Damien Symonds

How did you go, Kim?

Phew! Glad you like it. Let me try to explain my steps ... The Patch Tool is the best way to get rid of the bulk of the strap, but as I've said before, it works best on "islands" - that is, smaller chunks of strap with "ocean" (skin) all around them. So the first step is to duplicate the Background layer and use the clone tool to carefully chop the strap into sections: Then use the Patch Tool to get rid of the sections. Drag around one and drag it to a nearby clean section of skin: Hopefully, this will fill the patch with seamless skin: Keep on repeating this ... ... until it's all clear: Then add a blank layer, and clone out the area where the strap runs under the fabric. Clone further than necessary: Then add a mask to that layer and mask it carefully: (More info here.) Finally, add a blank layer and use the eyedropper tool to sample some lighter-coloured fabric, then add a Solid Color layer of that colour. Put the layer on "Lighten" blend mode: Add a black mask to that layer, then very patiently paint on to the dark areas of the tulle with a low opacity brush (5-10%) until it is sufficiently disguised.

This is the best result possible, I think. At least, it's the best I can figure out how to do. Would it be sufficient?

In the Skin Class.

No, cropping is the only way to do it. Because those dimensions are a different shape to your native camera file. Try it and you'll see.

What did you decide to do, @Teresa?

Well, here's the irony. The truth is that bigger megabytes usually means it's a BAD file. Because noisy files are bigger, you see. Lovely clean files are smaller. https://www.damiensymonds.net/2015/08/about-jpeg-file-size.html

Terrific. So, when you're saving those files for the clients, I recommend choosing Level 10 quality (on the 0-12 scale).

Levels and Advanced Levels. And to a lesser degree, Channel Mixer. All of those classes require a fundamental knowledge of layers and masking, so if you don't have that knowledge, you'd need to take the Layers & Masks Class first. You can read its description of topics covered to see if you'd need it.

Yes, this is correct. To confirm, you don't include a resolution when you crop?

Sorry, I need more information so I can help you properly. When you say "printing", can you tell me your process? Are you sending files directly to the lab yourself?

No, the thread in the raw class please.

You've done it perfectly, well done. You can go and add this to the thread now.

NO, Jenny. If your screen doesn't match your prints, your screen is WRONG. Sounds like you need to calibrate again with slightly higher brightness?

So the blacks are too black on screen, and the skintones are too saturated?

Well, there's no single answer or article for that. All jpegs must be saved for a specific purpose. It might be printing, or web posting, or selling to a client, or archiving, or sending to a graphic designer, or whatever. So, can you tell me the purpose for which you are saving your jpegs today?

Can you elaborate on this a bit?

Have you dabbled with the Lens Correction tab in Raw?

Thanks. I've moved this into Brian's section where I hope he'll be able to impart some wisdom.

Can you show us the shot data with these photos? What lens, what focal length, what aperture, and so forth?

Oh, don't worry, I never thought that. Your question is completely understandable.

Also, if I may say, don't forget that the two classes you haven't taken yet - Channel Mixer and Advanced Levels - are the ones that give you the most creative avenues.

Gee, my classes aren't designed to stop you being creative!!!! They're to give you consistent clean edits every time, so that the creative editing you apply afterwards is also consistent and controllable. Yes, imitating is perfectly fine.

Bummer. I don't know, sorry. I've never heard of this before, sorry.

If you still have the originals, can you try converting again? To see if it was a glitch?