Oh yes, that's a frequent mistake, if you ask me. Instead of LR's Saturation it's probably better to use Vibrance as it has some built-in colour protection against oversaturation (something like the Intellicolor tech in some of the Topaz plugins). Additionally, the plugin isn't as halo-prone as LR (it probably uses a lights halo-masking technique). Also, it's restricted to midtones only, unlike Topaz Clarity, which has 4 clarity sliders that address also local contrast shifts in shadows and highlights. Watch out especially for the LR Clarity slider - pushed too much, it creates haloes (the Natural Clarity in CO is much better here). However, you can also overdo things in LR. The Topaz plugins have fairly limited histograms without clipping warnings so it's much easier to make mistakes here than in LR. Depending on the situation I use both approaches, but for web output I find the first approach much more efficacious.
There are basically two correct approaches here: 1) do as much as you can in a raw converter and what you can't do there do in PS, without doubling the same moves, or 2) if you plan on working in PS extensively do your raw conversion in a minimalist way - normalize the histogram without making the image too contrasty on a global basis, assign appropriate WB, correct lens distortions, minor spots, do very slight capture sharpening and NR (although some portrait retouchers advise against any sharpening at this stage), etc. Yes, certainly, you could introduce banding, sharpening artefacts, block your shadows and highlights, etc. So if I make contrast, Saturation and Clarity adjustments in Lightroom, and then take the photo into Topaz Adjust and/or Topaz Clarity and make further changer to the Saturation, Exposure and Contrast levels, is there the possibility of too much post processing, where artefacts could materialize? However, I love using Lightroom and Photoshop for edits and Adjustments. I'm not into SFX photography that's why the other plugins don't work for me. That said, de-noising and sharpening are very image-dependent and sometimes specialized plugins do better than most current raw converters so there's a case for using them quite frequently. When it comes to the rest, I like doing it in a raw converter because of the completely reversible, parametric editing that doesn't make the file-size overblown, etc. I sometimes wish I had access to Clarity (which is a fairly new addition) but I can substitute the need of it with a HiRaLoAm technique combined with luminosity painting - it's a more involved process but also one which gives me more satisfaction than just pushing sliders. I bought an older version of the Topaz Bundle but I find I usually work with Topaz Detail only (for localized creative and output sharpening). And that's when plugins can help you save some time.
The problem is how current converters make selections - if you require complex local corrections then it is time to rasterize the file and work with cooked pixels. AFAIK, only three common converters belong to this elite category and they are LR (ACR), CO and ACDSee. I was just wondering whether this was okay or whether it is best to use Topaz plugins without making any adjustments in Lightroom/Photoshop, to make adjustments? I would also like to know how you guys use Topaz plugins in conjunction with Lightroom and or Photoshop?įor me the general workflow is to do as much as possible in a raw converter - that's why I like working with a converter that allows flexible local corrections. Similarly, if I use a High Pass Filter in Photoshop to sharpen a photo, and then use Topaz Detail to work on the Sharpen even more, is there a danger of Sharpening overkill too?
So if I make contrast, Saturation and Clarity adjustments in Lightroom, and then take the photo into Topaz Adjust and/or Topaz Clarity and make further changer to the Saturation, Exposure and Contrast levels, is there the possibility of too much post processing, where artefacts could materialize?
Topaz studio clarity workflow trial#
I'm currently using Adjust, Clarity, Detail, Clean, Remask & Glow as trial versions and I really like the their interfaces and I love what they can all do for my photos. For those of you who use Topaz plugins with Lightroom & or Photoshop, I was wondering what your workflow looks like?
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