I`m newly registered here. The last two years I have been active in digital photography. The first year was spent using a Panasonic FZ-20 a good entry level digital camera. For the recent year I have been using a Fuji S-2 Pro and various Tokina AT-X lenses.
So far i have been shooting in JPEG and without Photoshop, though I have had FastStone to crop, adjust brightness and contrast and sharpen.
I now feel compelled to put more into my photos by using a Photoshop given to me which is the 7.0 edition.
I have been prepared to begin using RAW captures until reading the tutorial here -Digital Blending where its stated that RAW will not work for this method. I need more DR as my location (Prince of Wales Island Alaska) is for the most part trees,sky ,water. Too many stops difference to get detail in the sky without black trees. Or I can ger nice green trees at the cost of white skys. Either way I want to get beyond this and turn out more work that I can be proud of. Thats why I am here. I have been a very active participant on the Fuji SLR Talk forum on a popular site. Now I feel the need to learn proper PP techniques.
My work can be seen here:

www.northland.smugmug.com
I appreciate any help that will get me started. Assume that i now know nothing because that is a most accurate assumption. Bob

Well. . .the first suggestion I would make is get an update to Photoshop CS2 (even though CS3 is just around the corner) because Photoshop 7 is -WAY- old and lacking a -LOT- of tools introduced for photographers in CS and CS2-namely Camera Raw, Lens Corrections, Shadow/Highlight adjustments, etc.

I agree. Looking at your gallery, there were several in which I immediately felt that the Shadow/Highlight tool would have brought out much more detail. When I first started using it, I was astonished to find shadow detail that I didn't think was there.

As Jeff said, many of the goodies added in CS1 and CS2 are "must haves" for photographers. IMHO. I probably use less that 10% of the features PhotoShop has, but close to half of the ones I use regularly were introduced in either CS1 or CS2.

Thanks Jeff and Eric for taking time to respond to my post. The photoshop I have was given to me. I am on a disability pension that allows very little to spend as the cost of living hre on this island are very high.
Hopefully in time I will be able to purchase a newer and better version of PS. For now I feel compelled to extract what I am able from the one in my possession before moving on. Whereas there is much more to be gained from the more recent and advanced units hopefully the 7.0 will get me started and establish a basic work flow procedure. I mean I`m bound to learn something from it. As it is right now I am awaiting a CDR tutorial to begin because I know that little about it now.
The shadow/highlight tool sounds like just what I am looking for. I seem to have a consistant trait of too dark of shadows. Thats why I thought that digital blending would be a big help to me. One exposure for shadows and another for highlight. Viola., best of both worlds.
Thanks again guys. I will keep reading old posts here hoping to find tidbits of information. These forums are going to become a priority to me in the year to come. Glad I found this place though I have been to the tutorials here for a year or more I never visited the forums until yesterday. Bob

This really changes the picture. Photography is an expensive hobby, even when you've already got image capture under control. We can blithely recommend CS2 and CS3, but not only are they expensive in themselves, they require a fast computer with a recent OS to run on. Then there is the small matter of a photo quality printer and consumables. All of which, added together, can easily break the budget of a small country.

So first things first: what tool are you using for raw conversion? The manufacturer's converter that comes with most dSLRs is rarely worth using. My first thought was to recommend the free RawShooter Essentials, but it doesn't support anything by Fuji. Two other options are the pricey SilkyPix and the beta version of Lightroom, which is likely computer resource intensive. Perhaps you have access to a version of Photoshop Elements that integrates with the free Adobe Camera Raw? (Elements often comes as a freebie on the install CD for a digital camera or other device.)

IAC, it would be well if you can find some raw converter option that will let you use the PS7 you now have as long as you need to. You can do a lot and learn a lot with PS7. While each version of PS adds new tools, the core set of selection, masks, levels, curves, and cloning, which are already there in PS7, are a good place to start in learning your way around the digital "darkroom".

Many of the new tools in later versions of PS, like Shadow/Highlights and Replace Color, seem to repackage features from the core tools rather than bring anything intrinsically new to the table. So learning the core tools together with slogging through the underbrush of colour management, soft-proofing, and printing will likely keep you well occupied for quite awhile.

For work in contrasty light: On the camera side, combine shooting raw with expose-to-the-right - or bracket exposures if dealing with static subject matter. Then in your raw converter tweak your exposure such that you just retain all non-specular highlights. Then in PS use some combination of selections/masks and curves to restore the mid tones to what you feel is optimal. Everything you learn about making sophisticated selections and multi-point curves will stand you in good stead into the foreseeable future.

I'll add to Dale's excellent points that you can get pretty much the same results as Shadow/Highlight using the "core" tools -- especially curves. But curves is tricky at first, but extremely valuable once you learn it. The main trick is not to overdo it. Often a *very* little tweak improves an image substantially.

A good place to start with tutorials is Michael's "Instant Photoshop" http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorial...photoshop.shtml followed by the Curves Command Primer http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorial...nd_primer.shtml .

Eric

Thanks Dale and Eric. I think what you are now saying is very much in accordance with what I need to know. Hopefully I will in time outgrow the 7.0 PS and be on my way to bigger and better things as you guys are now. Meanwhile the basics are waiting for me. I do not know levels. I do not know curves. In fact I do not even know how to clone. So you see my statement "assume that I know nothing" is accurate. I know nothing.
I was however quite involved in B&W photography through the eighties and half the ninties. My first love was always working in the darkroom. Never enjoyed taking the photos that much. Taking the film from the camera and loading into the canister is where my creative juices began to flow. I mixed chemicals and taught beginning students darkroom procedures at Portland St Univ during that time in adddition to working in various film labs.
My hope has been that digital photography will offer the same if not more enjoyment once I am able to get involved in the digital darkroom. There is just so much more that can be done in digital. Thanks again. Bob

Actually. . .no, Curves can not reproduce what Shadow Highlight does because it does what it does based upon very complex blending-using the data in an image to manipulate the data. Curves can't reproduce the results...

But, you can do the old time, manual Shadow/Hilight although without the fancy controls. This was originally done by Chris Cox, a Photoshop engineer...

Take a background image and duplicate to a new layer...using Hue & Sat, desaturate completely.

Take the desaturate layer and invert (Command/Control 'I') and set the blend mode to Overlay...

You'll see the highlights go dark and the shadows go lighter...

On the desaturate layer, apply a Gblur. Amount will depend on image resolution, but it will tend to be a LARGE amount (75-150 pixels or more)...

Reduce the opactiy to achieve desired results...20%-40% is about as much as you can push it without seeing edge outlines (same problem in Shadow/Highllight).

If you only want to effect shadows, set the layer blending to apply only in the dark areas-converse with the highlights...

This formula is what Shadow/Highlight is based upon. And, it CAN'T be duplicated in curves...

You will do fine with version 7.0 (for now) Get your feet wet and enjoy the experience. I remember starting with Photoshop 4.0 It did take a while to find, for example, how Levels help make the pictures look more real (and that was a great first step for me!). You will discover the way everyone else does - by just playing around with the program.
You may find real value in reading some of the great books about Photoshop, more as a reference book than something you would read cover to cover. The first year wil be lots of fun - and discovery.
All my best

There is one non-technical issue associated with using older versions of PhotoShop. My understanding (and if this is not accurate someone please correct me), is that UPGRADE versions of the latest PhotoShop are only eligible going back 3 generations.

In other words, you can upgrade your PS7 version to the new, coming in spring 2007 PhotoShop CS3 (aka PS10) for the upgrade price (probably ~ US$169) - you're at the 3 generation limit. But once CS4 (PS11) comes out about 18 months after CS3 your PS7 is no longer eligible (it would be 4 generations out of date). You will then have to pay full freight if you want the latest and greatest.

This sucks if all your needs are met by PS7. But upgrading when CS3 comes out will also get you the latest version of ACR for developing RAW files and some very nice tools like non-destructive filters.

I don't advocate spending money just to get the newest version of anything, but this is something to consider if you anticipate making a commitment to using PhotoShop.

Paul

I should have clarified: by "pretty much the same" I meant in the sense that a Honda is "pretty much the same" as a Ferrari. I will gladly admit that Jeff knows just a bit more about all this than I do.

That's a nice, clear recipe for those that don't have the luxury of CS2.

And Bob: That reminds me that I would strongly urge you to look for an opportunity to take a one-day workshop if one of these Pixel Genius guys is ever in your neighborhood. I had a chance to take one with Bruce Fraser when I was just beginning to try to learn Photoshop. Wow! He packed so much good stuff into that one workshop. It was great. Just as Jeff has been suggesting in recent posts elsewhere on the LL forum, Bruce never held back any secrets; he gave and gave generously.

And yes: digital is great fun, once you get the hang of it enough to get some satisfaction. I well remember my early frustrations with Photoshop, trying to do simple things like burning and dodging that I had done for years in the darkroom. And then I'd go into the darkroom to print "wet" again, and realize that what this negative wanted would be sooo much easier in Photoshop. So best of luck in your adventure!

Eric

Eric wrote:

And Bob: That reminds me that I would strongly urge you to look for an opportunity to take a one-day workshop if one of these Pixel Genius guys is ever in your neighborhood. I had a chance to take one with Bruce Fraser when I was just beginning to try to learn Photoshop. Wow! He packed so much good stuff into that one workshop. It was great. Just as Jeff has been suggesting in recent posts elsewhere on the LL forum, Bruce never held back any secrets; he gave and gave generously.
Eric I live on an island in coastal Alaska ( www.northland.smugmug.com ). There will be no workshops coming here. I am having my local library order Real World Camera Raw by Bruce Frazer however. Hopefully that will get the ball rolling for me. I still have another week before my PS7 Tutorial gets here. As of yet I have never even converted a RAW file and still look forward to that (with some anxiety).
I`m sure this will all settle with getting my feet wet. I can remember developing negatives for the first time. I was telling myself "this will never work for me". It just works for everyone else. But low and behold when the canister was emptied for the final time and the lid removed I did in deed have developed negs and from that day on I was Hooked. Hopefully the same will happen in digital darkroom for me.
I am glad to receive this support here. Initially I feared I had posted into a dead forum and answers might be slow and negative but this is great. Its given me the kind of confidence that comes of having strong support. Thanks again. Bob

Robert it is true Michaels method will not work in raw but once you've converted your images to jpeg it will work.You can either take too exposures using a tripod and exposing one for sky the other for trees etc or you can duplicate a single raw and adjust one for highlights and one for shadows,convert both to jpeg and follow Michaels tutorial using the Layers Method which is more straightforward.I presume this is possible in ps7,I have PSC2 so I'm not familiar with PS7 hope this works for you.

Having had the same issues as you do Bob, (unfamiliar with Photoshop on a hands on level, no knowledge of raw and on disablility), I think you will find Dale's advice very practical. In fact, he opened my eyes to the value of raw, and yes I was seeking high dynamic range also. If you can not find a decent raw converter at an affordable price, check out what the Fuji software offers you. Canon offered a software but did not return RGB values so you felt like you were working blind, since looks can be deceiving when looking for your darkest or lightest areas. I just recently found this software and you can use it in conjunction with other software. It will return the rgb values while you work with a software that isn't returning the RGB values.

http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file/fid,...ml?tk=nl_hsxdwn

As far as learning Photoshop on a remote island, I can relate to that because I couldn't get out to commit myself to a course due to my disability I found that HP offers online classes for free. They have a Photoshop beginners and advance class. Although it says CS2, many people with lesser versions take the course. The teacher has a message board which you can post any question on something that you don't understand, or how to get the same/similiar results. Here is the link for the HP classes.

http://h30240.www3.hp.com/courses/notify_m...42&is_full=true

I recommend starting with the beginners and moving up to advance.

Once you get use to working with raw and photoshop, you'll find many tutorials online out there for more advance techniques. And when you talk to the people on photography forums, the more advance advice won't feel as confusing.

Good Luck and feel better too. May your New Year bring you happiness and health.

Sorry, somehow my prior reply received the wrong quote. This should be the correct quote from Dale Cotton.

Seany and Goldilocks:
Thanks to each of you for your input.
I will look into the HP class and try to enroll ASAP in that. I only wish there was a pre beginners class available LOL.
I think its a good point that whereas PS7 is not advanced that in itself makes it suitable to the beginner on a budget such as I.
I now have the Fuji HV converter. Though it may not be good I`m sure it will serve to get me started and when it has been outgrown then I can find a suitable replacement. Thanks again. Bob