Basic Retouching Concepts to Teach

[Sonic4Spuds]

Hi everybody,

I am probably going to help teach a photo editing class for the local 4-H group. I am looking for input on basic edition concepts that would be helpful to teach. Another person is teaching the super basics using picassa, and I will take it from there with GIMP.

If you have an idea dont worry about what program you use I can do anything I have found yet in GIMP, just need Ideas for beginners.

I am planning to teach perspective and lens correction, rotation, cropping, and light levels correction but need more ideas.

[Donald]

If you're going to be taking them into the GIMP (which is what I also use), do you not want/need to introduce them to layers, or is that a step too far at this stage for your intended audience? What about Dodge & Burn?

[Jack Hogan]

I noticed that I spend a lot of time on various types of contrast adjustments: global (levels and curves), local (clarity), micro (sharpening).

[Sonic4Spuds]

Thanks for the ideas.

If I need to explain layers for one of my other topics I will explain it, otherwise I will stay away from it for now. I may end up teaching a follow up class and would probably teach it there.

The contrast/color adjustments are a good idea. I will teach use of levels and HSV adjust. Also I think sharpening, especially with unsharp mask as that is the most powerful built in method.

[Gingerbaker]

Might I recommend that you emphasize to the folks how to use the individual channels in Levels to tweak the white balance of their shots, if you are not planning to do so already? Beginners likely don't have access to RAW PP, and are pretty clueless in general about setting jpg white balance on their cameras, so they will be running into a lot of yellow incandescent indoor pictures.

[inkista]

Just me, but I'd also advocate, if you think they've "got" Levels, teaching Curves, because one builds on the other. After you've learned to set black, white, and midtone points in Levels, the idea of having adjustment points wherever you want in the dynamic range in Curves can make for fun times.

Also white balancing with the eyedropper.

Maybe black and white conversion with the Channel Mixer?

[NigelD]

There are so many programmes and magazines and information around on the net that the whole process is confusing for some people. One approach might be to go down the workflow route from capture in the camera to either publishing on the net or printing a picture and how best to manage the steps in between. To start with a basic order of doing things like what you do first and what to leave till last and to set up your own workflow so you get used to practising how to manage the process. One book that helped me in this was the 7 point system by Scott Kelby. Maybe worth a look.

[Sonic4Spuds]

Thanks for all the replies. Some great suggestions, but as I only have 10-15 minutes for the current presentation, I will be going very basic.

The more advanced concepts will be used in a later workshop or in individual follow up.

Also I am looking forward to GIMP 2.8 As many new features are being added. Announcement on www.gimp.org

-Sonic

[wilgk]

In a workshop I attended - these were the 'basics' advised by this particular Tutor....

• Levels
• Hue/Saturation
• Selective Colour
• Curves
• Brightness/Contrast
• Sharpen

I'm not saying this is right/wrong of course but this is an example as given to me as a student...

[Peter Ryan]

One thing that most photographers need to know is straightening horizons and amending perspective distortions.