On Thu, Jun 6, 2019 at 1:55 PM David Vincent-Jones <[email protected]> wrote:
> My approach: If the exposure is 'within reason', start by applying one of > the presets; this will establish a curve based on the dynamic range of the > data. Then you can start to play with the finer points. I agree that from > the ground up filmic can be a tough nut to crack. Below the surface filmic > knows more about dynamic range than we know so relying on the presets for > the initial setting is important (IMO) > > David > On 2019-06-06 9:45 a.m., [email protected] wrote: > > Hi! > > I'm trying to use filmic instead of base curve, but I have to say: > It's not easy — which is not surprising, because I have never modified > the base curve before, so the slightest need for adjustments increases > the workload by an infinite factor, so no complaint here. > > So I'm going through a couple of images, disabling base curve and > tone curve, and try to get a pleasing result, not too far off my > original edit, with filmic. Of course, I'm not expecting exactly > identical results, because if filmic is better or more correct by > whatever standard, it should be different. > > It sometimes works, but I tend to fail miserably. > > Here's an example: Version 0 is with base curve and tone curve, > version 1 is derived from that, replacing both curves with filmic: > > filmic is an alternative to base curve, so it gets the image to a place that the artistic edits can be applied. In other words, it only replaces base curve. > > https://depot.s5k6.net/10n30MkVQWgAMWKO/ > > To me, the terracotta flowerpot seems too red, the rusted steel on the > wooden barrel looks wrong, the wood seems to loose structure, and the > whole impression is not that sunny as it was on that day. > > Adjust the middle gray luminance until the terracotta is the color you remember. > > This is not my first or only try with filmic on this picture. > Generally I fail to get the sunny impression, the rust and the wood > structure without oversaturating the terracotta. I don't even get it > in the right ballpark. > > Any hints for a general approach? Or where I've messed up in this > particular pic? > > I turn everything off, then adjust the exposure so that there is space between the histogram and the sides of the histogram window. I start filmic and adjust the middle gray until the histogram is centered or my subject is exposed correctly. Then I adjust the white and black to expand the histogram back to the edges. I then adjust the contrast, latitude, and shadow/highlight balance until I get the best look I can. If the image is really washed out, then I turn on the chrominance preservation and mess with the saturation sliders. At this point I can start doing edits with tone curve, color balance, etc.... > > Just as a note, sometimes I don't end up with a curve in the filmic curve window. One other note, sometimes base curve works better than filmic for certain images. I was shooting sports (basketball in a gym) and tried processing with filmic, but couldn't get a good looking image, IMO, until I went back to basecurve. When I shoot portraits, filmic usually is better than basecurve, but sometimes I've had to use basecurve, and other times I've used neither. > > I've read the doc [1], and I have the subtle feeling that I'm missing > something: I don't know how to transfer the technical stuff to an > artistic problem. And I've seen some videos, but I'm sorry to say > that I find them of little use. > > Cheers > Stefan > > ____________________ > [1] https://darktable.gitlab.io/doc/en/tone_group.html#filmic > > > Bill > ____________________________________________________________________________ > darktable user mailing list to unsubscribe send a mail to > [email protected] > ____________________________________________________________________________ darktable user mailing list to unsubscribe send a mail to [email protected]
