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Archive 2012 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!

  
 
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


EDIT Mike, aka Mike717 has been generous enough to make a pdf of this post, click here to download.
Thanks Mike!!!

This post is in response to the fact that many of you have PM’d me asking me what my post processing workflow is. I am more than glad to share my method, heck it is far from secret a couple of years ago it was highly promoted and in fact many have tried it. I have also shared it openly with others for those who expressed a willingness to give it the effort to master it. I am not suggesting this is the only or best way to process an image, rather it is the way that I do it. Nothing more, nothing less.
I, as well as some others on this forum use what has become known as Dave’s Action. This action was created by Dave Cornish, Dave used to be a regular contributor to this forum. He spent who knows how many hours creating this mother of actions. He has an extremely strong background in Astrophotography, a form of photography that demands the highest level of post work. He set out to create an action that pulls out every bit of detail there is in an image, surgically reduce noise, adjust curves, white point and allows for just about any other correction. Tom Sanders and I worked with Dave while he developed this action, giving him feedback as to how it applies to wildlife photography. Unlike a lot of Post techniques used this one does all of its magic nondestructively. Each and every pixel goes in and comes out unscathed.
I have reprogrammed or tuned the action somewhat to my tastes. That is one of the beauties of it; once you get accustomed to it you can alter it just like any other action.
Another note, the action as it comes out of the box has instructional alerts each step of the way. While one is learning the action these are quite helpful. That said once one is used to the action they are a nuisance but of course they can easily be turned off. I have them turned off so you will not see them in any of the following screen shots.
It must be said that I am not promoting this action nor am I promoting Photoshop, both of which are used within my work flow.
Here is the link to Dave’s Action;
http://www.pbase.com/dcornish/image_pop
I don’t think I need to add a link to Adobe
So here we go, pretty much step by step. This may look tedious but it really isn’t, the action does almost all of the work. Most of my images take me 1-2 minutes to process using this action.

Tim

EDIT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe I wasn't clear enough, you have to download the action to use it, this is not something built into Photoshop !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /EDIT


Edited on Jan 28, 2012 at 11:41 AM · View previous versions



Jan 25, 2012 at 07:21 PM
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


I chose a shot with the whitest whites and the darkest blacks for this demo to demonstrate the full range of color. That said the accompanying images are more to demonstrate the process as opposed to showing the image changing.
I should call this step one but I don’t want to confuse the work flow. The most important aspect to digital photography, GET IT RIGHT IN THE CAMERA!! I cannot emphasize this enough. Photoshop is not for “fixing it later”, it is for refining your images. Sure there are many times we all need to adjust for minor exposure problems but if you think you can fix blown whites, blocked darks you are kidding yourself. Those of us who really care about quality can always see attempts to fix botched exposures.
I’m also skipping the Instructions sub action. After going through the action once or twice seeing the instructions really isn’t necessary.



Jan 25, 2012 at 07:22 PM
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


5 Now is the time to run noise removal sub action if needed. The action allows you a couple of options here, there is one action that will run NR on the whole image but most of us would use the Advanced Noise Removal sub action. This allows you to run NR on a background layer and or to run NR on the subject layer. Note on the layer palette on the right that the needed layers were created for us by the action; we just selected the sub action and ran it. Part of the beauty of this is you can use any third party PS plugin NR, the action is agnostic to what you do on these layers. I use one type of NR on the background and a different one on the subject if needed.


Jan 25, 2012 at 07:24 PM
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


9 Here comes the steps where I let the program run itself for a while. It will create Illumination layers, and do something with channels that I don’t fully understand, it doesn’t matter it works. Auto setting of whites and shadows will run. After each and every one of these steps there is a levels slider where you can adjust what the program has done, like I said it is rarely needed.


Jan 25, 2012 at 07:25 PM
Jeannean
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


Wow, thanks for such a detailed explanation. Being fairly new to photography and shooting RAW, I sometimes am at a loss as to what to do to an image. I truly appreciate the help!


Jan 25, 2012 at 07:38 PM
birdied
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


Tim, can't thank you enough for this . Thank you for taking the time and effort!!

Birdie



Jan 25, 2012 at 07:47 PM
troylim
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


Very educational. Thank you


Jan 25, 2012 at 08:09 PM
PetKal
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


Tim Kuhn wrote:
The most important aspect to digital photography, GET IT RIGHT IN THE CAMERA!! I cannot emphasize this enough. Photoshop is not for “fixing it later”, it is for refining your images. Sure there are many times we all need to adjust for minor exposure problems but if you think you can fix blown whites, blocked darks you are kidding yourself. Those of us who really care about quality can always see attempts to fix botched exposures.



Amen, Tim.
It's great and selfless of you to be sharing this tutorial.
I am not much of a pp guy, and a PC peasant to boot, but I'll do my best to understand it and try to apply it somehow.



Jan 25, 2012 at 08:40 PM
Cincy Bruce
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


Thanks Tim. You opened my eyes to a few things that I must say I will work on changing way before I attempt anything with the action. I hope to meet you sometime because I want to shake your hand.

Bruce



Jan 25, 2012 at 09:18 PM
timgriffin
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


This is a very generous thing you did here Tim.

I'll keep trying but for the past 2 hours I've managed to really mess up every attempt I've made to follow the workflow. I just can't grasp Photoshop workflows for some reason

At least I have Canon DPP to get me through during my trials and tribulations with CS3



Jan 25, 2012 at 09:47 PM
BearCreekLar
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


Wow, holy way over my head action Tim man..
I knew that I was a little behind the curve (hehe) but I never realized how bad till now, that I am still in Kindergarten 1 + 1 = with my PP skills in comparison to quite a few of you who are doing Calculus.....
Thanks so much for posting this and taking the time to try and show some of us challenged folk that there really are a lot more things that we can be doing and as well for stressing the need for the in camera work...my new Mantra, shoot, check the histo, shoot again...
Anyway, thanks again for all the effort, it is appreciated
Lar



Jan 25, 2012 at 09:53 PM
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


Jeannean wrote:
Wow, thanks for such a detailed explanation. Being fairly new to photography and shooting RAW, I sometimes am at a loss as to what to do to an image. I truly appreciate the help!


Sure, thing

Tim



Jan 25, 2012 at 10:02 PM
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


birdied wrote:
Tim, can't thank you enough for this . Thank you for taking the time and effort!!

Birdie


Glad to do it Birdie!

Tim



Jan 25, 2012 at 10:02 PM
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


troylim wrote:
Very educational. Thank you


You're welcome Troy!

Tim



Jan 25, 2012 at 10:02 PM
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


PetKal wrote:
Amen, Tim.
It's great and selfless of you to be sharing this tutorial.
I am not much of a pp guy, and a PC peasant to boot, but I'll do my best to understand it and try to apply it somehow.


Sure thing Peter, I myself like to spend as little time as possible doing post work. That's why I use this action.

Tim



Jan 25, 2012 at 10:04 PM
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


Cincy Bruce wrote:
Thanks Tim. You opened my eyes to a few things that I must say I will work on changing way before I attempt anything with the action. I hope to meet you sometime because I want to shake your hand.

Bruce


That is kind of you to say Bruce, thanks

Tim



Jan 25, 2012 at 10:04 PM
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


timgriffin wrote:
This is a very generous thing you did here Tim.

I'll keep trying but for the past 2 hours I've managed to really mess up every attempt I've made to follow the workflow. I just can't grasp Photoshop workflows for some reason

At least I have Canon DPP to get me through during my trials and tribulations with CS3


Did you download the action Tim?

Tim



Jan 25, 2012 at 10:05 PM
Tim Kuhn
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


BearCreekLar wrote:
Wow, holy way over my head action Tim man..
I knew that I was a little behind the curve (hehe) but I never realized how bad till now, that I am still in Kindergarten 1 + 1 = with my PP skills in comparison to quite a few of you who are doing Calculus.....
Thanks so much for posting this and taking the time to try and show some of us challenged folk that there really are a lot more things that we can be doing and as well for stressing the need for the in camera work...my new Mantra, shoot, check
...Show more

Doing Calculus Really Larry this is almost thought free once you try it. Download it and give it a shot.

Tim



Jan 25, 2012 at 10:06 PM
dave_63
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


PM sent


Jan 25, 2012 at 10:14 PM
AnhThinh180
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · My Post Work Flow !!!!!long post!!!!! PDF Added!!


Thank you very much for sharing your workflow, Tim. It's very educational and helpful for me at least...


Jan 25, 2012 at 10:22 PM
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