"How to enhance your picture using Photoshop"

[jiro]

Hi,

Welcome to Jiro's How to enhance your picture tutorial part 2 - Basic.

Here in part 2, I will try to show you most of the basic photoshop techniques that will come in handy when enhancing pictures of your watches

so that we can move on to the next intermediate level on upcoming part 3.

- How to get rid of Dust & Scratches -

Here we have a close up shot of PAM005 which has some dust on the dial.

Let's get rid of those annoying bastards! :twisted:

First, select the spot that you want to get rid of....

And go to "Filter" => "Noise" => "Dust&Scratches..."

Change the Radius to 5 while leaving the Threshold on zero.

Press OK.

Notice that dust is now gone?

Now, let's repeat the process and apply it onto all the neccessary areas.

But this time, you don't have to click on "Filter" and go through all that....

Just select the area you want and press "Ctrl + F" which will repeat the last "Filter" action! Neat eh~ :wink: It will save you whole lot of time~

And Here's the result of that.....

Nice and clean~~~~

*Before*

*After*

Next.....

- How to cut through the glare -

Often times we take a picture and there are this glare on the crystal blocking the view of dial.

This tutorial will teach you how to cut through that annoying glare.

Here, we have a picture of might SMP Chrono.....but it's hard to tell the true texture & color of the dial because of that glare....

Let's use the Magnetic Lasso tool which was covered in part 1 and go around the whole crystal.

(If you prefer using Elliptical Marquee tool, you can use that too. I just prefer using Magnetic Lasso tool more since I can select any shape of area.)

Now, go to "Image" => "Adjustments" => "Levels..."

In part 1, we've learned to use this "Level.." option to adjust color by changing only one of the "Input Level".

But this time, we're going to have to use all 3 "Input Levels" to cut through that glare....

It will require different values depending on your pictures, but here we will use this value to change the input level.

(This is just an example to show you how it's done....you really have to play with this option to get used to it.)

Let's go ahead and change the Input Levels to 60, 0.50, 240

Notice how you can see the dial now?

Let's get the right color by using "Auto Color" option. (Refer to Tutorial Part 1)

Presto~!

*Before*

*After*

Next...

- How to make your picture more sharpe and crisp -

Here, we have a picture of good ol sub and beautiful TT GTM II.

Now, I want this picture to be more sharpe and crisp so that it would pop out to viewer's eye.

Go to "Filter" => "Sharpen" => "Unsharp Mask.."

There are three vlaues you can adjust...."Amount", "Radius" and "Threshold".

Again, it will require different amount of values depending on your picture.

But, here we will use this value to make this picture more sharpe and crisp.

Let's change the "Amount" to 100%, "Radius" to 1.0 and leave the "Threshold" to 0.

Notice how sharpe and crisp the picture became?

Adjust the Color using "Auto Color" and...

Presto~!

We have a winner~~~

*Before*

*After*

And that is all for my "Basic" part of this tutorial~!

Next part will be a Intermediate level which will cover stuffs like "Clone Stamping" and "Noise Reduction", etc....

It will be fun~ Please stay tune~~~ :wink:

And thanks for reading my crappy writing~!

[World Traveller]

Solid tips and screenshots jiro! I'm surprised by the technique and professionalism of some of the photos on this site, it amazes me the passion behind the posters hobby here. Really shows the appreciation for the design and artistry of the watches.

I hope not too much Photoshop is done in the reviews, only in the sense that we need some journalistic integrity to not cover up the flaws. This isn't Cosmopolitan or playboy where all the pictures need to be altered. Things like removing glare and dust I think are good to do of course like jiro shows here.

[Darth Vapor]

Good writing and clear explanantion!!

The good part is you can use these tips on any photo...not just watch-shots.

Thanks!

[Bazz]

Another great post

Thanks again for taking the time.

[Pugwash]

I hope people are taking the time to try these tips. They're excellent!

[Pix]

Thx !

The sharpening tip was missing for me. I use Photoshop, but am a bit of an amateur with it.

For the dust, I'm using the magic rubber.

With your advices and Pug's one, I have noticed constant improvements in my pics, at least I think so. I'm really glad with that, as my favorite part in this hobby is to share the pics with you.

[jiro]

Thanks guys~

I'm just glad to hear this crappy tutorial of mine is helping somebody~ hehe~

[Moppel]

Hi there,

I am always surprised how helpful this forum is. There are so many things, which are of course related to our main subject "watches", but also can be used on other fields.

The great tutorial of photography cannot only be used to take some exceptional great pictures of our watches, but is also very informative on the basics

of taking pics of almost everything.

And this tutorial here really helps a lot to get the most out of the pictures that have been taken.

Then people start to make their own straps. And even though I never had the chance to see one of those straps personally, I really admire the skills and am taken aback on how perfect these straps are made.

Not to forget the brave among us who modify their watches, may it be for better accuracy or just for the fun doing it.

What I am trying to say is that it suprises me what skills and ideas members develop "around" watches.

And all that on a very helpfully, friendly and respectfully basis.

Just great

Moppel

[Winston_Wolf]

Just wanted to say thanks for the tips! I'm trying them now on some of my pics and they're working great!

[NRG]

Jiro, thank you for these tutorials.

I don't have Photoshop but do have Paint Shop Pro XI.

The good news is PSP seems to have the same functions so I've learnt some new ways to use the s/w, thanks to your tutorials.

I hope you don't mind but I used your example photo's and got similar results out of PSP!

So a big thumbs up here, please keep 'em coming!

[jiro]

Again, thanks for the kind word guys.

@NRG: I would love to those improved pictures!!! post em! will ya~?

[NRG]

Again, thanks for the kind word guys.

@NRG: I would love to those improved pictures!!! post em! will ya~?

OK...I'm on it!

[earlgrey-erfurt]

excellent

you will see the pics!!!

thanks

helmut

before (no autocolor but dial work on 217):

and after using part 2:

see you helmut