Curvemeister Forum

Hi everybody,

yesterday night I start the exercises for the week and soon get in trouble.
Question to the duck is, which way we prefer. Lab or Rgb.
For the option to get more color in very quick, it would be Lab.
But I tried two times the wizard in lab and by setting the neutral point, my black and white points changes and I get a worser coler cast, as before.
Also mabe because of the extra color, the deep part of the histogramm shows now two colors with no more details.

So, my answer is: I prefer Rgb.
Had also a little bit problems with the black and white point, but not as much and histrogramm is okay.
If I want a color boost, I prefer an extra layer by running cm again.

Here are the two versions only with black/white/neutral. Rgb first. Smaller of course, because more pictures in the post ;-)

Wizard ist not really mine. I'm not that tallented to see darkest and lightest points quick, so moving around with the pins needs to much time.
Better for me is the threshhold options, finding my points and set them to white, black and neutral.
But I have to clear the curve before, rigtht?

But now I want mabe another point in all curves for whatever and here I get real trouble.
I set a new hue clock but don't now how to bring this point in all curves, so I tried a pin mode. Saturation in my example.
But don't get a point in the curves by that. So I delete that point, but it deletes all my changes before too.
All points now are disabled and no way to change.
Oh, okay...this is mabe a bug. On second try now they works again but changing mode. All on neutral.

Remember Ctrl works for my case. But it set a point by thinking the curves are neutral, right?
I have to move it manually to the consisting curves?

I hate learning new programs ;-)

Greetings Tanja

Tanja,

The idea here it to try out the different color spaces and to make mistakes and make a mess of the image.  It is by making these mistakes that you become familiar with the controls. 

I know you are frustrated but try to solve the problems one at a time.  With the wizard and RGB if you set the neutral correctly you will not get the color cast you talked about.  Try moving the neutral around slowly and see if you can find a better place for it.

The wizard is for the less adventuresome.  You will not use it after this assignment.  With any correction you do if you do not like it hit the reset button and the curves will all reset.  If they do not there might be a problem with the wizard. 

Have you watched any of the video hints?  they can be helpful but if the language is a problem, we will have to see what can be done to get you some help. 

Remember setting a highlight or a shadow will not make them neutral.  It simply sets that value as the lightest or darkest in the image.  Also remember that in RGB color is tied to brightness.  This is the  key to RGB color.

LAB is fast and color strong but there is only one neutral and you cannot fix mixed color casts in Lab easily.

By the way ...RGB is a good choice for this duck.  Most people solve this in RGB because it is familiar.

Greg

Hello All,

My results were similar to Tanja's.  The LAB colours are more vivid but the duck looks green, which doesn't appear entirely natural. The green appears when I set the neutral on the band; I've tried several different places on the band, but could not find a place that didn't make the duck look like it had been eating too much algae. The RGB image looks more realistic. The underexposed original's hues look more similar to my RGB version than my Lab version. Greg, your final LAB image (the one within the "Adjust the Overall Brightness and Color Intensity" paragraph),  appears to favour a greenish duck as well. Do you think this is the correct colouration?

I should mention that the Abraham Lincoln video gets no farther than about half-way through, at which point it stalls (tried several times).  Not sure if it's my computer connection or not. Anyone able to watch the entire video?

Cheers,
Art

Able to watch the entire video now -- must have been a short term fault in my internet connection earlier.  Also, I see from another thread than Dan was able to watch it.

Art

Art,
Check the Sample size setting in your configuration menu.  Try 3 pixels and see if you can get a better neutral in LAB. 

Greg

Thanks Greg -- reducing the sample size was very helpful.  I'm think I'm beginning to prefer LAB!
What do think of this version? Should I have another go at it?

Art

Hi Art,

where you found your neutral point?
Similar to mine?


Greg, I found the videos now  :)
Makes it easyer now...

I decide, that the ducks darker feather has to be zero or "plus" in lab, but don't find a better neutral point to bring the white feathers more to neutral. Compromise.
I forget colorboost and brightness in cm and do it ps.

Greetings, Tanja




Greetings, Tanja

Hi Tanja,

My neutral point was a little lower down, in the lower left corner of the band.
I see that my image has a bit of a yellow cast compared to yours.  Which is correct?  Probably yours. I'll have another go at it.

Cheers,
Art

Hi Art,

I think, your white feathers are more neutral.
This would be mabe the compromise with just the neutral point for correction.
More yellow in the duck or some blue in the feathers.
Same as magenta/green.

What do you think? Are we ready with the duck?
Let's see, what Greg's saying.
Then you have to start the next one  ;).

Greetings, Tanja

Thanks Greg -- reducing the sample size was very helpful.  I'm think I'm beginning to prefer LAB!
What do think of this version? Should I have another go at it?

Art

Art, you have a very solid correction there.  I'm on my laptop until tomorrow afternoon.  I'll comment more fully when I can trust my screen.
Greg