What more can I do with this pic?

[MartinNorway78]

Hello fellow divers

I just returned from a trip to dahab and I rented and borrowed some cameras over there and tried to shoot some pictures, more or less for the 1. time. I have photoshop CS3 and I have tried to play around with the photos to make them apear better.

The one thing I have been able to to do is to go into each color channel and auto-adjust the levels. This makes most of the pictures look alot better. Now I am curios about other tricks I can do... and was hoping someone would share some ideas, or pass me to a web site with some easy tutorials fro beginners..

take this phot for. example, what more can I do to make it look better? Especially those dark areas around the BC.. are there any ways to make the details in the BC more clear??

Hope someone will take the time to learn me abit :) Thank you :)


ehhh.... isnt possible to post photos in the post??????

[Zeeman]

use the [img] tags

Z...

[MartinNorway78]

But when I do that, they ask for an url adress.. how can I just upload a jpg and post it visible in the actual post??
The photos are already in the photogallery on this site... does that help?
Thx
Martin

[Jason McK]

What is the name of the photo in your gallery?

J

[alcina]

Check out the Sticky at the top of this forum and scroll down to find out how to put your images in posts - there are several options and each have step by step directions.

you can also get to the Sticky via the Pink Link in my sig :)

[cdiver2]

Hello fellow divers

I just returned from a trip to dahab and I rented and borrowed some cameras over there and tried to shoot some pictures, more or less for the 1. time. I have photoshop CS3 and I have tried to play around with the photos to make them apear better.

The one thing I have been able to to do is to go into each color channel and auto-adjust the levels. This makes most of the pictures look alot better. Now I am curios about other tricks I can do... and was hoping someone would share some ideas, or pass me to a web site with some easy tutorials fro beginners..

take this phot for. example, what more can I do to make it look better? Especially those dark areas around the BC.. are there any ways to make the details in the BC more clear??

Hope someone will take the time to learn me abit :) Thank you :)


ehhh.... isnt possible to post photos in the post??????


After opening your photo go to image ( Top tool bar) from the drop down select curves. You will get a box with a line from bottom left corner to top right corner, click and drag the line up-down ( play with it ). This will adjust brightens/contrast.

Then get quick selection tool in the left hand tool bar (this is also the magic wand tool, if it is active as the wand right click and select quick selection tool from the drop down box.

Then click/hold and go around the area/color you wish to adjust (in our case the eyes).
You will get a dotted line around the area, it may be larger or smaller than the area you want to work in, so go to the top tool bar and you will see 3 quick selection tools one highlighted (thats the one you are working with) the others one with a + this lets you expand the area you are working in, (click and drag again) The other with a - this lets you reduce the work area.

Once you have the work area (red eyes) highlighted as you want it go to the next step.

click on the 1/2 black 1/2 white circle at the bottom of the layers pallet, from the drop down box select curves. At the top of the curves box you will see RGB and a down pointer to the right, click the down pointer and you will see RED, GREEN, BLUE.

select red then again move the line up/down and watch the eyes.

I know it sounds difficult but once you have done its not, just takes a little time.

[MartinNorway78]

Hmm I managed to find the photos in the Gallery, but when I submit the url from the gallery in the (IMG) line it dosent show anyway.. have to figure this out..

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/data/500/thumbs/masked_puffer_2.jpg (http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/101847)

OK.. but how do I make it bigger?

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/data/500/medium/masked_puffer_2.jpg

OK... this is going somwhere:)

[MartinNorway78]

Now... this is the picture I would like to improve ... any ideas anyone??

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/data/500/medium/Shark_.jpg

The only things I know how to do is to: 1) adjust levels (color) 2) add adjustment layer and correct brightness/contrast in the background... thats what you are talking about isnt cdiver2??

I will check out the tutorials :)

[Doc Harry]

If you want to play with Photoshop, there are many things that you can do with photo. All depends how much time you want to spend working on it.

1. Crop it, especially if you are going to use this photo as your avatar.

2. The Mandrake Process will correct the color.

3. The Healing Tool can clean up a lot of the particulates in the photo. Zoom in and then pan across your photo, touching up all the particulates.

4. You can also clean up the particulates in the water by creating a mask and layers, then use the NOISE options to homogenize the water. Use the eraser to bring out the bubbles.

5. Use UNSHARPEN MASK to sharpen the focus.

[MartinNorway78]

Thanks Doc... thats alot of things that I simply just dont how to do... I guess I'll have to trial & error.. or if someone can explain how to do 1 of those suggestions in more detail? Like this "mandrake process"..how do I do that?
Thx :)

[Doc Harry]

Thanks Doc... thats alot of things that I simply just dont how to do... I guess I'll have to trial & error.. or if someone can explain how to do 1 of those suggestions in more detail? Like this "mandrake process"..how do I do that?
Thx :)

Hi Martin,

Any Photoshop text will guide you through photo processing. To focus your search, I suggest that you use the above terms (such as Healing Tool) when you look through the index of any Photoshop text.

I can help you get started with some of the tasks.

Here is an explanation of the Mandrake Process. Adjusting Photos in Photoshop 7.0 (http://pt010.da-kine.info/adjustments.htm)

The Healing Tool is used to clean up spots. You could just paint over any spots or blemishes in your photo with a solid color, but the healing tool lets you copy color AND texture over the blemish. With a paint brush you select a color and then paint over a blemish with a solid color. With the Healing Tool you select an offset and then where ever you paint you get the color and texture of your offset point.

The mask function very complicated and I recommed that you get a Photoshop text to learn that.

Unsharpen Mask is used to sharpen your photos, like a focus function. Make sure that your photo is sized the way you want it (pixel depth and length x width). Then select FILTERS > SHARPEN > UNSHARPEN MASK. The settings should be something like 1.5 and 5. Then set your unsharpen valve. With the PREVIEW box selected you can see immediately see the results. Be careful not to unsharpen too much, you get funny halos around your edges. If you change the size of your photos after you use unsharpen mask, you will have to use unsharpen mask again.

The crop function is a tool on your toolbar.

Sorry, trying to teach Photoshop in just a few paragraphs is impossible. Get a Photoshop test and look up Healing Tool, Unsharpen Mask, Crop, etc., in the index.

Good luck!

[annasea]

<snip>

Here is an explanation of the Mandrake Process. Adjusting Photos in Photoshop 7.0 (http://pt010.da-kine.info/adjustments.htm)

<snip>

What a great link! I tried this on a few pics and it works a hell of a lot better than just Auto Levels, Contrast, and Colour. Thx so much for posting this, Doc Harry! :)