Re: [APML] Beginner scanner images

["Frank Barrett" <frankb@celestialwonders.com>]

Herm,

Boy I read alot of hardened wisdom in your words here.  I particularly
want to comment on your points 4 and 6.

I think it was Matt BenDaniel that first taught me the utility of using
layers in Photoshop.  If you don't like the way a layer has turned out you
can delete it and start over.  And you're right, as long as you keep the
master scan around you can always go back all the way to the beginning. 
And yeah, it's painful, but sometimes you just gotta admit to yourself
that you screwed up and your image is a dog that can't be saved.  There
were a few times when I almost quit...I just couldn't believe I spent all
that time out in the cold drift aligning and meticulously working on focus
and guiding not to reap any reward.  I've since learned to judge my work
by a different ethic.  I only consider my time a waste if I haven't
learned anything. Sometimes that's humbling, but I think it has helped me
improve.

And your comments about having fun are important.  I think I was putting
too much pressure on myself in the beginning, like I had something to
prove.  I made it more like work.  I felt obligated to go out every single
clear night.  I worried too much about failure.  I woke up one night and
asked myself why I was doing this if it wasn't fun anymore.  I began to
view the hobby in a different light and it has made all the difference. 
I've realized that failure is part of the improvement process, and though
I don't like to make (or admit) mistakes, accepting failure has allowed me
to enjoy my time out under the stars to a very much greater extent.  I
have a friend who once told me that if you take life too seriously and
can't laugh at yourself then you will be most miserable indeed.  I was too
young to understand his advice, but I think it's starting to sink in!

Sorry for rambling, but your comments to Steve kinda struck a chord with
me and I thought I would share...

Have fun,  Frank
http://celestialwonders.com

> I think you are doing a fine job Steve.. a couple of things that I have
> learned after many hours fooling around with a scanner.
>
> 1. its best to do raw scans with a scanner, import it into PS or PW and do
> the final tweaking.. of course many scanners only will provide a
> "semi-raw"
> scan.. try to limit scanner fiddling as much as you can.
>
> 2. adjust the histogram by the numbers, as described in many web sites..
> now you have a good scanned image, go at it with the program of your
> choice.
>
> 3. vignetting is a pain, I was never really satisfied with any methods of
> vignetting removal.. I think the best way is just to get an instrument
> that
> minimizes this.
>
> 4. no matter how much PS fiddling you have done, if it still looks weird
> start over :) , soon you will learn to just give up on some images
>
> 5. after a while you will be able to do all your image processing in a few
> minutes..
>
> 6. and finally, enjoy it.. the learning/experimenting process is a lot of
> fun.
>
> steve banbury <banburys@sonic.net>  wrote:
>
>>HI Jeff--yes, I looked at the histogram before uploading the file, and
>> could
>>see it was clipped at the bottom end.
>>The scanner has a plethora of histogram adjustments available--maybe too
>> many
>>for a beginner!
>
>
> Herm
> Astropics http://home.att.net/~hermperez
>
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>


-- 
Frank Barrett
http://celestialwonders.com
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