Amateur Photographer - UK (2020-04-11)

38 11 April 2020I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113

Technique IN ASSOCIATION WITH

MichaelTopham findsa long-lost

imagethat heconvertsinAdobe

CameraRawreadyforprint

PREPARING FOR PRINTING

1 Checkthehighlights
TocheckforclippedhighlightsI loadedthe
imagein ACRandhittheletterO onthe
keyboard.I retainedsomehighlightdetailby
settingthehighlightssliderto-50.Aftersetting
theBlackssliderto-50todarkentheblacksa
bit,I increasedExposure(+0.70)andContrast
(+65) to give the image much-needed punch.

2 Applyasplittone

Notcontentbythetonality,I strippedtheshotof

colourbymovingtheSaturationsliderto -100.

Fora moredistinctivelookI triedapplyinga split

tone.In theSplitToningtabin ACR,I setthe

HighlightsHueto 40andtheSaturationto 30.

TheShadowsHuewassetto 250and

Saturation to 8 before refining Balance to +50.

3 UsetheAdjustmentBrush

Backin theBasictab,I increasedtheTexture

sliderto+40,theClaritysliderto+15andthe

Dehazesliderto+20.Selectingthe

AdjustmentBrush(K)toolandsettingthe

Shadowssliderto+25andExposureto+0.20

thenbrushingoverthemodel’sfacelightened

it a touch and helped picked out the eyes.

E

verynowandagainI liketotrawlthroughmy
thousandsofphotographsonmyharddrive.
Occasionally,I stumbleuponshotsI’dforgottenI’d
takenorhaddismissedasnotbeinggoodenough
firsttimearoundduringmystrictfive-starratingregime.It’s
ratherexcitingwhenyoucomeacrossa gemofanimagethat
you’veneverprocessedorprinted,andI’dadvisethatothers
takea goodlookthroughtheirarchiveanddothesame.
WhenI loadedoneofmyoldstreetportraitimagesofa
modelsittingona flightofstairsintoPhotoshop,my
immediateimpressionwasthatit wasn’tparticularlywell
exposedandwaslackingcolourandvibrancy.A quickcheck
ofthemetadatainAdobeBridgeconfirmedthatI’dspot
meteredonthemodel,whichresultedinquitea high-key
imagethatI feltcouldbenefitfroma contrastboostand
subtlesplit-toningeffect.Theresultofdiggingoutanold
shotandgivingit a newleaseoflifewithsomebasicediting
hascreatedoneofmyfavoritead-hocstreetimages, which
has since made it into my printed portfolio.

4

Spotmeteringon

themodel’sfacehas

resultedin some blown

highlights

3

IncreasingtheContrast,

ClarityandDehazesliders

in AdobeCameraRawgives

the image extra impact

2

Harshsunfrombehind

themodelhashelped

create some striking shadows

1

Croppingremoves

distractionsandcreates a

stronger composition

Behind the

print

MichaelTopham

MichaelisAmateurPhotographer’s ReviewsEditor.

He’sbasedin Kentandthoroughlyenjoysdocumentary,

weddingandrailwayphotography. Seewww.

michaeltopham.co.uk