Not a bad tutorial Godfrey. Dave, this is what one of my typical curves looks like (sometimes showing is easier ;-):
<http://www.arach.net.au/~savage/Misc/SC_001.jpg> I just grip the line at the lower left intersection and pull it down & to the right slightly.Visa versa for the top right intersection. Although depending on what your trying to achieve they can become a bit more "curvy" As an example, this is one of my favorite shots: <http://www.arach.net.au/~savage/Misc/SCex_001.jpg> But this is what it looks like without the curves adjustment layer: <http://www.arach.net.au/~savage/Misc/SCex_000.jpg> Pretty flat. I wanted the background darker and the lighter foilage to pop out. To get that, this is what the curve looked like: <http://www.arach.net.au/~savage/Misc/SC_002.jpg> HTH Dave On 9/2/06, Godfrey DiGiorgi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Sep 1, 2006, at 10:12 AM, David J Brooks wrote: > > > So, i noticed some one made a comment on Mat;s back yard shot, that a > > smidge of and S curve for contrast would help. > > > > I have a big problem trying to make S curves when i work on my photos. > > They just make crazy colours etc. > > > > Any guide line or R of T to setting these up.?? > > > > Do you use the pickers to locate the areas you want adjusted .?? > > working in Photoshop CS2: > > - use the command Layers -> New Adjustment Layer -> Curves > - in the resulting dialog, set the layer mode to be Luminosity, click OK > > In the Curves palette, the default is RGB and it should open with a > straight line from lower left to upper right. Presuming you have the > palette configured with the black end of the grayscale on the left, a > gentle, contrast increasing S curve means > > - click on the line at the lower left quadrant intersection > - tug the line down a little bit (this pulls the low values downwards) > - click on the line at the upper right quadrant intersection > - tug the line up a little bit (this pulls the high values upwards) > > Tugging the control points left or right also moves the shape of the > line and resultant adjustment ... experiment. When you get a result > that fits what you want, click OK. > > NOTES: > > You can change the transparency and mode from the Layers palette at > any time. > > You can click on one of your curve points and move it with the arrow > keys as well for higher precision in adjustment. > > Remember: it's better to make several SMALL adjustments in multiple > layers, shaping the luminance values to your needs, than to use ONE > adjustment with large steps. > > You can merge all the layers when you've achieved your final results > if you feel you will not want to edit any more, or are preparing a > file for output as a finished piece. > > Godfrey -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net

