Topaz
Sep 1, 2017 18:17:40 #
I am playing around with Topaz and a new shot of a crow leaving the spire of a local church. I pushed the clouds to get more interest, but raised the noise level from the original. Can anyone tell me how to reduce the noise and keep the highlights in the clouds? Thanks.
Sep 1, 2017 20:22:20 #
Sep 1, 2017 20:25:32 #
Good evening and thanks for weighing in. I have the application as a stand alone, for sure. When I select Topaz under filters in PS, it launches the program, but the image doesn't appear in the new window. I'm not sure if it is because I have a free version or not.
Sep 1, 2017 20:35:00 #
No, it should. Set up a profile at discuss.topazlabs.com and ask. There is Topaz tech reps who participate.
Sep 1, 2017 23:17:39 #
Sep 2, 2017 07:38:12 #
The crow is just too small. It could have been a nice shot, chalk it up as a learning experience and move on. I have discovered that if the entire bird fits into my focusing square - it's too small to do anything with ...
Sep 2, 2017 12:15:15 #
Howard, thanks for weighing in. If the bird was portrait size "larger," it would change the relationship between the only two subjects in the frame and thereby also change the focus as well as the story. It really wasn't about a shot of a BIF, more the quasi gothic element of the spire and the crow representing the presence of darkness/danger coupled with a classical element of mystery and light. What do you think would have made it a nice shot, so I can gain that perspective. I concur, it's far from the greatest shot in my catalog. Shot with a 70-300, @ 300, the church is roughly 100' away. It was only when I started futzing with the original, that the "grain" popped up. I appreciate anything you can teach me. Thanks!
Sep 2, 2017 12:50:57 #
Einreb92 wrote:
Howard, thanks for weighing in. If the bird was po... (show quote)
I misunderstood; you're initial post gave me the impression that you were shooting the crow. My comments were based upon that line of thinking. I have seen too many shots of BIF that were enlarged beyond the camera's ability to keep the subject sharp. I thought your image fell into this category. As for your photograph ... sorry, no comment.
Sep 2, 2017 14:27:38 #
Sep 2, 2017 20:18:17 #
Topaz Detail, Topaz Clarity, and Topaz Adjust all have a tendency to increase noise, but they are very powerful programs. For that reason they need to be used judiciously. Those effects are more severe with crop sensor cameras. If you watch any of their webinars you will generally see only full frame work. That said, careful use of their noise reduction program, Topaz DeNoise, can mitigate the problems.
There's a learning curve. You'll have to put the time in to learn how to use their plug ins to best advantage. Read their online materials and watch some seminars, or take a class on post processing.
There's a learning curve. You'll have to put the time in to learn how to use their plug ins to best advantage. Read their online materials and watch some seminars, or take a class on post processing.
Sep 5, 2017 17:06:31 #
pmackd wrote:
Topaz Detail, Topaz Clarity, and Topaz Adjust all ... (show quote)
I appreciate your response and will plan a course of study.
Sep 6, 2017 11:13:14 #
You don't say how you pushed the clouds. Did you use Contrast? Another way to add contrast is to go left with the Blacks and Shadows and go right with the Highlights and Whites. I would keep the sharpening edge-based and use denoise to soften the sky. If that loses sharpness or detail in the stonework you could select the sky for denoise.
Sep 8, 2017 10:06:57 #
Einreb92 wrote:
I am playing around with Topaz and a new shot of a crow leaving the spire of a local church. I pushed the clouds to get more interest, but raised the noise level from the original. Can anyone tell me how to reduce the noise and keep the highlights in the clouds? Thanks.
In another post you said you have PS. Bring this picture again into Photoshop. Make a new layer Command J. Go to filters and open Camera raw. Now go to the Detail screen in Camera raw that is the icon with the triangles. Set your Luminance between 70-80. Change Luminance Detail slider to 7. Hit done. Now your back to layers screen. Click the eyeball on and off on the layer you just worked on and you can see the difference. I think you will like it. Ask if you have any more questions.
--Jim
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