Rave - Strong, Intuitive Tone Mapping Tools in CS4

New tools in Lightroom 2 and Photoshop CS4 are real time savers.  I'm thinking about Tone Mapping with Clipping Points, Targeted Adjustment Tools, and the Adjustments Panel.

CS4 Adjustments Curves Clipping Point
This image shows red channel clipping.  After checking Show Clipping, by moving White Point slider to the left, I deliberately over clipped the area.
When real clipping was set to 235, underlying red and orange arch colors were more dramatic.  217 blew out some of the red channel.

What is Tone Mapping?
It’s how to look at an image and "listen" to it; how changes to the delicate matrix of light and shadow can transform drama and mood in the meaning of an image; how to sculpt perspective with light and contrast; and how to imagine gorgeous color and tonal changes to best express your vision.
Tone refers to the level of brightness.  Common terms describing tonal values are shadow, mid tone, and highlight brightness categories.
Contrast - simply put, contrast is difference between tonal values.  The greater the difference in brightness between tonal regions, the more contrast.
Clipping – tonal values recorded as either total black or total white.
So, let’s create a simple workflow which listens to our need for speed and accuracy as we Tone Map images?

Clipping Points
Our first step is to use Clipping Points of Curves dialog to set neutral Highlights and Shadows.  In CS4, click Adjustments panel, open Curves dialog, then click on the Expanded View list (upper right).  Check the 5th item Show Clipping for Black/White Points.  I know; it was a little easier to find in CS3 - you simply checked a Show Clipping box.
The horizontal histogram scale has two triangular points; on the left, the Black point, on the right, the White point.  When you move either point towards the middle, your image visually changes to begin showing when global clipping occurs.  This clipping image may have up to six colors, primary RGB or secondary CYM. 
You just decide when clipping starts and how much, if any, you want as you neutralize shadows and highlights.




Targeted Adjustment Tool
But, we're not done quite yet… let's move to the talented, localized Targeted Adjustment Tool!
First, we must warn you; this tool doesn't work as a single feature.  Rather, it works on Curves, Hue, Saturation, Lightness, and Black-and-White Adjustments.  Because it is selective, it only changes these effects for colors under the cursor.  WOW... that's more than a triple threat!
The icon for the TAT tool is a hand with forefinger pointing upward.  Next to the forefinger is a double headed arrow; it suggests you move the cursor up-and-down to independently modify contrast (Curves).  For color, intensity, and brightness, the double headed arrow is horizontal; move the cursor right-or-left (Hue, Saturation, Lightness, and Black-and-White). 
As you move the cursor, contrast or color may change - becoming stronger or weaker.  In HSL and B/W situations, one or more of the color sliders may react to your cursor motion.  This indicates more than one color is involved under the cursor.

Most of this discussion deals with CS4; the Lightroom 2 TAT tool icon performs the same functions.

Rant - Textbooks with Poor Indexing Using Different Terminology
While Clipping Point and TAT aren't gorgeous glamour tools, their early workflow usage is quite important.  Both tools are sort of buried in several functions of the Adjustments panel.
When asked about upgrading Photoshop, one of my tenant's is, "Get the best text to explain the complexity of your brave New World."  By best, I mean a text which clearly and explicitly explains where and how Adobe has adapted each of the new features.  I do not mean a users manual.
I have a Photoshop library of detailed works from Fraser (CS3), Kelby (LR2), Eismann  (CS3), and Evening (CS4).  Unfortunately, a methodical, by item approach to reporting Photoshop doesn't naturally group powerful tools with a similar, yet pervasive function. 
Some books contained a full index; Evening clearly didn't think to carefully guide you with a complete, in-depth index.  Some books treated these tools in more depth than others.  Some writers used English with both greater clarity and higher precision...
The result can be a lot of time-consuming digging.

For advanced Photoshop users who seek more than a ‘cook book’ approach to learning new and unique workflow, I suggest, if possible, you preview potential library entries prior to buying.  Make sure your new addition meets all your criteria for a new, exciting learning path.

Meanwhile, why not take a look at Clipping Points and TAT tools to smoothly speed your workflow!
Enjoy...

Issues in HDR Tone Mapping

Candyland Sky
©Joe Bridwell
Convoluted, chocolaty red rock shapes contain subdued white sandstone stringers. Long sky cloud stringers subtly emphasize the point-counterpoint red rock surface. I find God's handiwork quite artistic...

What's the Best HDR Software for Noise Reduction and Chromatic Aberration? We've compared Photomatix and CS4 for Magic Hour HDR. When you use Lightroom to remove noise and chromatic aberration before HDR, Photomatix returns an image with chromatic aberration - though you requested it be removed.
CS4 provides a clean image; although processing may be more convoluted, when the end result is printed on large printer, I feel it's worth using CS4.
We describe the entire CS4 process to achieve complete tone mapping. It's an experimental but reproducible process; one where you learn more and get better as you do more of it.

HDR Capture
Five high dynamic Range images were captured at +/- 2EV. The negative EV range contained Noise; images also contained Chromatic Aberration. One might expect such behavior when shooting at Magic Hour, that hour around dawn and dusk.

CS4 vs. Photomatix
With Lightroom 2, we globally eliminated dust smudges, reduced noise, and reduced chromatic aberration for each image before submitting them for high dynamic range processing.
When Photomatix created a 32-bit Tone Compressed HDR result from these images, chromatic aberration was present. When CS4 created a 32-bit Local Adaptation HDR result, chromatic aberration was absent.

Tone Mapping in Several Stages
When CS4 receives images to Merge to HDR from LR2, it may take a little while to create a 32-bit file. We recommend you save that 32-bit file because you may want to work with it later.
Image> Mode> 16 Bit brings up the HDR conversion routine in CS4 to create a 16-bit tif file. Use the drop-down menu to choose Local Adaptation, set Radius about 90 pixels, choose Threshold about 1%, and carefully map the Tone Curve. Martin Evening has pointed out that tone curve mapping of an HDR image is both complicated and different from the normal tone curve choices for a single image.
The HDR result may same bland; little distinctive color, sort of soft.

Mask Sky and Ground with Color Range
Magic Hour is enhanced by dramatic clouds. It's usually easier to select sky and clouds to create a mask between sky and ground. For this task, I use Color Range. By setting small values for Fuzziness and Range, the mask selection usually fits the boundary fairly well.
It's a very good practice to examine the image at 2:1 (200% zoom). Although keystroke techniques differ between LR 2 and CS4, this scan size lets you look for various effects which would be immediately apparent on a large print. In particular, you quickly get to see if Color Range selected portions of the sky and ground which need to be corrected in the mask.
When you've completed the Sky mask, duplicate channel, invert the channel, and name it Ground.

Hue/Saturation Color Adjustments with Masks
Create 2 adjustment layers using Hue/Saturation. Attach the Sky mask to one, then find the right sky color using Hue. Attach the Ground mask to the other, then find the right ground color using Hue.
When appropriate colors are found, vary Saturation and Lightness until the colors reflect nearly true colors from the 0 EV image on the initial capture.

Final Tone Mapping in Lightroom 2
Lightroom 2’s close connection with Adobe Camera Raw provides easy Basic, Tone Curve, and Details tabs for final, accurate touch up. We pay particular attention to contrast, clarity, and vibrance. We apply the landscape preset then carefully enhance the masking portion of sharpening to finalize our image.

Finale…
I thank Bob Weber for a very enlightening session where, among many other topics, we dealt with fringing and correction of chromatic aberration. It prompted me to prepare a more detailed workflow describing how to use LR 2 and CS4.

Enjoy…

God's Hand

God’s Hand
©2006 Joe Bridwell, Chopawamsic LC
One day, the Bisti Badlands was under siege from a norther. The Bisti is northwest of Chaco Canyon in northern New Mexico.
This rather unusual cloud formation caught my eye. I felt like God was saying, "In My House, there are many mansions..."
Later, I would recognize the complement between individual hoodoo towers acting like eroded fingers pointing up towards God's Hand – with it’s own beckoning fingers.
Nikon D70, 24-120 @ 34 mm, 1/30, f22, ISO 200.

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