LaserSoft Imaging

I have been using SF for 3 years now and enjoy working with this great program.

Being one who believes there is always room for self improvement makes me wonder if I am using certain SF features as efficiently as I can or as other users are?

As soon as each of us bring our transparency images into SF,... One of the first steps we do prior to using the correction tools is to "Select an Image Type'.....Standard,..Landscape.... Skin Tones,..... and so on.

In th SF manual I have read the charachteristic influences for each of the 'Image Type" choices given.
I have often wondered what cryteria others use to make this same visual judgement call. By the manual,... or otherwise?,......

I was taught to look for highlight and shadow detail first and at color secondly,...(but color is what we correct anyway) ....so I adapted to what felt comfortable over time. It's nice to think I am doing it correctly,....but sometimes the obvious is not obvious. A little tweaking ones technique can make a big difference.

So I am asking for others to comment and share thier thoughts with me and other forum members,...thier decision process when making their selection of 'Image Type" in SF.

The open exchange of information in this forum is a great learning tool we all benefit from. As a new member here for not even a week I have already gained much and felt welcome by others responding to my postings.

Thank you

Marty

dear MartyS
Using "Select an Image Type'.....Standard,..Landscape.... Skin Tones,..... is for " SilverFast beginners "

Please watch our SilverFast movies:
http://www.silverfast.com/highlights/movies/en.html

and look at our online tutorials:
http://www.silverfast.com/show/sf-onlin ... ws/en.html

there you will find a lot of good information

regards

Christoph

Hello Christoph,
Thank you for forwarding the video tutorials, I was unaware they existed at the SF website.
Most importantly,.... I did not know the "Select Image Type" options were for beginners,..and not first applied and required to begin the correction process,.....I thought they were a starting point for all users,..a manditory begining before going ahead and using your various tool corrections (Histogram, selective color, curves, global color ect...)
I have not looked through all the videos yet,...but from what I have seen so far it appears that my subsiquent use of the tools appears to be correct.

I have figured out how to use the "ZoomIn feature' to access close up details in my prescan images,...especially to make various tool color corrections inside this zoom window and then zoom out and apply the changes to the overall image, once I am sure the entire image benifits from the zoomed detail color work. It is superb,... once you know how to do it.

I am always looking and working to further my understanding and application of SilverFasts great interface tools. My technique is constantly improving as I work with through hundreds of images for use in a magazine we publish quarterly.

The Forum is a wealth of information and stimulation,...learning from all the sharing from members world wide. I have learned as in life that we all do th same things,.....differently!

I have been unable to find concise technique methods on using a few of the inner components within the tools,. ..even after reading the SF manual and the new SF Official Guide publication I purchased. Some I have figured out via the forum or on my own . Not a complaint, just something to work through as with many softwares.

I thank you very, very much Christoph,....I will view each and every video tutorial you have brought to my attention and pay attention to the techniques described so as to yet improve my technique even further.

Best regards

Marty S