TIFF image retouching

[Delphine28449038qzt6]

Hi! 

I have a few questions about TIFF images...

If I recieve images from a photographer in TIFF format should I clarify what bit I want them in for retouching purposes? I want to make sure I am using the right color mode before I start adjusting the brightness, curves, hues etc. 

And then when i'm creating email layouts in photoshop and I drop in a TIFF image, sometimes it's blurry...why is that? and sometimes when I put a clipping mask over it it also gets blurry. i'm so confused!

[Trevor.Dennis]

Tagging @D Fosse 

[Bojan Živković]

And then when i'm creating email layouts in photoshop and I drop in a TIFF image, sometimes it's blurry...why is that? and sometimes when I put a clipping mask over it it also gets blurry. i'm so confused!

By @Delphine28449038qzt6

You are dropping images from where? Take a look at viewing magnification percentage. You should judge only when viewing at 100% (Ctrl/Cmd +1). If at 100% looks blurry then please provide us more informations and describe steps to drop images in Ps. Some screenshot of entire Ps window with panels visible (Layers panel expanded and visible) will be also useful to determine why images get blurry when using clipping mask.

[Simmer1]

Hi,

I would say ask your client as many questions as you feel you need to, it's always best to get as much info as possible before you start.

In regards to the images appearing blurry when they are dropped in, this could be due to a number of reasons. Sounds like the files may be of different resolutions. Check them by going alt + Ctrl/Cmd + I or Image> Image Size.

But its hard to advise for certain without more info and screenshots.

Thanks,

Sim

[D Fosse]

As the others said. Make sure you're not accidentally resizing, and always judge sharpness at 100%. This represents one image pixel by exactly one physical screen pixel.

A common beginner's mistake is to get lost in physical size measurements, ppi and so on. None of that is relevant for the image! An image is just pixels - so many pixels wide by so many pixels high. For screen/web, that's all you need to care about.

For print, the physical size is set later, by defining a pixel density, pixels per inch, ppi. Just make sure you have enough pixels to print at the size/pixel density needed.

If you're going to do retouching, you should have the files as 16 bits per channel. In 16 bit, you have 32768 individual values per channel. In 8 bit, you have 256 individual values per channel. You can see how 16 bit gives you much more editing headroom without inflicting damage to the data.

For (commercial) print, Adobe RGB is more or less the industry standard, it will be accepted without question everywhere. For web, sRGB IEC61966-2.1 is the standard.

[Imaginerie]

A common beginner's mistake is to get lost in physical size measurements, ppi and so on. None of that is relevant for the image! An image is just pixels - so many pixels wide by so many pixels high. For screen/web, that's all you need to care about.

Amen!

[PECourtejoie]

Bonjour, @Delphine28449038qzt6 ,

TIFF, given its weight, is not a good choice to be used inside an email, I guess that you are exporting it to another format?

But it is a very good transfer format between your Photographer and the retoucher.

Getting the raw file to perform the editing would be even better, if the Photographer is in-house (some Photographers do not want to share their raw files.)

The layout is done is Ps, but which program is used for the actual email composition?

A PNG might be a better option: it does allow transparency, and has some compression.

WEBP is gaining traction, but might not be recognized in older mail readers.

[Imaginerie]

I think @D Fosse and @PECourtejoie gave helpful answers, but I will answer - in more general terms - in my capacity as a photo retoucher.

1- TIFF is an excellent file format if you don't need the raw files. It frees you of any Photoshop version problems, although problems with old .PSDs are less and less common. I accept both, but generally give back flat TIFFs to the client (unless layered has been agreed, and generally it entails an additional charge)
2- Some photographers don't give raws for various reasons (some like to apply specific filters before letting someone else tackle the retouching proper). If you're supposed to work on grading as well as on retouching and/or the exposure isn't top notch, I would insist greatly to have the raw files (including asking them to share the Lr presets if need be). It really depends on the photographer's skills or willingness. (You can apply Lr filters presets within the ACR module in Photoshop)
3- the overwhelming number of the photos I retouch will be sent to me, worked on, and sent back in Adobe RGB. Unless they are specifically for web (shot for web, output for web) where I can receive sRGB as well, but it's quite rare.
4- TIFF can be very heavy files. I wouldn't think this is wise laying out something for using as email with large dimension TIFF (PNG would be the best), it looks overkill and Photoshop trying to resize (with possibly an inadequate interpolation method) is bound to create issues. But again, there may be reasons why you need it that way, so some further info would be helpful.