looks pretty good, but like you thought, it's a bit small. what i do before posting pics here is resize them to around 800 x 600 (or vice versa) and then save them as .jpg's in which i run the jpg optimizer to keep them at 100k or less. so, the size will be fairly large but you will lose a bit of detail in the optimization. cant be helped unless you post them on another site and simply link to them from here.

Craig

[ydelle]

Thank you - I am trying what you suggested about pic size ----here it goes
ydelle

[Duv]

I Like It!! Here's a totally subjective thought. The overall tonality is quite muted. Nothing wrong with that but maybe also try a Z Curve on the Lightness channel in LAB to give it some snap.

Cheers

Dave

[Legacy~Art]

Whats a Z Curve?

[Kraellin]

there ya go, ydelle. very lovely

Craig

[ydelle]

ya, whats a z curve?? I haven't worked in LAB before so I wouldn't know how.
Bring on the help

[Duv]

Sorry, attached is a Z Curve. Indeed, an S Curve may serve you just as well. Working in LAB Lightness helps to avoid color shifts.

Dave

[edgework]

Truth is, there are no shadows in the image. The darkest area is reading 25 in lab (dead black is 0). There's a bit more of a highlight, but not much. So keeping the curve anchors in the highlight and shadow range is somewhat wasted as there are no pixels there.

I used this curve, and then, since it was plugging a bit in the upper end, I pulled a and b curves to enhance and emphasize the color differences.

[Kraellin]

well, that makes it pop more. i like both of them, the original and this last one.

Craig

[Duv]

Edgework, I hope you're not having a pernickety day! Truth is, you're curve is a Z Curve. I had suggested using a Z Curve. Someone asked what a Z Curve was. I provided a sample of a Z Curve. I was not necessarily recommending that Z Curve although the sample I'm posting here, while not up to your high standards, shows a not unpleasing effect. Z Curve, modified Z Curve, S Curve..I think the point was enhancing contrast can give a different and "perhaps" better result. BTW, your effort is very nice.

Cheers

Dave

[cinderella]

I really like the "popped " vs better. Would a z curve on the lightness channel work as well on photos with people ? Lately , a lot of my people photos look flat. Will give this a try. Thanks.

[ydelle]

I want to thank everyone for the help. I used Duv and Edgeworks suggestions and added alittle more light. I brought it home after printing a sample on the epison 7900 and my daughter thought one of the artist I deal with had painted it. Now if I could only follow jaykita's steps for her water color look.
ydelle

[Duv]

Luv to see what you came up with!

Dave

[ydelle]

here it is I hope it is big enough - I have trouble getting pictures to the right size.
ydelle

[Duv]

Yep, that looks like a keeper to me! Question though. When I go to View:Gamut Warning, a considerable amount of the picture is greyed out which seems to indicate that a press or ink jet printer might have difficulty capturing that color. How does your print compare to your on screen version?

Cheers

Dave

[ydelle]

I don't now I have to see when I get to work if the color has the same pop.
I had printed your version on german watercolor and it was some what muted -I am going to try summerset paper or a white mat.
by the way how to you get ti the view gamet warning from the net.
ydelle

[Duv]

Just go to View>Gamut Warning. When you turn it on, anything that shows up grey is out of gamut and may be difficult to print.

Dave

[cinderella]

So I tried a z curve on lab lightness channel on photo with lots of people in it and it did not improve the flatness. Made photo look garish.

[ydelle]

I know , but how did you get there from the picture I put in the thread.
Did you copy the pic to your desktop and take it into photoshop?

[Duv]

Cinderella, the question is why did you think a Z curve would work in the first place? No curve can work for all images. You need to understand the "numbers" in your image, determine whether it needs a global correction or specific areas and build a Curve to fix those weaknesses. Look again at Edgework's post. He built something very specific based on his analysis of the original pic. Might be interesting to see your pic and what the problem is although you should start a new post.

Dave