DPReview.com is closing April 10th - Find out more

lifting shadows in jpeg

Started Apr 15, 2014 | Discussions thread
Leon Obers Senior Member • Posts: 2,788
Re: lifting shadows in jpeg

Jaberwok wrote:

If you want a quick and simple way of pulling back shadow detail then look at PhotoScape and its 'Backlight' feature. All the settings are adjustable and it's a very useful and FREE program.

I tried, and it is a handy little tool if you have no other photo editing programs to do a quick correction. However by the simple set-up and not very sophisticated used algorithms, under certain circumstances it can give strange density and looking false color at other areas. So use it with care and be aware of such behaviour.

Mostly all general more sophisticated photo editing software (but not free programs) do have better algorithms to tweak in a better way. Many RAW-converters also can be used for editing JPG and TIF files and images can be tweaked in the same way.

Photoshop Menu -----> Image ----> Adjustments ----> Shadows / Highlights

Nikon Capture NX2 (Nikon RAW converter plus Photo tweaking program for JPG + TIF)
- Under "Fast editing" ----> lifting shadows
- Under menu ----> D-lighting
- Using a "Color control Point" (comparable as Nik Viveza plugin for Photoshop)

Photo Ninja (general RAW converter plus Photo tweaking program)
- Shadows
Beware. If an image do have nearly real black within the shadow area, the correction can have posterization at the darkest regions. If you have some spare, the tones are rich and have a fine micro contrast.

Capture One Pro 7  (general RAW converter plus Photo tweaking program)
- several sliders to lift or tweak shadow

Each editing software do have their advantages and disadvantages. For best perceptual image quality, often you have to use other tools too. E.g. to lift micro-contrast (clarity) or colour saturation within shadow areas.

-- hide signature --

Leon

Keyboard shortcuts:
FForum PPrevious NNext WNext unread UUpvote SSubscribe RReply QQuote BBookmark MMy threads
Color scheme? Blue / Yellow