Photo Processing Sequence

[soenda]

I know that the topic of work flow in PSP has been discussed here before, but I'd appreciate hearing what others recommend about order in which different steps are taken. The tutorials and guides I use don't always compare apples to oranges, so I get confused.

1. Noise removal: I have been running Edge Preserving Smooth at the very beginning of the adjustment process. My reasoning is that if there is electronic noise in the image, those pixels should come out early on or they get adjusted along with the rest of the shot. Sometimes it's easier to simply blur a noisy background, so I'll do that instead.

My question is whether I'm doing the right thing by beginning with noise removal.

2. Leveling: At first, I leveled horizons at the beginning of the process, too. It just bothers me to look at the photo and have to tilt my head. Also, because leveling requires subsequent cropping if you want a rectangular image, I reasoned that I should know what details at the edges were going to stay and which I was going to lose.

However, I came across a recommendation to avoid small rotations because of the way the algorithms might affect fine details. I have tried to be much more careful now when I shoot to prevent the need for rotation in processing, and I've also tried to save it for after resizing.

But does it make a difference when in the process I make rotation adjustments?

3. Sharpening: I often use a light degree of the Clarification filter toward the end of my process---one of the last things before converting the image back into a jpeg for posting on my online gallery. However, I know that you're supposed to wait until after that conversion to jpeg to use Unsharp Mask. Should I be waiting until after the conversion for Clarification, too?

Thanks in advance for any insight you may be able to share. I'd like to be able to stop fussing about details like this...and probably fuss about some others instead.

PS: In case it has a bearing on anything, I use an advanced compact camera, not a DSLR. The sensor is on the small side, so digital noise does tend to be a significant problem. Also, RAW files are not an option. I shoot high quality jpegs, as I didn't see any discernible difference when I tried shooting TIFFs.

[Trev]

First I would recommend using Digital Camera Noise Reducer Rather then Edge preserving smooth And its a good point to do that early in the process.
Otherwise you make the noise sharper and more defined. Yes same with rotation. In this case rotation means making new pixels based on the look of the original pixels. That again means you will be doing the correction and clarifying on the pixels that will form your finished image. do the sharpening as the last step after resizing to what ever size you prefer for you web space Me I like the PAL DVD size of 720 576 but 800 600 is near. Just means I can add to slide show without further process. Now save as jpeg. Don't open jpegs after converting just to sharpen as the re saving lowers quality once more defeating the point.

[soenda]

Trev, I really appreciate your getting back to me.

Thanks for confirming that noise reduction belongs at the beginning of the sequence, as well as for suggesting Digital Noise Reduction in place of Edge Preserving Smooth. That's not an approach I've had much practice with. I happened to be toying with a photo of a cat when I tried it at your suggestion, and was amazed by the blending function. Edge Preserving Smooth has only the single dimension: a little, some more or a lot on a sliding scale. DNR has several, so it will take some learning on my part, but I'm very glad to discover it.

If I understand you correctly, you're saying it is better to rotate first, then go on with things like color adjustment. But if rotation's interpolations add pixels, won't I be complicating the adjustment process by introducing more material that needs adjusting? Noise reduction seems to be reducing things to be adjusted and sharpened, but rotation seems to be adding things. Probably my comprehensive of the whole process is still faulty, but it would almost seem like you should wait until all the way through the processing---even past resizing---to level horizons. I hate that idea because it makes it harder for me engage with an image that's off by several degrees. But of course, I want to do what's best.

It will be hard for me to get used to sharpening before reconverting to jpeg. For whatever reason, I've been conditioned to do it the other way around. Still, what you say makes sense so I will certainly try to make it work.

Thanks very much for taking the time to consider my questions and reply.

S.

[Trev]

Pixels are Squire (except sometimes stretched to rectangular on TV)
If you rotate by any thing but 90 deg or a multiple of then the pixels don't fit and have to be manufactured by very clever guess work based on the surrounding pixels.
If you had done all your post processing before this stage you would have upset it as you now have different pixels. Therefore I believe that straightening up and any perspective correction should be done before you asses what needs doing about colours brightness and contrast that way what you end up with stays the way you planed. Many processes create or modify pixels so no point in sharpening pixels then changing them same as no point in sharpening noise and artifacts that your going to remove.

[soenda]

Trev, I wanted to let you know how helpful your advice has been. Since I moved the unsharp mask step to before the final conversion to jpeg, my photos have been noticeably sharper. Also, I've been happier doing the rotation correction earlier in the process, as well. Your explanation made sense to me and made me more comfortable in going through my work flow.

Thanks very much for taking the time to share your insight.

[Trev]

Thanks for the info
More on the digital noise removal tool
www.trevorbowden.co.uk/DCNR.pdf

That was written by its creator and is very detailed and a bit long

[soenda]

Thanks very much for the link, Trevor. Just what the doctor ordered, as noise is a significant problem for me.

While the length might be a problem for some folks, I like it just fine. It's going to take me some time to work my way through it, but I appreciate the detailed explanations. That's the only hope I have of remembering stuff, unfortunately.

I really am glad to have access to the resource.

S.