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Robert
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Bringing this topic from another post: http://nikondslr.uk/view_post.php?post_id=7055 I have been searching and come up with this: http://nikondslr.uk/view_post.php?post_id=7055 Which seems to suggest there is no simple answer. Crazy, setting the black and white points are the fundamental first step and the foundation to adjusting almost any image. I have tried adjusting the exposure, blacks and brightness etc. but in most cases it doesn't even start to achieve the required results. |
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Robert
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OK, Cracked it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljJuVc3VRbs Holding down the option key and adjusting the 'Blacks', 'Highlight Recovery' and 'Exposure' sliders it gives an excellent method of setting the black and white points. A starting point for most adjustments. I have been using Lr for years and only just found it! That was one of the main reason I haven't used Lightroom more for image processing. |
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Robert
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An example of an image which badly needed the black and white points adjusting: The Old Man of Coniston with snow. This was an image from 2006 which I hadn't bothered with because I didn't think it would recover anything worthwhile. The peak is about 20Km away from the point where the photo was taken. Nikon D1, Nikkor 80-200mm f2.8 @ 200mm, f5.6, ISO 400 Attachment: Screen Shot 2013-04-16 at 21.58.19.jpg (Downloaded 32 times) |
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Robert
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The image: Attachment: Screen Shot 2013-04-16 at 22.23.49.jpg (Downloaded 31 times) |
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richw
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Sorry for the late reply, as you say holding the Opt key whilst moving the slider shows you where the extremes relating to the slider you are adjusting start and stop in the image. You can also watch the arrows at the top of the histogram, the change colour as different colours start to clip somewhere in the image. When al the RGB elements are clipping the arrow will turn white (it's grey if no component is clipping). Illustration is below, the black point arrow on left is coloured white to show clipping, the white point arrow is on the right and is coloured grey to show no clipping.  If you click on one of the arrows it becomes framed with a square and as part of the image starts to clip at whichever extreme that area of the image flashes (like the blinkies in the camera LCD). Personally I pretty much just adjust to my personal taste rather than using these indicators. The adjustments in LR4 have shadow highlight sliders as well as white and black point adjustments. The LR4 just works better in my opinion. The other way to make localised adjustments is to use the curves adjuster, if you click on the pointer tool (circled in red) you can pick it up and drag it over the image. By clicking at the point you wish to adjust and dragging up or down you can lighten/darken that point in the curve.  |
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Robert
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Thanks for the input Rich, all handy tips. I kick myself for not 'discovering' this sooner, I had been under the misapprehension that Lightroom couldn't do black and white points when it actually does them very well. |
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nilo_uk
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Hi Robert, I've been browsing the forums, found this thread and decided to have a read - I'm always keen to read up on Lightroom - it's such a big and powerful beast! I know it's been a while since the original post, but thought I'd add this... As for setting the black and white points; in the Basic section of Develop module I hold the shift key and double click on the word White (or Black). The sliders will jump and Lr will [usually] stretch/spread the histogram accordingly. If parts are burnt out, for example the edges of clouds, then it may reduce the Whites (negative number) (and converse for blocked out Blacks). It's then that I either undo the setting or adjust accordingly. If the image is genuinely under-exposed I usually sort that first. Also, I find that the Dehaze can have an impact so will usually apply that before the White and Black points. richw mentions the little arrows in the top corner of the histogram. Hovering the mouse over them when they're lit up is a quick way to show where in the image it's clipping. |
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Robert
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Lr has moved on a long way since Lr3! If I am seriously concerned about the black and white points I go to 'Levels' in Ps and adjust them there with my patented 'Shuffle' technique, which gives a very precise black and white setting, then adjust to taste. I don't trust the Lr procedure on black and white points. At the end of it, all that really matters is are you happy with the image. Sometimes however improvements can be made which you weren't aware of. You might have to dig back a lot further to find my 'shuffle' routine in Ps. It might even be in the previous forum posts which were weren't able to extract to keep as archives. If I have time over the weekend, and I remember I will try to re-write the 'Shuffle' and post it, with new, current screenshots. |
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jk
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Robert, if you save the whole procedure to a PDF then I can load it as a reference document. |
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Robert
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Thanks JK, then it can be saved by anybody interested. |
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Eric
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Robert wrote:Thanks JK, then it can be saved by anybody interested. If you were referring to the Plowden technique for light and dark spot definition, I itemised the process on post 7/8 here ..... http://nikondslr.uk/view_topic.php?id=833&forum_id=8&highlight=Plowden+technique You may choose to copy and paste and edit it for ease.  |
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nilo_uk
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Thanks gents, some interesting techniques for me to experiment with. I thought the Plowden Shuffle was something at the local Barn Dance  |
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jk
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nilo_uk wrote:Thanks gents, some interesting techniques for me to experiment with. I thought the Plowden Shuffle was something at the local Barn DanceDont tell Robert but those copies of the video are selling fast on ebay!  |
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