Accuracy of Smartfix

[rodeoclown]

I've just started using Photoshop Elements 3 on my Mac and have found the accuracy of Smartfix to vary.

On outdoor shots, it does a good job of enhancing the colour and making a photo look more 'rich'.

On dark photo's, running auto fix seems to greatly over expose the photo.

Just wanting other users' opinions. Have you found this to be the case, and what do you do to correct your photo's? Do you run auto smartfix, auto levels or other things?

[willpresley]

Since taking the 21-day course offered on this site I tend to use Levels to adjust my photos -- it is somewhat automatic but in the process you use an area that is black or nearly so, an area that should be white or the brightest area, and with some maneuvering you can find the middle-grey area as well which yields some very satifying results.

I sometimes use the adjustments but never really work with smartfix.

You'd be better off using the quick fix and those sliders give you control over more aspects of your photograph.

[Spyder]

I never use the automated process, I think you get much more out of your photos if you do it manually. You'll be amazed how much better your photos can shape up compared to letting PSE3 decide what it should look like. Like Will suggested, give the levels a try then finish off your editing with some sharpening.

[Wendy]

Hi there ...

The automated fixes can only do so much ... I too tend to skip that and go onto using levels :)


Wendy

[lizawilll]

As someone who is only 2 months into this game, but working hard at it, I add my confirmation to the comments above. Six weeks ago "levels" would have evoked a "Huh?" - "How come?". :roll: Now the "Huh?" is gone. Perhaps the hardest part is resigning myself to not totally getting the 'how come' part - just that it works.

Now if I could only figure out the filters... there are soooo many of them and some don't seem to do a thing, but then, that depends upon the picture.

Liz

[Wendy]

Liz ...

The trouble with the filters is that they react so different with each image ... it all depends on the colour, size , resolution etc. I just usually try a few and see how they turn out :)


Wendy

[lizawilll]

Thank you, Wendy. Sometimes these old eyes think the owner is crazy as there just doesn't seem to be any change at all. I'd love to have two different pictures going sometime where I tried the same filter on each to see what happens - or doesn't. Right now I don't dare as I'm still working with minimal RAM (256) and this machine can really hang when you push it with Elements. I have to be sure nothing else is running when I play.

Again - thanks. The old lady hasn't quite lost her marbles, yet...

Liz

[Wendy]

Liz ...

I know the feeling ... :) :)


Wendy