Curvemeister Forum

This is a tough contrasty image. Normaly BC (before CurveMeister) I would have selected the dark part in PSE and worked on it separately. So I did everything in CM.
First I worked with RGB.
Moved the highlight threshold until the white on the horses was close to losing definition. Set a point on RGB curve (51; 178) to try and get the shadows a bit lighter... Very difficult to achieve because the white starts to blow out while the shadows hardly change.

Placed another point which helped to keep the whites more stable (77; 218).

kessi

Whoops,
the two RGB images are the same. I must have double selected.

Here is my LAB mode effort.
See screenshot for the curves.
I really struggled with the shadows.

I probably made my life difficult and know that there are lots of tools like masks, etc, but I will still have to learn how to use them.

kessi

Kessi
RGB photos were too bright on my screen.

Have you tried to play with the lizzard curve? Quite nice thing to play with. Could lighten shadows in Lab version. I have started to correct in CM in several steps,  sometimes usung both RGB and Lab. Seems to work quite well but do not know if approved by Greg.
Thomas

My approval is not necessary... ;D

You are free to tackle the image in any way you see fit.  The assignments are to get you started and to teach the techniques....beyond that I frequently take more than 1 pass at the image and often times switch color spaces to get the results I want.


Kessi,

Here is an article regarding the "lizard tail"  see if this helps....

http://www.curvemeister.com/wiki/index.php?title=Special_Curves:_Lizard_Tail

Greg

Thanks Greg for the lizard-tail tutorial. I will practice that.

Thomas,
stupid question I think, but I am not always sure if I am missing a step.
When you work in LAB and RGB do you first work in say RGB, apply and go out to PS or PSE and then open up the image again in CM and then continue in Lab? It seems so cumbersome.

kessi

Kessi,

Currently you have to go out to PS or PSE to apply the changes to the image file.  Mike is looking at a solution that would allow you to apply and continue but it is not supported very well by PS or PSE.  When we get to using CM as a  smart filter in the last week of class there are some work arounds if you have PS.

Greg

Yes I do! Got to PSE and back.♠
Thomas

My 2nd attempt at the merry-go-round in RGB.  :-

kessi

This is looking much better....
The only thing you might want to do is try to  bring back the details in the necks of the horses.  If you take your current version into RGB or LAB and adjust the highlights a bit it does help the overall image. 

In lab you can add saturation if you like...

Greg