Equalization_tutorial-mac.pdf

Power Retouche Equalization Photoshop plugin

A Photoshop plugin for advanced equalization

Most photo software comes with a primitive equalization method. Power Retouche has improved both the equalization algorithm as well as integrated

it with Power Retouche's regular retouching abilities so you can control amount of equalization as well as target equalization to lights, midtones and

darks, as well to specific colors. You can even equalize the image with a graduated effect.

Mac version is for all versions of Photoshop and Elements and all OS versions.

Windows version is for all versions of Photoshop, Elements, Fireworks, Paint Shop Pro, Corel Draw,

Illustrator and other software that supports Photoshop plug-ins. See list .

Equalization plugin - Tutorial

Benefits

of the plugin

Full control over the amount of equalization

Novel equalization methods

Adjust amount of equalization in lights, midtones and darks

Apply graduated equalization

Restrict equalization to a specific color range

Tutorial

Tutorial as pdf

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Products overview

The Equalization plugin works with these image modes (Windows and Mac)...

8 & 16 bit / channel: All image modes.

Equalization

controls

This is the Equalization plug-ins control panel (Mac). Click on

the photo or the links to the right to see the plugin at full size.

The filter has two main controls:

See Windows plugin

See Mac plugin

1. Amount of equalization

2. Two equalization modes

Download Win plug-ins

Download Mac plug-ins

Download tutorials

In addition there are sliders for controlling the retouch common

to most Power Retouche plugins.

Example -

The Equalization plug-in offers full

control over the amount of

equalization as well as the method.

The left rectangle is the original.

Power Retouche Equalization Photoshop plugin

What is equalization?

Theory

Basically equalization means that you take a look at the overall impression of the image (its histogram) and accordingly change the values of the

pixels so that there is an equal distribution of values across the entire range. For example, if a grayscale image is predominantly gray with no

highlights and deep shadows, equalizing will change the image so that there is an equal amount of shadow, midtone and highlight. It is obvious that

this in its simplicity is a crude operation that can both ruin or improve a picture. Please see examples with histograms below.

Equalization is a traditional image transformation that has not been improved upon since it's invention decades ago. Power Retouche offers a great

improvement to equalization.

Original image

PR Equalized 60%

Equalizing a color image

Examples

This example is rather dark and without contrast. As you can see from its histogram, as well as from the image itself, it is dominated by a large mass

of darkness and no real light. Equalizing will change the histogram, so there is equal amounts of the various levels.

Please compare with the example of traditional equalization to see the great improvement Power Retouche offers over the traditional method. In order

to compare, we equalized 100%, because traditional equalization offers no means of adjusting the amount. In an actual retouching situation, this

image is over-equalized and about 50% would have been appropriate. Also note that Power Retouche equalization does not posterize the histogram,

like traditional equalization always does.

Power Retouche Equalization Photoshop plugin

Original images histogram

Original image

Histogram without anti-posterization

Equalized with Power Retouche (100%)

Photographic mode. This mode usually preserves more details; observe

the small hairs on the leaf.

PR Equalized images histogram

without anti-posterization

In this case 100% equalization is too much, but for the sake of illustrating

our unique histogram, please compare to below image.

Equalized with Power Retouche (100%)

Not Photographic mode.

Power Retouche Equalization Photoshop plugin

Traditionally equalized images histogram

Equalized traditionally (Photoshop)

Equalizing a grayscale image

Equalization can produce very aesthetically pleasing results when used on grayscale images.

Simply equalizing a grayscale image at 100% will superficially produce similar results with Power Retouche as with the traditional method, but Power

Retouche will be far less posterized. Traditional equalization offers no advanced retouching options, like the ability reduce the amount or to equalize

some part of the image more then others. Below is an example of equalizing with Power Retouche graduated effect, where the lower area is more

equalized than the upper. This graduated effect produces a far more satisfying retouch as it gives great depth to the image and more variety of texture.

Original grayscale image

Original images histogram