Workflow For B&W to Align with what Joel Tjintjelaar Does

[hpk]

I would like to see a tutorial with Photoshop X9 etc.. on how to process and get black and white fine art photos like Joel Tjintjelaar does, but he uses Adobe, we need examples for corel a workflow process.

[LeviFiction]

Do you have a tutorial of the process in Adobe?

[hpk]

So Joel put out a tutorial, you have to pay for it and yes I am working now on steps to convert to Corel, but was hoping others might have done so. Will update if/when I find a work around.
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Update: 10/31/16
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So I wanted a workflow that could be used in Corel to parallel what the tutorial uses in FROM BASIC TO FINE ART BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY - ARCHITECTURE AND BEYOND but its Adobe centered.


I was in awe of Joel Tjintjelaar and Julia Anna Gospodarou
work in this document and wanted to be able to do such in Corel. I emailed JT and he graciously responded. He admits, he does not know all the nuances with corel as he was using Adobe. I cannot post their screenshots of his work in the tutorial as it is not a free but paid subscription. I did not want to start doing screenshots for my work as what I am doing might be incorrect but thought a written version would be best for now. In no way do I know everything that corel PSP can accomplish and I'm trying to learn and correlate between the two programs. Thus if others have short cuts by all means post here. Neither JT or JAG endorse this tutorial in anyway or affiliation. I'm doing this as my own idea and free thought to try and create a artistic guide for others who use corel. Further any quotes from JT are from my questions and may not reflect the most viable option given my questions --may not be the right one given my lack of adobe to corel conversion.

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What I want to replicate is the milky white water,with a object of interest and the dark and white skys's. For examples see FROM BASIC TO FINE ART BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY - ARCHITECTURE AND BEYOND on their webpage. We are using Time Laspe photos- taken with ND filters.

I have started @ Steps Phase A Page 334 of the Tutorial from them.


*** You want to do some color balancing ,noise and white balance adjust to your liking,cropping ,etc then we save to TIF as below


1) Convert RAW to TIF-- Now in the tutorial it says to Save for Office,However, if we do that and put in 300-DPI as stated, it will use LZW compression--we don't want any compression. Same as save copy. I used "Save As" TIF and select option no compression and it is preserved my original size no compression
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2)Close out the original raw reopen the TIF and you can now use denoise,Topaz B&W
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Next: Phase B from the tutorial


3)The tutorial says to create 3 different B&W version out of a single RAW, -I was confused about that as we now have a TIF- If I follow that advice I would reopen a the Raw and create 3 version ,overexposed,underexposed and grayscale/ neutral in Topaz B&W. However, in contacting the author that person stated "But instead of creating 3 BW versions from the same color file I would only create two BW versions: a neutral version and an underexposed version.
What I’ve said in the book (or my video tutorials) is that you have a RAW file that needs to be exported/converted to TIFF (from for example Lightroom) so you can convert that TIFF file to a B&W TIFF file in photoshop."


Now looking at the tutorial I could only see the 3 B&W version original stated but no screenshot showing it was created from a TIF. Plus I had a ocean scene and wanted a overexposed for water, underexposed for black and sky and neutral fro main subject. I was at a point to make a judgement call. Reopen the raw file and make 3 version save in PSP or TIF, using no compression options or use the TIF that's open to create these in Topaz B&W using the traditional menu. When I use the open TIF and saved a Overexposed version in Both PSP and TIF without compression file size was the same 128 MB and all same dimensions. Again trying to make a call on this will stick with TIF files making the 3 B&W version from the open TIF file original in step one Raw to Tiff and each time reverting back to the unchanged original TIF file and applying each of the 3 versions separately.


So I have Overexposed,Underexposed & Grayscale /or Neutral TIF Versions in addition to the Original TIF- converted from RAW.


We are now trying to follow the tutorial to "blend" underexposed TIF with Overexposed TIF-basically trying to merge/blend the dark,sky with the "HIGH-KEY" water.


*****As a point, I wonder if we used the HIGH KEY I,II or III effect in Topaz for the overexposed version--would it be better than just the overexposed setting?


Back to the blend/merge --I opened the underexposed version name it background this is done in the EDIT panel tab, duplicate it,( I see in the tutorial that the LINK symbol is active for these two underexposed version, not sure if PS does it automatically ,so I checked the link button to match the tutorial. Now you have a copy of background and the background versions, then open overexposed version copy it ,open the other window with the 2 other underexposed versions and paste as new layer. Then go to the Layer tab and use the ARRANGE option and put the overexposed on the bottom.


*****( Interesting---doing this makes it darker in the preview pane but remains overexposed in the layers palette, ) if I move it back to the top it shows it being overexposed in the main preview screen. Not sure of the relevance? But to be able to view in main viewing on my screen and to see it " AS IS" I have to move it to the top. This does not match what I see in the tutorial of having it at the bottom AND I noticed the LOCK button is shown, thus I do the same and keep the overexposed on the bottom.


*****As a point when copying and pasting the overexposed to the underexposed ( same panel window ), it will name it Raster, in the tutorial, it's named background, I renamed it overexposed.


This seems to match what was done in the tutorial. From the author directly " When I talk about duplicate in the book or video I always talk about copying a layer to another layer (on top of it or below it), so I’d end up with at least two layers. I’m not aiming to unite those layers and make it one (which is what blend or merge would do)"


4) I now want to isolate my main subject, I want to trace around the rocks and little lighthouse area in my pic and exclude it from the sky and water--whatever that might be in yours--The tutorial says create a mask---from what I see it looks to be from the copy version of the underexposed. When we do this,select from image-I accept and then we have to choose from 3 options, I choose source opacity--was default--- just went with it. Now I have a mask of the underexposed and its preview is all white. ****However, now I also have another background copy called ---group copy of background. That's 3 backgrounds, 1 mask, 1 overexposed version.


**I'm guessing to make the tracing,the mask version is selected ( and the author has related to me that it's always only applied to the mask) and when the tracing is done---SAVE it for use later on---Name it as you will but save it in the folder where all these are stored. I named it Phase B "tracing" Now refine it at magnification to add or subtract the tracing.


***Note --when you save either the tracing and gradient versions make sure to SAVE AS and rename it AND make sure no compression is applied.




5) Merging the sky and water (INVERT SELECTION) use gradient tool fill- looking at your picture you want to try to start around the horizon and limit /stop halt a inch to 2-3 inches above the horizon line.


***Note -when you save Either the tracing and Gradient versions make sure to SAVE AS and rename it AND make sure no compression is applied.


Also on your right layers menu you can select highlight mask area, showing the applied gradients. -you can right click on the mask and select a color to see the transition as you apply it


******but I want to see the actual gradient fill applied. You can hit ALT +CLICK to bring up the gradient tool again to adjust


6)Gradient Save - You also see a "Group -Copy of Background" will not worry about this now************************


6)The Tutorial now talks about their object being to dark--your might be also, I'm not seeing it in mine picture. Because of it being too dark it is suggested to "Blend" the Over and Underexposed " RESULT" with the Neutral Version so as to bring out all details of their subject. For continuity purposes--I will do the same anyway.


7)I have a Under and Overexposed--and it says to place that result on top of the neutral version layer-------At this point I am not sure if we have to First merge the Under and Overexposed versions and then open another window, copy the Neutral Version and place it under that result??? The author has again related to me merging down might be used depending upon the step in the process -----I'm going to highlight the Overexposed and "Merge Down" onto the Overexposed"


** Tutorial state's "Duplicate" that result --the place that on top of the Neutral Version


***Skip ahead in tutorial in #9 and it states you know have all 3 version into one.


7)Continued - Duplicated the result of the Merged Down version -place ontop of Neutral version ( I opened the neutral version, copied it and pasted it into my working window. You might have to adjust with the layers arrange option to get the correct positioning.


**Then we are supposed to add a layer mask from which version/what????? I have a question on this --Layer Mask from the Neutral Version or from the Copy of the Over/Under Exp version????? Will choose copy of over/under version---I get mask copy of over /under version-----We then are supposed to reload the final Saved Tracing--I'm guessing from the saved Gradient version??--that what I went with. I tried to do this but it would not come up in my layers table on the right---It's already open in the above selections in our layer table so-technically no need to reload. Just highlight the NEW MASK we made and try the gradient tool on the selected objects--NO INVERT--so I'm basically apply the gradient fill to everything that not the sky and water.


We are not inverting the gradient version. As I read we are supposed to apply the gradient tool to have a smooth transition --- Tutorial also states that the object in their tutorial will now have the details from the neutral version. Save it---then in the next step it states we have a merged version of all 3 version under/over and neutral into one image. Screen shot Step 7_8


9) Here the tutorial goes on to readjust sky/water and other tonal variants in the picture----I tried to merge levels, up /down I just was not getting the same results. This trial failed but I will try again to see if the steps I took can be boiled down and refined.

If you have work arounds post them here in steps for all to follow.

[Jean-Luc]

I would like to see a tutorial with Photoshop X9 etc.. on how to process and get black and white fine art photos like Joel Tjintjelaar does, but he uses Adobe, we need examples for corel a workflow process.

You may try the Tone mapping in PSP and the Vignette Effect :

buildings orig.jpg (43.32 KiB) Viewed 3425 times

buildings vignette tone mapping.jpg (29.31 KiB) Viewed 3425 times