Photography Monthly Single - May 2009 digital edition

PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY 71www.photographymonthly.com
veryone likes to look good in
pictures and it's a real skill to
be able to capture someone
at their best. Sometimes a
portrait `just works', while
other times the same ingredients
simply don't come together. You can
increase your chances of getting a
great shot by observing a few simple
rules in camera at the time of
shooting. For example, I always shoot
at a flattering focal length (zoom set
to 70mm or above), I also ensure I'm
at eye level (ie. not aiming up noses)
and if the sun is casting harsh
shadows on a face, pop the flash up
and add a burst of fill-in flash. Last
production tip: speak to your model,
tell them what to do and when they
look good (silent
shooting doesn't
make for great
shots) � in fact, just
read last month's
Big guide! Once
you've taken your
shot you've got
plenty of options on
the PC. This tutorial
takes you through enhancing a
portrait image.
The next few pages do assume
some familiarity with the tools and
principles of Photoshop. However,
while the techniques here are being
used on a fashion studio image, they
work just as well with photographs of
family and friends. Sometimes you
only need to use a few of them to
achieve great results.
The trick is to keep it natural, not
too perfect. Your model should look
good, not like a mannequin. The way
to achieve this is through lots of tiny
improvements that cumulatively
make a big difference. If you get
it right, people will love you, and
your portraits. I
TIME TAKEN 45 MINS
SKILL LEVEL
BEGINNER ADVANCED
SOFTWARE CS4
with ease
Improve your
portraits
Mastering a few tricks of the retoucher's trade
can take your people pictures to the next level.
Tim Savage shows you how
E
ORIGINAL
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[Tutorial][Tutorial]
www.photographymonthly.com
Follow our tutorial
using this image!
Go to the PM website
www.photographymonth
ly.comand click on Magazine
76 PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY 77
Show grid
This next step is not essential, but you may find it useful; I
certainly do. Overlaying a grid on the image is handy as you
can use it as a guide when straightening those verticals. Go to
View>Show>Grid (short-cut keys Ctrl+ ` ). To remove the grid, you
simply follow the same steps again. You can toggle it on and off to
check your work as you go along.
[3]
Straighten up
wonky
buildings
[Tutorial] [Tutorial]
ngle your camera up to get
all of a tall building in the
frame and you run the risk of
`converging verticals'. This is
when two parallel lines
appear to get closer, as if they are
leaning in towards each other at the
top. Use a wide-angle lens and the
effect is even worse.
Converging verticals can lend a
dramatic feel to your image, or create
an abstract effect, but you don't always
want that. Thanks to software, though,
you can straighten everything up.
It's pretty simple to do in CS2, using
the Transform commands. You can even
use this technique to add some height
to your image too. I
If your building shots bear more than a passing
resemblance to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, follow
Peter Le Cointe's seven steps to straight uprights
A
TIME TAKEN 10 MINS
SKILL LEVEL
BEGINNER ADVANCED
SOFTWARE PHOTOSHOP
Adjust workspace
To correct the verticals in this image of Wiltshire's Salisbury
cathedral interior we are going to need some space around
the edge of the canvas. Hit Z to select the Zoom Tool. Holding down
Alt, click the mouse to reduce the size of the image as it appears on
your screen.
Here I reduced the image down to just 16.67%.
[1]
Duplicate layer
In order to use the Transform commands we first need to
create a duplicate layer. Go to Layer>Duplicate Layer. A
dialogue box will appear. OK this and the new layer, called Background
copy, will appear in the Layers palette (hit F7 if you cannot see it).
Alternatively, drag the original layer onto the Create a new layer icon at
the bottom of the Layers palette.
[2]
ORIGINAL
Follow our tutorial
using this image!
Go to the PM website
www.photographymonth
ly.comand click on Magazine
KNOW-HOW
E
ver noticed that the edges of your
images have purple, red or cyan
lines? If so, you've witnessed a
phenomenon known as chromatic
aberration. This phenomenon is
also known as colour fringing or
achromatism. It's not always evident when
viewing small or thumbnail-sized images.
However, it can become a lot more
obvious when they're viewed at 100 per
cent or larger.
Chromatic aberration occurs because
lenses have a different refractive index for
different wavelengths of light. This means
that all colours do not focus on the same
point, which may result in colour fringing
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Zoom & inspect image edge
With your image open in your Camera Raw software select
the Zoom Tool and zoom in to around 400%. You should now
be able to see any colour fringes. Hold down the spacebar on your
keyboard and the cursor will change into a small hand symbol. Using
your mouse you can now navigate around the image. Scroll to one of
the high contrast edges of the image.
Adjust red/cyan slider
Now select the Lens pane. We will first adjust the Fix
Red/Cyan Fringe slider. Chromatic aberration is normally a
combination of this and the Blue/Yellow colour channels, so it's useful
to be able to see the colour channels in isolation. You can do this by
holding down Alt while adjusting the slider as this hides the channel
that isn't being affected. Move the slider to around -18.
Turn off sharpening
As colour fringing is usually prominent on high contrast
edges and sharpening applies a halo to those edges, this can
lead to confusion as to where fringing starts and ends. Select the Detail
pane and reduce sharpening to 0. This will enable you to see the colour
fringing clearly and to judge the optimum level of adjustment. In this
image, it's obvious on the chimney pot.
[2]
Adjust blue/yellow slider
Let's adjust the blue/yellow fringe next. Still in the Lens pane,
select the Fix Blue/Yellow Fringe slider and, holding down Alt
again to isolate the colour channels, drag the slider slightly to the left.
Here I have chosen a value of +5. You can experiment with this but
having zoomed in to the image it should be quite easy to see when you
have completely removed the colour fringing.
[4][3]
If you don't shoot
Raw format then you
can still fix colour
fringing in your JPEG
files, using CS2's
Filters. Go to Filters>
Distort>Lens
Correction. Your
image will open in a
new dialogue box.
Zoom in, using the
Zoom Tool at the top
left of this dialogue.
Then it's just a case of
adjusting the Fix Red/Cyan
Fringe and Fix Blue/Yellow
Fringe sliders in the
Chromatic Aberration field,
top right.
ORIGINAL
Correct
along high-contrast edges, where dark and
light subjects meet. If you want a really
technical, mathematical explanation, type
`chromatic aberration' into the online
encyclopedia, Wikipedia.org.
Typically chromatic aberration occurs
when you shoot with your lens wide open,
and it often happens with kit lenses. It's
particularly problematic on heavily backlit or
overexposed objects.
Stopping down the lens as much as
possible can make the colour fringing
disappear. However, this may not always be
possible � depending as it does on the
lighting conditions and the subject you're
shooting, of course. Fortunately, there are
several ways to fix the problem in
Photoshop. Here I'll explain one solution,
starting with a Raw file. See the panel to find
out how to correct it in JPEG files. I
TIME TAKEN 10 MINS
SKILL LEVEL
BEGINNER ADVANCED
SOFTWARE CAMERA RAW
Working with JPEGs
[1]
[Tutorial]
Follow our tutorial
using this image!
Go to the PM website
www.photographymonth
ly.com
and click on Magazine
Final check and save
When you have finished with your adjustments it's worth a
final scan over the edges to make sure. Ensuring that you're
still zoomed in, hold down the spacebar and click and drag across the
image, checking for signs of fringing. Make sure you work your way
around the image methodically so you don't miss anything. When
you're satisfied, either continue with your Raw workflow or save.
[5]
lens faultsIf you shoot with a kit lens, your images could be
hiding minute faults. They're easily rectified though,
following Peter Le Cointe's instructions
[Tutorial]
www.photographymonthly.com82 PHOTOGRAPHY MONTHLY
Straighten the horizon
Let's make a start by correcting that sloping horizon. The key
feature is the viaduct, so zoom in on this using Ctrl and the
`+' key (Ctrl and `�' zooms out). Choose the Straighten Tool from the
Tools palette (short-cut key P) and use it to drag a line along the viaduct
parapet. Zoom in by double clicking on the Hand Tool icon ready for the
next step.
Crop the image
Rotating the image leaves areas of background showing
which need removing. While we're at it, the composition
could be improved by cropping, too. Chose the Crop Tool (C) and drag a
selection around the whole image. Then, holding down Shift to keep the
original proportions, drag a rectangle to show the crop. Click the green
tick to finish.
[1] [2]
Boost your
landscape shotsORIGINALTreat your favourite scenic images
to some careful tweaking. Andrew
Williams shows you how to improve
them in just five steps
great vantage point
is just what you
want for a shot of a
steep gorge or
valley. In this case,
I was wandering up one of the
paths from the River Nidd to the
centre of Knaresborough when I
found mine.
There are various viewpoints
along this path, but after a walk
around, camera in hand, I
settled on this one. It meant
sticking my lens through some
railings, but I felt it would be
worth it. I was handholding and
as the temperature was around
-3�C I guess it's not surprising
that the horizon is a bit on the
wonky side!
Thankfully, straightening up
the horizon is easy enough in
image-editing software. I can
also tighten up the
composition, using a small
amount of cropping. The
exposure and colour can be
adjusted too, to bring out the
detail in the sky.
If you download my original
image from the PM website to
follow this step-by-step tutorial,
don't be afraid to experiment
with different values for the
various adjustments. The use of
Levels and Hue/Saturation
adjustment layers means that
you can always revisit your
settings later, without degrading
the image. I
A
TIME TAKEN
30 MINS
SKILL LEVEL
BEGINNER ADVANCED
SOFTWARE
ELEMENTS
[Tutorial]
Follow our tutorial
using this image!
Go to the PM website
www.photographymonth
ly.com
and click on Magazine
[Tutorial]
Show off your prints at
their best. Follow Andrew
Williams' advice and add
some finishing touches for
a professional result
ooking through my selection of
flower images, I decided that the eye
catching colours and textures in this
close-up shot of a begonia would
make a good print. Although I could
have presented the image as it was shot,
I think that adding a border together with
a title sets off the image and really improves
the presentation.
Rather than leaving the border plain I like
to give the impression of the image floating
above its background. This tutorial will show
you a simple way to do this; both with the
image and the title text.
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Create the border
Add a border by going to Image>Resize>Canvas Size.
I chose a 2.5cm border, setting the Width and Height to 5cm
(2x2.5). Make sure Relative is selected, so 5cm is added to the existing
size. Increase the bottom border by resizing again, this time set Height
to 2cm. Click the top Anchor arrow so the extra canvas appears only at
the bottom.
Add a keyline
In the Layers palette, make sure the Image layer is active,
then select the image area. The easiest way is to use the
Magic Wand Tool as in step 2 to select the border and then invert the
selection. Use Edit>Stroke (Outline) Selection to add a keyline
around the image. Chose a colour, set the Width � I used 4 pixels � and
the Location to Inside.
Isolate the image
To add the shadow we need the image to be separated from
the border. Select the border using the Magic Wand Tool
(short-cut key W). Invert the selection by going Select>Inverse (Shift+
Ctrl+I). Now copy it to a new layer using Edit>Copy (Ctrl+C) then
Edit>Paste (Ctrl+V). Name the new layer Image. This layer should have
a transparent border.
[2]
Setting a drop shadow
To lift the image from its background add a drop shadow by
double-clicking on something suitable from the Effects
palette; High is a good starting point. To display the options chose Drop
Shadows from the drop-down list. Double-clicking on the fx icon next to
the Image layer in the Layers palette displays the settings, experiment
with these to get the style you want.
[4][3]
ORIGINAL
Create
L
TIME TAKEN 20 MINS
SKILL LEVEL
BEGINNER ADVANCED
SOFTWARE ELEMENTS
[1]
[Tutorial]
Follow our tutorial
using this image!
Go to the PM website
www.photographymonth
ly.com
and click on Magazine
[Tutorial]
Title the image
You'll need the Horizontal Type Tool (T) to add the title, so
select it from the Tools palette. Then choose the font and
size, I chose Monotype Corsiva font at 60pt for this image. Set the text
colour to white ready to add a drop shadow in the next step. Click the
green tick in the tool bar to add the text. As the text is white it will be
invisible, but don't worry!
Reveal the title!
With the Text layer selected, double-click on a drop shadow
effect from the Effects palette, then double-click the layer's fx
icon as in step 4 to open the dialogue box. In the box, adjust the
settings to make the text stand out. I used Size = 29, Distance = 17 and
Opacity = 87, but I would encourage you to experiment. You're done, so
flatten the layers and save the image.
[6][5]
text & borders
I have used black shadows here, but
encourage you to try out different settings
and colours to suit your own images, maybe
selecting a colour from the image itself.
Generally dark subdued colours work best,
but if you are a fan of neon borders then go
ahead � experimenting is half the fun. I
Put your camera down, pick your mouse up. Every month,
our expert tutorials will help you improve your images
using a variety of techniques and software packages
p80 Create text
& borders
Don't just print your images as is,
advisesAndrewWilliams. Add some
finishingtouchesfirst.
p86 Correct kit
lens faults
Many kit lensessufferfrom something
calledchromaticaberration.Peter Le
Cointeshows you how to sort it out.
p82 Boost your
landscape shots
Bring your scenic images to life,
with AndrewWilliams' top tips
for tweakingcontrastand cropping.
p76 Straighten up
wonky buildings
Bring columns,pillarsand doorways
back into line with these seven easy-
to-followsteps from Peter Le Cointe.
p72 Improve your
portraits with ease
Win praise and plauditsfrom friends
and family with Tim Savage's tips for
retouchingyour people pictures.
workshop
Digital
15 pages dedicated to improving your shots

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