Shadow / Highlight Settings...

I just discovered the Shadow/Highlight tool in Photoshop CS and I'm quite impressed...

I had some darker pictures that couldn't be lightened using Levels or Auto Levels, but Shadow / Highlight made a HUGE difference. It was like magic!

I realize that each picture should really be tweaked individually, but does anyone have any "default settings" for Shadow/Highlight that work well for most pictures?

Thanks in advance...

I forget were I read this, but the standard PS settings are rather high. So my default [which is only a starting point] settings are:
[both in S and H]:
amount 30%
tonal width 30%
radius 100 px
color corr: +30
midtone +15
black & white clip both 0,01%

I decrease the % more often than I increase them

Thanks, Robert!

Shadows

amount 30%
tonal width 30%
radius 30 px

Highlights

amount 0 (to start)
tonal width 30%
radius 30 px

color corr: +10
midtone +5
black & white clip both 0,01%

I like to start with Highlights at 0, so I can see and adjust the shadows first.

I've also found that less is more, most of the time we are trying to get more detail in the shadows, BUT remember the shadows are just THAT, trying to brighten them up too much makes them look artificial (IMHO).

I set all to 0.
--
Kent

http://www.pbase.com/kentc
For prior discussions on most questions:
http://porg.4t.com/KentC.html
or d/l 'archives' at:
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Snapshot32 said:

I've also found that less is more, most of the time we are trying
to get more detail in the shadows, BUT remember the shadows are
just THAT, trying to brighten them up too much makes them look
artificial (IMHO).

Click to expand...

Good stuff, Snapshot32. Thank you!

You provided the answer when you said in your post, "I realize that each picture should really be tweaked individually" this means that what ever your starting point you need to experiment until you find the settings that you like for your picture. Experience will start to get you your "best" settings quicker when you have done a few hundred pics. That is why Kents approach of zero settings is, as always, excellent. It gives you a level playingfield to start with.

I know that there was a tutorial that I read some time ago by Bruce Fraser but I cant remember where it was -- maybe somebody will give a link if there is one.

Russell Brown.com has a video tutorial called "Hidden in the Shadows". He gives some good pointers plus an example with a "bulls-eye" in shades of gray to help explain what the slider adjustments do.
--
My 2¢ worth

Joe Filer
Mahomet, IL
http://www.pbase.com/filer

Thanks, guys....