Is it level?

[nwafan20]

Before I upload to JP, do you think this photo is level? I have been having problems with the leveling thing (I think it is because I am using a laptop on an unstable surface...)

Also, is there anything else you think can be improved?

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p75/nwafan20/MCO4-11.jpg

*image updated*

[T-Bird76]

Looks fine to me.

[nwafan20]

Ok, I will go ahead and upload. Thanks!

[nwafan20]

By the way quality is better than that, had to reinstall Photoshop, forgot to set quality to 12. Just re-saved. I will change the pic for others who wish to review.

[Mellyrose]

Matt: laptop or not, you should be able to tell if it's level....I do all of my work, aviation and not, on a laptop.

TIP: In Photoshop, hit Control + ' (<--that's an apostrophe) and it will show you a grid. If you're on a Mac (since I know you're the king of them) hit Apple + '

Hope that helps. :)

[NIKV69]

Looks pretty good, if anything it may need the smallest of CW rotation. The building to the left of the tail without looks like it may be leaning ever so slightly to the left. Check it in PS with the grid and see. Remember don't go by poles, use the horizon.

[GrummanFan]

I do all of my work, aviation and not, on a laptop.


I know that the colors on a laptop are not close to the real thing, how do you deal with that?

[Mellyrose]

Macs are different :-D


You can also calibrate.

[moose135]

I know that the colors on a laptop are not close to the real thing, how do you deal with that?

I don't know, 250+ photos on jp.net, all done on a laptop. It's all I use (and no, Mel, it's not a Mac). Never calibrated it, I just tweek it until it looks right. I will say that unless it looks a touch oversharpened on my screen, I usually end up with a "soft" rejection. I've just learned what to look for and how it should look when finished. I guess it's a Zen thing or something :D

[Mellyrose]

Yeah, honestly even when I was on my Toshiba I never really had any issues. I think it just depends on the quality of the display.

[NIKV69]

My Dell desktop is calibrated and I do all my editing on it. Comes out great and colors are pretty much dead on.

[pgengler]

I never really had any problems with color before I would calibrate my monitor (CRT), but the biggest thing I noticed is that it's generally darker. I actually find it easier to go over to a horribly uncalibrated, and much brighter, laptop to look for subtle dust spots (though now that I've been introduced to "Equalize", perhaps not so much).

[nwafan20]

Yeah, but I have it on my lap, never on a desk, so it is usually at a slight angle.

[Mellyrose]

Yes, but the grid will be on the photo Matt! You could turn the laptop sideways and it would still indicate what is straight:

http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/grid.jpg

[pgengler]

My technique for leveling is to use the "Measure" tool (it's behind the Eyedropper (in CS2, at least)). To use, mouse over one point on the horizon and click. While holding, move the mouse to another point along the horizon and release. Then go to Rotate canvas > Arbitrary, and it will have filled in the amount of rotation (and direction) required to make your line level. You can always drag the ends of the line if you missed on the first click or the release.

http://image.pgengler.net/nyca/measure_tool.png

[Mellyrose]

Yes, I do that as well...but then I check the work with the grid. You can't be 100% precise with the measure/ruler tool, and sometimes it just doesn't look right.

[pgengler]

Yes, I do that as well...but then I check the work with the grid. You can't be 100% precise with the measure/ruler tool, and sometimes it just doesn't look right.

I'll have to give that a try next time, now that I know about it.

[nwafan20]

Yeah guys,

I use the measure tool AND the grids, but Mel, do you know how to increase or decrease the amount of grid lines? It is always either too little or too many I can't make out the lines very well.

[Mellyrose]

I did notice that when I opened that photo in PS, you had your resolution set at some obscene # like 1112!!!! That will decrease your grid lines tremendously (and it's totally unnecessary to ever have a dpi that high). I fixed it by reducing the rez. Usually, if you have a photo that's 1024x683 at 300dpi, you'll get a grid similar to the one I showed in the screenshot.

[nwafan20]

Not to go off topic, but the whole res thing comfuses me. What is DPi, how do you change it, and why do you use it?

[Mellyrose]

DPI= dots per inch (dot=pixel). The higher the better quality, the lower the crappier.

72 is standard for web size images, 300 is minimum for printing.

Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dots_per_inch

[nwafan20]

So would it affect photo quality for uploading to say, Jetphotos, if I lowered it to around 300? Also, how do you change it?

[Mellyrose]

No, actually....you should never have it above 300 for anything on the web. Bigger than that and your file sizes will become gargantuan. You really don't even need to worry about changing the resolution when editing your aviatoin photos from a camera. Just crop the raw file with 1024x683 and nothing in the dpi box, and it will maintain a quality rez.

If you do find that you want/need to change it, you do that in the image size option. If you are just changing the resolution, but don't want to affect the pixel size of your image, make sure you uncheck "constrain proportions," otherwise it will resize your image.

Here is what the image size info was when I opened your original photo:
http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/dpi1.jpg

And here is what I changed it to:
http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/dpi2.jpg

[Matt Molnar]

When you "Save for Web" PS automatically reduces the image to 72dpi.

[uplander]

Aha! The battle of the straightening techniques. I find it easiest to use the Straighten tool in Capture NX, and just draw a line along a horizontal (or yes, vertical) object... like the list post (but not a palm tree :-) ) It also gives you the option to automatically trim the portions of the image that would get the background color (usually triangles in the corners).

http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/MCO4-11.jpg

[Mellyrose]

You can't always depend on poles...you should use a building if possible. You should also always cross check with the grid once you rotate.

[nwafan20]

Thanks Mel. Why did it jump from .912 to 3.413 when reducing DPI? I would think it would decrease.

[Mellyrose]

I really don't know what was going on with your photo....

But, you can change the dimensions all you want without the resolution changing, and vice versa - it will just affect the quality in either direction.

[pgengler]

Thanks Mel. Why did it jump from .912 to 3.413 when reducing DPI? I would think it would decrease.

Basically, at 1122 pixels/inch, it would take 1122 pixels to provide one inch of image, and since you only have 1024, it's .912. At 300 dpi, those same 1024 pixels are more "spaced out" and provide 3.413 inches.

[nwafan20]

Thanks for explaining.