Re: [APML] Basic processing

["Joseph O'Neil" <joneil@multiboard.com>]

>All at once, I'm trying to learn processing AND
>Photoshop. This is pretty intimidating, so I'd like to
>streamline things to increase efficiency. What are the
>most results-intensive operations to try to become
>proficent at? In other words, if I could only perform
>3 operations (i.e. contrast, sharpening, stacking),
>what would you suggest? I'd like to know what to
>practice on first

Hi Alan;
         I have to do a lot of image processing for work.  When I first 
started in digital, it was all self taught.  But I did nto start out 
learnign how do specific techniques.  Well I did and I did not.

         For me, it was more I would look at a pciture, and I woudl say to 
myself, "okay, if I were in my wet darkroom, I know what would be needed to 
make this a better picture.  how do I do this digitally?"
         so, for example, if a picture needed more contrast, then I taught 
myself how to work the contrast controls.

         So here is what I suggest.  Take a group of photos/images you want 
to process.  Take ten of them - nice round number. Number each image, 1 to 
10.  Look at these images, and each one, make notes on a sheet of paper, 
and say to your self, or ask of yourself "what is needed on this specfic 
image to "bring it out" or "make it look better."  Write your notes down 
for each image.  The final goal, but do not be too specific, allow yourself 
some leeway.

         Then on your computer, process each image.  Take a night, take a 
week, whatever it takes.  You see, learning just how to do a technique in 
abstract does not teach you as much as having a final goal to reach.   This 
is actually a very old teaching system.

         For example, in metal working, say you wanted to teach a young 
apprenctice howto use a metal file.  You give the apprentice chunk of slag, 
and tell him to file the slag down into a cube of certian size.  After that 
is done, you then have the apprentice re-file the block down to a smaller 
cube, or a smaller different shape.

         The effect is, by having the mind concentrate on the final goal, 
rather than memorizing technique, your brain actually retains more 
knowledge about how to do the job than if you just memorized or learned 
specific  techniques.  Worked that way for me.
         Works equally well for blacksmiths to engineers to computer 
programs to just about anything you can think off.

good luck
joe





http://www.oneilphoto.on.ca
http://www.multiboard.com/~joneil
"Una salus victus nullam sperare salutem"


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