Is there a right and wrong sequence?
Right.raw converters tend to be non-distructive
Right again!adjustments can really quickly over-do and screw an image up and depending on what order you do them in it is easy to get the 'maths' wrong. Good news is that as it is non-destructive it doesn't matter as you can go back and re-do it.
Haven't used Rawtherapee so what I'm about to say is generic - so yes to exposure (usually left as is), contrast (usually increased but not always), histogram end-points, shadows & highlights & all that sort of stuff. As Daniel says, for most purposes forget about saturation and the rest. I rarely apply noise reduction - are you taking shots of black cats in coal cellars? I never sharpen except for particular output requirements at the finished image size. You don't have to use every tool in the box just because it's there. Some tools are just there for emergencies (or those with odd tastes). Colour temperature / tint sometimes need a tweak.I'm just delving into Rawtherapee and was wondering if there is a right order to editing? I've been doing exposure/shadows/highlights first, then noise reduction but I don't know if this is right. It seems logical...I think..!
And in the end, no saturation, vibrance nor sharpening
is ever needed in the first two steps if the file was well
exposed and correctly focused.
I'm just delving into Rawtherapee and was wondering if there is a right order to editing? I've been doing exposure/shadows/highlights first, then noise reduction but I don't know if this is right. It seems logical...I think..!
I'm just delving into Rawtherapee and was wondering if there is a right order to editing? I've been doing exposure/shadows/highlights first, then noise reduction but I don't know if this is right. It seems logical...I think..!
Do not listen to this bit of advice - it is quite frankly just wrong.
I'm just delving into Rawtherapee and was wondering if there is a right order to editing? I've been doing exposure/shadows/highlights first, then noise reduction but I don't know if this is right. It seems logical...I think..!
What I practice and teach is
- read all the recorded data properly
- convert from mineral capture to organic rendition
- apply artistic intent
And in the end, no saturation, vibrance nor sharpening
is ever needed in the first two steps if the file was well
exposed and correctly focused.
I always thought Lens correction last as it’s a (processor) intensive process so you don’t really want the computer having to do it time and time again as you process the image in other ways.I try and be as efficient as possible so
Lens correction, luminance, sharpening, radius, detail then sync across all the images taken with that lens at that ISO.
Then
Check histogram and tweak if required, white point, black point, highlights, shadows, clarity, masking on each image that I'm keeping.
I always thought Lens correction last as it’s a (processor) intensive process so you don’t really want the computer having to do it time and time again as you process the image in other ways.
And in the end, no saturation, vibrance nor sharpening
is ever needed in the first two steps if the file was well
exposed and correctly focused.
Rather later as some will appear better and easier to seeSpot healing.
As DRL will reveal greater details and natural contrast this can also come later in the processGeometry corrections, such as Lens Correction profiles and Manual corrections, including keystone corrections using the Vertical slider.
Yes, I think, is the very first step.Global non-detail corrections, such as Exposure and White Balance. These corrections can also be done first if desired.
The saturation tool can very easily clip colours and destroy detail in things like flowers. However desaturating can some times bring detail back, in the same way the highlight tool can.
I never sharpen anything until the end. How can you know what to sharpen and by how much if you still working on the file. I work mostly on studio shots (beauty, glamour, etc.) so I don't have to play with noise reduction.
In RAW converter it is all about the basics, exposure, shadows, highlights, colour. Then in Photoshop it is all about fine tuning. Sharpening is always the last thing I do.
The saturation tool can very easily clip colours and destroy detail in things like flowers. However desaturating can some times bring detail back, in the same way the highlight tool can.
There is no "right or wrong" as such, you can always say it is your "artistic vision" to do things in a certain way, but there are some things in retouching that are a good practice and help you to speed up the process. It's fine if you have time to spend however long you want on each file, but if you want to be efficient, there are some things that I would only do at a certain point in my edit. Otherwise I would be just creating more work for myself. To prevent that I have a very specific workflow and always do things in order.Thanks for all the replies, I've not abandoned the thread - just reading.
I'm going to stop thinking about 'right and wrong' ways of doing things and think about what I want my images to look like. I seem to be getting on OK by shooting jpg and raw, then finding what I don't like about the jpg and figuring out the tool to fix it in Rawtherapee. It's made the program much less daunting and made me notice how rubbish some jpg are. I never realised how much data and detail you lose.
In the end everyone has their own way of doing things and any 'obvious' formula to editing will work it's way to the surface as I progress.