Is my workflow redundant?

[Jaggz]

First off - this is my first post here - Wow! What an awesome forum - so much better than some of the other popular ones! I have read some great posts here.

So, I'm trying to learn how to maximize my photos potential using CS2. Here is what I am doing now:

- Open in CS2
- convert to LAB
- adjust curves to maximize color
- surface blur on A & B channels
- USM on L channel
- convert back to RGB
- crop to fit needs
- run the awesome tool I just got - Noise Ninja
- save file as needed.

What do you think - advice welcomed!

Thanks All!


Jake~

[LoungeLizard]

First comment is this is only a small part of your workflow - I hope. Your entire workflow should include planning your shot, backing up your data, etc.

Second comment is that you should only run Noise Ninja if you need to. While it certainly reduces noise, if you don't have noise you shouldn't use it since it also removes detail.

Third comment is that the last thing you should do is the sharpening.

I don't see any "redundancy" here - just some questions.

[Jaggz]

Here's a couple pics as an example. This is my family and the only thing different with these two is the crop, and one has Noise Ninja ran on it.


and with NN

[LoungeLizard]

2nd one has Noise Ninja...it smooths out the skin quite a bit. You may want to look at other ways to correct the problems you perceive rather than with Noise Ninja.

Others here who are better than me at Photoshop can help with that. To me, it just looks like a bit too much "red".

[adam7731]

yeppers she's ah red, probably more magenta then red. i do see some yellow in there too.
that NJ works well but you lost some detail and now it doesnt look as sharp. use a little selective color correcting to get rid of the red, meg.

[adam7731]

just a little fun.