The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

C1pro Clarity and Structure Adjustments

TRSmith

Subscriber Member
Happy New Year! I'm going through a recent shoot and playing with the images in ways I haven't done before. A little experimentation to see if my processing habits might benefit from a fresh approach.

In the process, I've been toying with the clarity and structure sliders. I'm curious about how others use those adjustments. My first reaction is that Clarity adds contrast and structure seems to exaggerate any noise that might be in the file.

If you use them, are they helpful only in certain situations or something you apply to every image?

Thanks!
Tim
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Clarity = "local contrast" --- which basically "clarifies" (HA!) neighboring objects by increasing contrast separation between them. I use clarity pretty regularly to reduce haze in landscapes. I'll also use it to increase local contrast and separation in a flatly lit image. Note that you have options within the Clarity tool for Natural, Punch, Neutral and Classic. They vary basically in how the contrast halo falls off. My general preference is Natural, but on occasion I find one of the others does a better job with a certain image.

Structure is an adjustment to the relative contrast between objects on more of a micro level, like texture, increasing or attenuating its presence. It basically adjusts the width of the halo that the Clarity tool uses. I use structure similar to how one adds spices to their cooking -- I'm looking for the subtle changes that enhance the image to my taste. This tool could be called "presence" just as well as structure IMO...

So a long way around answering your question, but basically yes :mrgreen:





Happy New Year! I'm going through a recent shoot and playing with the images in ways I haven't done before. A little experimentation to see if my processing habits might benefit from a fresh approach.

In the process, I've been toying with the clarity and structure sliders. I'm curious about how others use those adjustments. My first reaction is that Clarity adds contrast and structure seems to exaggerate any noise that might be in the file.

If you use them, are they helpful only in certain situations or something you apply to every image?

Thanks!
Tim
 

TRSmith

Subscriber Member
Thanks Jack. You've reinforced my own theory and it does help to know that others use both to varying degrees.

My motivation in asking is because I have an assignment that will result in some very large prints (24" x 36" minimum, with at least one that's 4' x 10'-ish). I'm looking for ways to minimize noise in the final prints. I'm wondering if adding the clarity or structure adjustments might add noise at that level of enlargement.

Best,
Tim
 

fotoism

Member
Jack, would you know if Lightroom's dehazing function works in similar or different principle? The results on C1 and LR look different. TIA.
 
Top