Tutorial ideas

[Doug Nelson]

Here's where you post tutorial ideas for others to say "hey, I could write that!"

Stuff that you'd like to see a tutorial on, or that you simply feel needs a tutorial here due to its relevance.

And those who decide they'd like to try their hand at writing a tutorial can revisit this thread for ideas on what to write about.

[Doug Nelson]

I'll start us off:

I've always thought it would be a good idea to have several different step-by-step restorations. something like:

Starting image
First step (screencap)
Second step (screencap)
Third step (screencap)
...
Last step (screencap)
Side by side/before and after images.

We have lots of finished jobs, several of which have excellent descriptions, but I think this would clarify things a lot for many people.

[eronald]

I think the first/last pix should be shown at the beginning of the tutorial. This provides more motivation than just a title.

Edmund

[Jeff L]

I agree. The first/last photos pretty much sum the whole thing up. I just got around to publishing a tutorial on curves adjustments on my site. I have never done one before and thought I would give it a try. If I get good feedback on it I will put it here.

[roger_ele]

An interesting thought ;

We have a Tutorial section and a challenges section ...

If one could do a tutorial of a restoration of a challenge, with sreen shots, and link that challenge submision to the tutorial and the tutorial to the challenge ....

Maybe a tutrial category of challenges, and a sub category of each challenge # so that multiple tutorials could be written and they would all be grouped together and linked...

... I know ... I like to make things complicated, but maybe this idea will spark another idea, and so on ....

[Ed_L]

I still don't understand advanced blending (blend if) very well. I'd love to see an easy to understand tutorial on that.

Ed

[Doug Nelson]

Stuff I'd like to see in our Tutorials section:

Making actions
Custom brushes
Patch tool
Image-based selections
Displacement maps
More colorization techniques
Keystone correction
Perspective correction
Retouching wrinkles
Reconstruction of missing details
Using curves to fix skin tones

I'm sure there's a ton more. Add your own here.

[Doug Nelson]

I'd really like to see a realistic sky replacement tutorial using only PS native filters and tools.

This might have been mentioned, but a tutorial on selecting specific colors or a range of colors would be handy for those trying to remove stains.

And, of course, the old standby "tutorial on how to write a tutorial", only updated for our new automated system.

[Doug Nelson]

Here's another: show how to use stairstep interpolation with before/after examples.

Plus, don't forget any of our tutorials could be re-done using a different editor. So re-do a Photoshop tut for PaintshopPro, or translate them for Elements, or Corel Paint, or whatever your favorite editor is. If I get enough I'll separate them into their own areas.

[Rexx]

Ok, silly newbie rushing in.

Is there a technique for creating realistic looking DOF? I don't mean the standard background-middleground-foreground, mask and Gaussian blur. It looks fake after a while. I mean something that looks like it was caused by a real optical lens. (Perhaps there is a plug-in?) Old analogue SLR photographers out there will know what I mean I think.

See this forum entry for an example:

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/re...essage=7175761

I don't know how long the images in that forum will be available. If they disappear, I can supply some of my own SLR photos for illustration purposes.

[Leah]

Vegard,

The photos in the particular post you link to have the problem that they are taken under very different lighting conditions and also that the second (blurred in Photoshop) photo hasn't had the blurring and masking applied very well - there are definite fringes around the figures and the fall-off isn't very gradual. And if you read the comments in the post where the originator of the photos actually posted them, it's clear that he didn't do the Photoshopping following the technique in the tutorial at the head of the thread (with a gradual falloff of focus) but rather a few years earlier in a "similar" manner.

The example image in the tutorial itself is a far better example of a reasonably good use of Photoshop for DOF.

I guess to explore this area effectively (and I agree it's worth exploring... hmm, might make a good challenge) we'd need to start with two SLR images of the same subject with the same framing under the same lighting conditions, but with one photo taken with a pretty wide aperture and one taken with the aperture closed right down for maximum DOF. Then explore techniques for making the maximum-DOF photo look like the minimum-DOF photo. That way there's a standard for seeing what "real" optical blur looks like in the context of a particular image.

If you've got images that fit these criteria then it would be good to see them. Otherwise maybe someone else can oblige? I'm stuck in work during daylight hours myself so it would be a while before I can get out and take some photos specifically for this purpose.

[Rexx]

Yes I agree, the second (Photoshop DOF) example wasn't very well executed, but I think my point about "one big Gauss fog" is still valid.

For the second part, I agree fully. That was exactly the way I imagined such a tutorial or challenge or whatever would have to be carried out.

Listen, I'm going on a company trip to Lisbon for the weekend. One of my colleagues has a 10D (affectionately called The Instamatic ) I can try to take those test shots with the 10D during the weekend. My own SLR is analogue, and has been collecting dust for nearly three years...

Yes, called him in the car. He'll take it. I'll hopefully be able to supply some 6Mpix samples on Tuesday!

[Rexx]

This is sooooooo embarrassing!

I forgot to shoot those photos in Lisbon!
But I'm working on a tutorial, based on another photo I took in Lisbon. As soon as the Tutorial Publishing System is up and running again, I'll publish it. Quite a lot of work, writing a tutorial!

[Juliana Ross]

I was looking at your other web site and saw the awesome job you did on the blurry image.

Could we get a tutorial on that or is it a trade secret

Or did I just miss it somewhere

Thanks,

Juliana

[Rexx]

Originally Posted by Juliana Ross

I was looking at your other web site and saw the awesome job you did on the blurry image.

Could we get a tutorial on that or is it a trade secret

Or did I just miss it somewhere

Are you ... uh ... talking to ME???

Seriously, I am not sure what you're referring to here. My post above is one year old. After I posted it I have learned that Photoshop CS has a new lens blur filter that does what I am asking for, a blur different from Gauss.

No trade secrets, but could you be more specific?

[Leah]

Originally Posted by Rexx

Are you ... uh ... talking to ME???

I think she's talking to Doug (subject line on post is "Wish for a tutorial from Doug"). I hope he'll know which image it is.

[Juliana Ross]

yes it was for Doug...

sorry for the confusion

(goes for another cup of joe...)

[Lasse]

Hi
a tuturial about how to make an imange look high-key while still maintaining true black and colors. A highkey effeckt can be made by using the channelmixer to overexpose the image in monocrome, but i would like to know a better way

/Lasse

[Doug Nelson]

Juliana:

No trade secrets here. Just plain ole boring High Pass sharpening.

[Robt]

Originally Posted by Doug Nelson

I'll start us off:

I've always thought it would be a good idea to have several different step-by-step restorations. something like:

Starting image
First step (screencap)
Second step (screencap)
Third step (screencap)
...
Last step (screencap)
Side by side/before and after images.

We have lots of finished jobs, several of which have excellent descriptions, but I think this would clarify things a lot for many people.

Now I've been on this forum for?? a long time watching all these restores and I hope someone will help along the lines of Doug's Suggestion.

I have read all this and watched, its taught me a lot but not how to put it together?

When you start with an old image do you scan it first, would this be done in two runs each 90 degrees from the other? Then overlay rotate flatten? Is this the time to use Roland's FFT Tutorial, So now do I capture sharpen....

I have Eismann's book and it tells plenty except how to sequence all the things you all know how to do. So please now that I've been given some really hard work by a friend I'd like to see if all the steps you've taught me here can go together.

[nebgranny]

Thank you for the post . I am pleased you have posted this request. It has been my hope people would do a step by step. I think each photo has a life of it's own, but there are some universal things which can be done. People here are so talented and helpful. I too have learned from being here. I have used the masks tutorial from viki and information on coloring from flora and those two techniques alone have been priceless. I would like to learn how to use channels, I do not have a clue how to use them. I know someone asked me what I wanted to know about them. Well I did not know how to respond because I do not know a thing about them.

Thanks for you post. Neb

[woofw]

Can someone tell me how to make a new channel and paste it like another red/green channel. Kinda know how to make a new channel but not how to copy and paste into the background? Can you use filters on a singular channel or do I have to make a new channel and then apply the filter and then paste. This is my big confusion.

[Cyber Cat]

hmm... i'd really like to see tutorial on airbrushing (or just some tips on that)
thanx

[whereismykit]

I would like to see a tutorial on B&W

[wakebordr]

I want to see a tutorial on creating a selection of the teeth automatically. I don't want to do it every time and the tutorial on changeing the color of teeth was good, but they don't say how to do it automatically everytime.

[Twotone]

I would like to see a tutorial on how to make a full glitz image. I've looked everyone I could think of on how to do this but all I get is people selling their services. Here is an example of what I'm talking about. http://www.mybellaphotos.com/pageant.php

[Elmer B]

Hi One and All,
Greetings from (Today) wet n miserable Durham, UK.

This (my first) post will hopefully have two consequences.

Consequence #1) I've searched high and low (and in-between !) for a tutorial on turning a person into "Glass" to no avail. I can now make a "chrome" person, I can even make a "water element" person (after finding a couple of excellent Tuts on T'Interweb), but "glass" person? Nah.

The "Red Glass Apple On Newspaper" Tut is a good one but it doesn't do it for me when applied to a person. Anyone any good pointers? This would be a "general" Tut as I'm not looking to change a specific image.

Consequence #2) This posting will stop RetouchPRO gently (but persistently!) reminding me:-
Notices
"Hello Elmer B,
Our records indicate that you have never posted to our site before! Don't be shy!! COME ON IN!! The waters lovely!! Make your first post today etc. etc........" !!!

TIA
Elmer B. Fuddled

[Elmer B]

My second post (getting the hang of this!!).
Isolating Hair is a real pain in the a**e for me, specifically dark hair from dark backgrounds and fair hair from light backgrounds. Do I guesstimate and add hair back in with a brush or do I stick a tea-cosy hat on the head and hope no-one notices ?
Even with reasonable contrast I seem to end up with a fuzzy halo round the subject, not crisp individual hair strands like I'm seeing in the Tuts I'm following.
Where am I going wrong? Running too fast? Lack of patience? I don't know, but I'm never happy with the results I'm getting.
These are non-specific images I'm working on, purely for my own entertainment (angst?) and I must admit, why pick an easy image to play with when you can make life soooo much more difficult!!

TIA
Elmer B. Fuddled

[gladesman]

I have not yet found a tutorial on effectively isolating tree branches. I often have need of blending two exposures in landscapes, and always run into a wall on the tree branches, where if isolated, they begin to deteriorate. There are tons of tuts on blending landscapes, but most if not all are those with simple horizons. I thought some of these tuts on hair selection might help, but its not quite the same as dealing with a bright sky and dark landscape.

[j4str]

id like to see more tutorials with the more of "basics." I've been usuing photoshop for a long time. Over 10 years. But ive always done stuff the "wrong" way. To get rid of a blemish i used to use the color eye dropper and brush right over it. So when i see tutorials on how to do stuff. Its the basics of it that i can't figure out. I get the concepts, but get lost in what buttons to push. I've watched countless color correction videos and still can't figure them out. Heres an example

"we are going to make a curve to lighten it a little bit. Then once we have a mask, because we are using adjustment layers, we can paint in certain areas"
k, made a curve, but then can't get the mask to work correctly, cuz im probably not going to the right spot for the mask

"Now we do another one, if we select the middle eye dropper. Thats going to select a neutral area and its going to balance out the other colors accordingly."
K, got the curve, but where the hell is this eye dropper at?

the concepts that shes trying to teach make complete sense but she uses short cut keys and for the life of me i can't figure out where the hell to go. Im not talking about this tutorial exclusively, but most tutorials i watch have this same problem. I get lost because i can't figure out what menu to go to or whatever. So i just suggest keeping this in mind when making tutorials, that not everyone is a photoshop expert.