Damien Symonds

Ok, so I started by duplicating the arm, then running Dust on it (I settled on 20/4). I masked that on. Then I used the Handyman method to even it out some more.

Do you reckon this might be good enough?

Am I right in thinking you want to remove the eczema but keep the freckles if possible?

Whoa!!!! Crap!!! I just noticed that your file is Adobe RGB!!!!!!!!!!

I'll need the 100% crop.

I don't understand the question. I just told you, it needs no clipping at the shadow end of the histogram.

Interesting. Ok, thanks.

Right at the very end, at the same time as sharpening (after flattening).

Are the other tools (eg the clone tool) doing the same thing? Or is it only the brush tool? Also, is it the same if you paint on a layer, rather than a mask?

Hmmm ... 2700 is a very big brush, of course. If you take it down in size, is it still the same? Has this additional problem cleared itself up since the restart?

What about before that? How long had it been? Got a screenshot for me?

Can you do this for me? http://www.damiensymonds.net/thread1.html

I've read that 400 is considered a good contrast ratio - roughly 0.25 black to 100 white. However, I've never thoroughly explored this myself. And you need to own a REALLY expensive screen (such as an Eizo) to be able to properly control black luminance. With your screen? Forget it.

That's ok, I don't need to see the cursor in the screenshot. I want to see everything else - the image, the layers, the toolbar, etc.

http://www.damiensymonds.net/2011/01/cursor-preferences.html

I'm so sorry, I have no idea what you mean by a hide/reveal brush. Maybe a screenshot would help me understand? Is it doing this on every photo you try, or only one?

You still have CS5 installed? And it still prints fine?

Generally, this has something to do with "Let Photoshop manage colors" vs "Let printer manage colors" in the print dialog. Which is yours set to; and do you know if it's the same as you had it in CS5?

This is not my area of expertise by any means, but I do know that icc profiles for printing are meant to fine-tune the results. They're not meant to fix "terrible". If your colours are terrible, there's something else at play. In what way are they terrible, exactly?

No, there must be some mistake. You're not following my instructions. My instructions don't talk about black luminance. Anyway, it's irrelevant. You're demanding precision that your screen just isn't capable of. Just live with the best possible result for now, and put "new screen" at the very top of your next purchase list.

Gee, it might be tricky. First, can you see if you can process the raw file with NO clipping at the shadow end of the histogram? Presently the blue channel is badly clipped in the flowers.

That's not ideal, but it will sharpen passably.

Yes, your prints are ALWAYS right. Yellow light isn't so much a direct risk to your editing, although that risk certainly exists to a degree. The problem is that if you troubleshoot your monitor calibration (warmer) to try to match your lighting, it will make you edit too cold without realising it.

Well, it seems to indicate that your indoor lighting is too yellow, yes? http://www.damiensymonds.net/2012/01/light-around-your-computer.html

Yep, that's fine.