Tutorials DxO PhotoLab by the user

DxO PhotoLab Tutorials, tips & tricks
41

I took SP7pro’s absolute Auto WB, and did a 100% dodgenburn just to see if this would be near “reality”

auto%20absolute%20wb%20and%20full%20dnb
auto absolute wb and full dnb.jpg4928×3264 4.85 MB

color temp around 6319, colordeflection 3
camera setting got 4558 and 5.
big difference.
So i took over the wb numbers and did 50% sl on boot and foilage.:
DSC_0326-DxO
DSC_0326-DxO.jpg4928×3264 1.63 MB

One thing is for sure SL is far more effective.

1n2
1n2.jpg1915×1027 272 KB

I think DXO’s would be the base from where i would modify sky and sunset colors with controlpoints. fiddle a bit with exposure.

One thing: Why doesn’t DxO has this kind of “auto colorcast removal WB”
I find this Auto Absolute and Auto Natural WB modes very handy to overcome simple colorcast trouble’s and bring me to a neutralbase.

coming back to Time and Date WB calculation: bringing in the suncalender with time of sundown and horizon would give the camera a sense of colorcasting by atmosfeer due highed of sun against the horizon. (probably too much other influences to use.)

Peter

42

That is how I see it. The vignette is due to me having run the image through an effect in Nik. What I keep overlooking is the fact that in PL I can add a preset over the top of the initial preset. For some reason I have it fixed in my mind that adding the preset would replace the first one!

Thanks for the help. It is appreciated and useful.

43

Peter, great stuff. What is SB7 Pro?

The problem with this image is that it was quite late in the evening when taken so the shadows were heavy and the sky dark. Trying to stick with that means the blue cast remains. I guess the alternative is to lighten it and make it appear earlier in the evening … but that is interpretive. Nothing wrong with that of course but this image is a record of an actual event, we were there on our boat, so I lean towards a factual image (as far as possible).

44

Silkypix 7pro.
The two absolute auto Wb’s are great for neutralize colorcast. I really miss those settings in DPL
No i use them to get the numbers for manual adjustment in DPL.

Yes i understand your goal. I would go with those WB numbers and lower the SL presentage to get more darker image. And then enhance the sunglow ,orange, and balance the blue in the sky without getting blue cast over the white boot.

45

I shouldn’t even admit this but I’d totally missed the point with u-points
Now I’m up to speed thats really ramped things up a gear for me
Maybe I should read up more when the updates arrive!
Thanks Pascal

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46

Yes but are they really any different to colour range masking in Adobe and which is best (still like u-point though). My big moment was being educated re smart lighting and the spot weighting tool :slight_smile:

47

True - but, only if the overlay is a partial preset … otherwise, the subsequent preset will totally replace the previous one(s).

John M

48

Yes, lots of power with u-points … but the way they work is not obvious (it wasn’t to me, at first).

This post may help others noting Bob’s comment: Example of how u-points are applied

I found this tutorial to be helpful too; it’s referring to Control Points in Color Efex Pro … but the selection/application logic is equivalent to that used by PL’s u-points: Using Control Points in CEP.

Regards, John M

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49

Thanks John, could you explain the difference between partial and not? For instance are all those under Image > Apply Presets partials?

Colin

50

I reply for John because he helped me for theses tutorials :slight_smile:

“These are the two complete presets delivered by the software. They activate / inhibit the “technological” features of DPL. To call them back is cancel all actions made to the photo. All others self-adjustments are partial, they intervene only on certain functions.
Other complementary settings can be applied immediately …”

http://dxo.tuto.free.fr/Efficacite/Efficiency.html#B2_Lautoreglage_de_depart

Pascal

2 Likes
51

first link is restricted but the second is very interesting.:slightly_smiling_face:
reading material for this weekend.

52

Did a quick look on the link. got some questions popped up but i shal first read closely and do some tests.

Because i don’t understand ,yet, the frase partial preset in a matter of starting from the initial preset set in preferences. made by your self or not.
And a after that selected selected preset for let’s say blue sky enhancement without totally overwriting the initial settings which don’t involve enhancementsettings.

53

Thank you, Pascal - - I’ll add to your response:

Essentially, a Partial Preset is one that contains settings that pertain only to a subset of all possible settings.

For example, I created a Partial Preset that I named “ColorAccent(Vib=20 & Sat=5)” which contains ONLY settings for Vibrancy & Saturation - and, therefore, it leaves all other settings untouched.

You can create Partial Presets for yourself via the Preset Editor (available in the Elite version of PL).

Here’s Partial Preset that I mentioned above … DxO_ColorAccent(Vib=20 & Sat=5).preset (180 Bytes)

Regards, John M

1 Like
54

Why a great thread. Lots of really useful and interesting information. Thanks a million to you all.

This forum is turning into one of DxO’s great strengths :smile:

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55

Ok got behind my dpl and did a preset over preset. And the outcome is new to me.
So only the checkboxed in the blue editor line- tools in a preset in the toolset row are overwrite the one’s in image setting when applied.
Something to remember!
I checked my default genral preset and i did unatended it correct : checkbox all tools even the turned off ones. So this one is overwrite everything when applied.

Thanks for the heads up!
Now i can make little presets for sunset, blue sky ,flowercolor enhancement, and such and store them in a folder “partial presets.”

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56

Yes ! That’s the way to go … This feature is yet another example of what makes PL such a versatile tool.

John M

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57
58

Very useful indeed.
A pdf version could be convenient

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59

hi @Pieloe
Thank you for your tutorials.

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60

Hy all, just for fun, learning and exercise:

i was rereading this section and it hit me in the face, i didn’t build any partial pre-sets for WB/color control.Probably i am not experienced enough, or didn’t had the right images to create a partial pre-set as “tool”.
We where messing about in color, WB, detail, contrast, finecontrast : the “pop” so to speak. (The new colorpicker radius feature got me on this track) .

Which(messing with colors) is on it’s own a good way to train/learn to control WB/color. (essence of a natural looking image is does your brain like/“believe” what it see? Does it equal your memory of the scene?)
Then again i started to see how WB and color and colorcasting(reflection and “shine through”) lightsource effects and multilightsource effects can make your life difficult. One correction brings a new flaw and the other accentuates a not visible one before that.

So i started to think about how you can work your way through this changing path of getting the WB, the feel of a image and the colors optimised in a structured matter using DxO PL.
1 Which tools do you need and or have to your disposal?

  • WB pre-sets (Camera as shot., daylight, tungsten, shade, flash. such pre-sets)
  • color accentuation. hue, vibrance, saturation, lightness)
  • color picker for point out the grey/white and change WB.
  • blacklevel whitelevel (to manage the shadow and bright spots detail.(it’s in essences a lightness tool but no correct lightness no correct color.)
  • local adjustments : controlpoint, masks and such to selectively change a part of the image.
    2 which flow you use?
  • WB first? (and manual "fiddling until satisfied or a preset and fiddle after that?)
  • or first exposure/lightness? bringing color and detail in to the bright and dark area’s?
  • color enhancing? by special color tools as in filmpack, HSL, style-toning,

3- do we miss things at the moment?
more presets in WB selection for instance?
wider fine color controller?
Or more in the way the handling of the present tools work or not work as you like?

  • personal skills? small tutorials?

I have some things id like to change or added in this matter.
like:

  • ETTR ETTL control( whitepoint blackpoint)
  • more WB presets, and tools(automated). (like my earlier mentioned Auto Natural WB and Auto Absolute WB)
  • change preview by hoovering over pre-setlist with the mousepointer. (so you can see which is best before actual choose it by clicking)

and on the Happy scale, things i appreciate in DPL as “unique” feature:
the local adjustment toolkit. very handy and flexible if you got the hang of it.
Preset editor, (i in person, don’t use this enough.)
The auto corrections which pop in after selection.(if you want)
Clearview/smartlighting (great powerfull tools to get your desired image.)

So is it more “everything is possible if you know how to use the present tools?” or are there “holes” and gapes in the DPL toolset?

(end of rant.) :slightly_smiling_face:

Edit:( if any have : difficult lightning or difficult WB images this would be great as test image.)