Damien Symonds

It's difficult to judge the amount of matte to apply when we don't have the big dark expanse of the truck. However, is this anywhere close?

The "noise" is simply jpeg compression damage, as far as I can tell. You know what Facebook is like, and it's especially severe if you upload a too-big PNG file (FB seems to like punishing those).

If you insist on using Lightroom, DO NOT save as jpeg. Just use plain "Edit in Photoshop" to transfer your photos. There is no role for jpeg here. And when you do use TIFF, please let me know if you see the same posterization problems.

Then I can't help you. Your shitty quality results are your own fault.

For pete's sake, there should be NO jpg files in your workflow.

Oh shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For the love of God, fix this mess. http://www.damiensymonds.net/bridge-30-day-challenge

Save in what format?

I haven't seen that video before - THANK YOU! So good.

Let me know how you go. Remember, it will take a lot of time to do the masking properly. Don't rush it.

Download the PSD Hopefully it will be self-explanatory. I placed the photo on, positioned it, then put it in a group with a blank layer for cloning later. I started masking the group. As I found some areas that needed cloning, I returned to that layer to do so.

For your very first set of prints (before calibration) no, there is no need to use their profile. Just stick to sRGB as normal. No, number 3 has to come first. You can't calibrate until you have some prints from your lab. It doesn't matter what prints they are. They don't even need to be very good. You just need to have them in your hand, so that you can check the calibration afterwards.

Lightroom is a steaming pile of shit. If you desire any kind of quality for your photos, you MUST try the 30-day challenge. No, not Adobe RGB. Only sRGB. http://www.damiensymonds.net/2014/06/the-wide-gamut-myth.html

Nah, it's ok, I trust you. I think this will work ok. It'll take some very patient masking, and you'll need to allow plenty of time for it. This is rough and incompletely, but promising?

I can't tell at this size. Does it look better when you examine it close up?

http://www.damiensymonds.net/importing-video http://www.damiensymonds.net/faststone-video

Something like this, perhaps?

Hi KEP, can you tell me about the destination for these photos? Will they be used in a catalogue, or on a website, or something like that?

May I see? Did you create the watermark file yourself? This makes me very nervous. I know you've since turned the "Save for web" step off, but the fact that your Save for web dialog is set to PNG is potentially very bad. http://www.damiensymonds.net/png-file-format

Gosh yes, these can be gorgeous. But I'm so sorry, I can't tell you how here. The Raw Class will change your life, I promise.

Ok, that looks more promising. Did you try ACR's chromatic aberration removal function? (In the Lens Correction tab). Also, I just noticed that the people photo has been cropped. Can you post the non-cropped version?

Hi Tomas, In case you haven't already found them, the calibration instructions are here. Before you calibrate, though, you have to choose a professional print lab. Have you chosen a good one in your country? Regarding software, the first step is to get rid of Lightroom.

I think their skin is a little too saturated for the scene. Otherwise, yes, it'll pass.

That's the way. Good stuff.

Too subtle, I think. Give it a bit more.

Are you familiar with the Mask feature in Liquify? That will be the key here. Masking off the face, so you can gently nudge the saggy part upwards without messing with the good jaw line, or anything else.