Basic correction of Digital Images

Virtually all digital images need adjusting before you place them into the page layout.

Begin by converting images to either RGB or Grayscale.
Open the image in Photoshop and select Image Mode RGB or Grayscale


Adjust Levels.
Select Image Adjustments Levels

In the levels dialog box move the left and right triangles in the input histogram to the points that the mountains start to rise. Adjust the middle tragle to the left until the middle tones of the photo look good. Click OK.

If the image is to be printed in color convert to CYMK.
Go to Image Mode and select CYMK

Adjust the Curves.
Go to Image Adjustments Curves

Adjust the curve graph as indicated above. The input of the top right plot point should be Input 75 and Output 80. And the bottom left plot point should be Input 25 and Output 20. This will punch up the contrast.

Adjust the image size.
To print properly the image must be 225 ppi and this is set by going to Image Image Size and changing the resolution to 225. Be sure that the Resample Image Box is NOT checked as doing so would damage the quality.
Sharpen the image.
Go to Filter Sharpen Unsharp Mask
Adjust Amount, Radius, and Threshold as indicated below and click OK.

Finally save the image as a JPEG.
Go to File Save As and in Format select JPEG.


Save as quality 8 or 10.

Before

After Correction

You will find that even good photos are improved using this process. Please compare this corrected photo to the original above, to see the type of improvement you can expect when using even the best digital cameras. You'll see even more improvement with images that you have scanned.

I have a photoshop action for customers that will automate this correction and I'll be happy to send it by email. Contact me stoess@gmail.com

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(c)copyright 2005 Bill Stoess Knoxville, Tennessee