You could be facing the realization that Photoshop manipulations can become extremely deep, extremely quickly. Curves manipulations are the flagship of deceptively easy manipulations in PS, and the native PS Curves control (the interface, not the algorithms) are as yet rudimentary. Here’s a possible solution.
I sympathize fully when someone reading these posts might get frustrated. You might have thought Gamma was just a monitor setting, or that Curves were a straightforward adjustment of the composite RGB image. Perhaps you had no idea of the multidimensional nature of the math (it all distills down to math) involved and had never realized that the asymmetries between Channels were critical matters. Color Management is yet another universe to explore, beyond which we eventually encounter human visual acuity- far beyond the bounds of technical expertise that most professional photographers engage.
There is undeniable value in learning about the technical underpinnings of our craft, certainly in aerial photography but even more critically in forensic imaging. By the way, think of the term “forensic” to mean “in preparation for litigation.” “Forensic” isn’t restricted to medical forensics, and isn’t restricted to investigative methodologies. Forensic images are most frequently used in a purely demonstrative role, but even then if you don’t know what you’re doing you can damage an attorney’s arguments, Plaintiff’s or Defendant’s case, and most certainly your own professional status-to say nothing of your bank account and free time.
I simply can’t stress the importance of technical expertise enough. To my associates in the aerial photography world: I don’t think that the proliferation of large companies producing enormous databases of aerial images and so eroding your business is a cardinal threat to your livelihood. Those images are copyrighted and simply can’t compete with custom photography on so many fronts… The real threat to your livelihood exists in the form of the aerial discipline rocketing through its digital adolescence and leaving you panting along the side of the road with a typewriter and a Chevette.
Your security lies in cresting the wave of technology. From there it’s a ride, not a climb. If you were to look at a copy of Photoshop from 1998, you’d be shocked at how far its come in less than a decade. It did so incrementally, and that’s the way you need to approach the matter. Don’t try to digest 10 years of advances in a single bite. Don’t let 10 years of advances accumulate while you convince yourself that your product is “good enough.”
Which brings us to the matter at hand: Improvement.
The Curves controls of PS can be satisfactory if you really, really know what you are doing. Using the Lab Color Space, color sampling techniques, Adjustment Layers and their associated controls, and isolating Channels it is possible to nail an image’s gamut to the output gamut (that is the goal…not simply making it look good on your monitor). Even so, the technique is tedious and relies upon capabilities of PS which are themselves moving targets (are we not on Version 10?).
I’ve stumbled across a PS plugin that I consider (for what my opinion is worth…) to be the a preview of the “Photoshop of the Future” Curves Dialogue Box. It’s called Curvemeister. I’ll call it CM until the manufacturer threatens me.
A trial download (fully functional with watermarks) is available here. I strongly recommend that my friends in PAPA download and explore the application:
- CM costs about the same as an hour of fuel and oil in your 206.
- CM allows for unlimited point sampling. PS is restricted to 4.
- Showing “All” in the Channels display gives you the rare opportunity to view each Channel Histogram separately, providing a much better graphical representation of symmetrical offsets and variances in morphology between them.
- The Control Box display can be extensively modified (number of grid squares, size and dimensional attributes, etc.). The controls are simplified and very intuitive.
- CM works perfectly with an Image Layer, so the effects may be subjected to a Layer Masking. This is absolutely critical in preparing high contrast images as are many aerials. If you’re into Layer Comps you have a relatively heavy but effective way around the inability to use CM in an Adjustment Layer.
- CM does have the ability save its Curves, resolving the necessity of saving the Curve for forensic documentation. Saving Curves in CM doesn’t function in the Demo.
- CM even has the ability to produce various errors for debugging in case you are writing your own PS Scripts around the application.
Because of its very broad capabilities and display options, I am going to explore CM in depth over the next week or so with the intent of using it in my workflows and for my presentations at the International PAPA Convention in Los Angeles (February, 2008). As an instructional tool for PS and elements of Color Management (not just for Curves), CM appears to be a very desirable solution.
(Click for larger image). Screen capture of Curvemeister warming up for some heavy lifting. The image is of the Western Idaho Fair, 8/18/07.
L