Now In Production

Workflow in Lightroom

Importing to backup, all stages to post-produce and color correct a photographic project. My professional method applied to Lightroom and RAW.

Lightroom

Integrating Lightroom and Photoshop

When Lightroom falls short, and we need more tools. Why, when, and especially how, let Lightroom and Photoshop coexists.

Photoshop

Color Correction

Software are just tools. What to do with them, how and why are discipline’s topics. Learning a method is essential for success.

Color
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Interior shots retouching opinions

Simplicity, repeatability, and efficiency are the most important factors to choose how to operate in this particular field.

00:26:00 Pro Series

The three worst issues in digital imaging

The three biggest issues at the moment, that I doubt will be solved easily, or soon enough.

00:29:44 Opinioni

Adobe’s 2022 software updates

Preliminary notes about Adobe’s 2022 Photoshop, Camera RAW and Lightroom Classic’s updates, and the direction these apps are taking.

00:30:19 Opinioni

What is art direction, and what is not

We’ll start our explorations with some, good and bad, examples and some definitions.

00:32:20 Pro Series

Mac Studio, Display Studio: opinions

My thoughts about the latest Apple’s hardware line up additions, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

00:48:46 Opinioni

Apple Studio Display, preliminary considerations

Few hours untile Apple’s 8 March 2022’s keynote, let’s talk about how to update a system, with special focus on the display.

00:29:34 Opinioni

Are extensions good?

Let’s talk about the wide and rich panorama of extensions for Photoshop and their, supposes, usefulness.

00:30:32 Workflow

Let’s talk about WebP

Photoshop’s last update made available a new image format, developed to replace JPG, PNG and GIF. A worthy addition, or a useless distraction?

00:40:30 Opinioni

Travel Photographer of the Year, 2021

Some thoughts and ideas about photography and aesthetics, analyzing a popular international contest.

00:19:28 Analisi

The beginning of the end?

My thoughts about some alarming news from Canon’s DSLR division.

00:23:04 Opinioni

Ocean Art Contest, analysis

A review of the winners of a popular international underwater photography contest.

00:46:23 Analisi

Specifications VS Implementation

Differences between manufacturers data and the real usability of a tool/system, and why we should always care about the second.

00:26:11 Opinioni

Adobe’s 2021 update

Let’s talk about Adobe’s major releases for 2021, Photoshop, Lightroom Classic and Camera RAW, latest features, improvements and disappointments.

00:56:56 Opinioni

Apple’s new MacBook Pros

Apple’s new laptop, as well as two new CPUs, and a first look of what we can expect next year.

00:38:33 Opinioni

A necessary update!

The latest iPhones and a quick demo for the next website design.

00:30:55 Updates

Quantitative analysis

One of two in-depth example to define two distinct kind of analysis, using a very rare case.

00:21:26 Analisi

Art direction: subject

In the third chapter we’ll talk about the most important element in a photograph.

00:36:12 Le Basi

How to test RAW apps

Further notes about how to test and evaluate unknown RAW development applications.

00:19:26 Opinioni

Art direction: chroma

What, and how much, impact a brief analysis of the chromatic component has on the aesthetic’s decision making.

00:30:00 Le Basi

Audubon Awards, analysis

A brief discussion on a very unusual and interesting photographic contest.

00:19:27 Analisi

Art direction: structure

We’ll start this journey talking about structure and architecture of a photograph. Reading and analyzing its elements to understand value and issues.

00:47:19 Le Basi

The problem with cinematic look

A frequent question: how to replicate that look, that usually focus too much on the post-production side of things.

00:33:27 Analisi

Qualities and quantities: color variance

Finally let’s talk about the serious stuff. This is a very subtle, but very effective, quality to know and try on several images.

00:40:04 Le Basi

Consideration on global saturation

Before we move to more interesting qualities, let’s talk about saturation evaluation on a larger scale.

00:30:27 Le Basi

Qualities and quantities: luminance

The last video about color qualities in “isolation”, let’s talk about the worst tool we have in CameraRAW and Lightroom.

00:26:37 Le Basi

Qualities and quantities: hue

We’ll analyze and evaluate the practical and conceptual differences between modifying saturation and hue.

00:44:27 Le Basi

Qualities and quantities: saturation

In this video we’ll introduce a very important set of ten portraits that will helps us understand several concepts.

00:38:42 Le Basi

Qualities and quantities: chroma

Let’s start our journey in the color section on this series of videos, and move from the structure and luminosity of an image to chroma.

00:33:46 Le Basi

Qualities and quantities: detail

The last one about contrasts, this quality is, I think, the most misunderstood. Let’s try to build some guidelines.

00:23:53 Le Basi

Qualities and quantities: texture

One of the latest tools in Adobe’s RAW development, that closes a felt gap between clarity and sharpening, de facto creating a new quality.

00:27:30 Le Basi

Qualities and quantities: local contrast

A simple, but essential, quality, that we need to learn to evaluate contextually to contrast.

00:37:16 Le Basi

Qualities and quantities: contrast

Another primitive and peculiar quality. Let’s try to understand what is contrast, and why its role is so important.

00:41:36 Le Basi

Testing DxO PureRAW

How to test a new application, it’s quality, usefulness and stability. Part of a new breed of applications that would like to intermediate between the original RAW file and your favorite RAW processor.

00:53:03 Workflow

Qualities and quantities: brightness

We’ll start our journey by studying the most important, and often misunderstood, quality: brightness.

00:32:39 Le Basi

Value and meaning in photography

A quick take about photography analysis, how to dissect images trying to understand their values and qualities.

00:17:44 Opinioni

Apple April’s update

Thoughts and analysis on Apple’s latests hardware updates. The new iMac, and when it is important to update a computer.

00:38:51 Opinioni

Examples

Some real examples of computational photography, while we wait for a in depth analysis, and the pros and cons that it can introduces in our originals.

00:21:59 Opinioni

The present

We finally talk about today’s landscape, and try to understand why everyone is talking about computational photography.

00:36:35 Opinioni

What are NFTs?

A quick introduction to a very obscure, and misunderstood, topic, that could change forever how we buy and sell digital assets.

00:21:46 Opinioni

The past

Let’s start our journey into the world of computational photography analyzing the transition from the analogue system based on film, and the digital system.

00:25:30 Opinioni

The blend-if parable

Some more thoughts and explaining, about the most interesting and abandoned tools in color correction. At least by Adobe.

00:25:54 Opinioni

WNPA 2020 reading

A quick overview of the World Nature Photography Awards, what separate nature and landscape photography from the previously discussed photojournalism?

00:18:11 Analisi

Introduction

Possibly the most important section of any color correction training system. We’ll learn how to read and analyze both an original and a post-produced image.

00:00:53 Analisi

Introduction

The most important trend for photographic systems. In this series we will talk about the history, present, and future of digital photography.

00:01:52 Opinioni

Introduction

A series about one of the most efficient features to subtract in Photoshop, with opacity and masks, let’s talk about blend modes.

00:00:38 Photoshop

Greenwich astro ph of the year

How much scientific photography is cold and technical? Analysis and thoughts about the Greenwich astronomy photographer of the year.

00:20:10 Analisi

Weak edges

A desperate move, for desperate times. We will split texture and details in an image, and define its lines, to improve poor edges and noise.

00:33:16 Photoshop

2021 World Press Photo Award, Nominees reading

Thoughts and observations on the nominees’ results, close to winning one of the most popular photographic prizes in the world. To find common trends in color correction.

00:42:03 Analisi

St. Vincent set: analisys

A quick image reading, to try to understand if there is a color correction problem, and where it is.

00:07:58 Analisi

Adobe introduces the “Super resolution”

A new feature for Camera RAW was released today, let’s find out together what it is, and if it works as advertised.

00:28:38 Opinioni

How much change costs

Thoughts on upgrading and updating our workflows and procedures, in a field where we are surrounded by news and false informations.

00:42:22 Opinioni

The Aviator: final comments

Some additional comments on a very challenging image, after some unexpected messages.

00:18:40 Analisi

Analisys case study: Chocolates

Similar and at the same time different to The Steak this case study present a unique challenge in determining the correct color for multiple subjects.

00:16:37 Analisi

Analysis case study: The Steak

Thoughts and strategies about a very difficult set of challenges, unexpected both by amateurs and experts.

00:34:25 Analisi

Image analysis done wrong

Let’s talk about why image comparison, so effective for color correction, is meaningless for cameras.

00:14:22 Analisi

Developing your own style?

Where should we try understand trends about color correction, and why? Should we develop a personal style, or follow trends in our niche? Notes and reflections.

00:22:50 Analisi

Reading for trends

Notes on reading originals and post-productions to find trends in online communities and forums.

00:27:05 Analisi

Color by the Numbers: Channel blending

Thoughts, opinions, overview and examples about a procedure that is still relevant if our color correction needs to be done in Photoshop.

00:43:11 Photoshop

Analysis case study: portraits

Proposed portrait analysis, and introduction to matching procedures.

00:46:52 Analisi

Leica, a project analysis

Preliminary observation on a very unusual set of photographs that you can find, and download, at this link.

00:37:10 Analisi

How to know when to stop

Let’s talk about the most challenging topic for beginners, understanding when to stop correcting a photo.

00:23:08 Analisi

Analysis case study: Exposure

Reading and measuring originals, to deduct the correct exposure and brightness.

00:19:29 Analisi

Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” gallery reaction

Apple published, in this page, a series of downloadable images, all from latest generations iPhones. Some opinions.

00:31:23 Opinioni

Blend modes: Hue and Saturation

Two blend modes that are similar, yet very different to Luminosity and Color. Let’s see why, and how this affects their use.

00:22:46 Photoshop

Blend modes: Luminosity and Color

The two real protagonist of any Photoshop-based workflow, that empowers us to separate an intervention in luminosity and chromatic component.

00:21:41 Photoshop

Blend modes: Darken and Lighten

Two more blend modes, a bit on the weird side. Plus a difficult challenge in selecting and replacing a color.

00:28:59 Photoshop

Blend modes: Overlay

The blend mode I used the most in my colorist career, a Swiss knife that may be not as flexible as set of curves, but is for sure faster.

00:20:06 Photoshop

Blend modes: Multiply and Screen

A staple of any Photoshop based workflow, these two blend modes are between the top five most used ever.

00:24:04 Correzione

The new Capture One 21

An overview of Capture One’s latest update, and a comparison with ACR and Lr, between two very different approaches.

00:32:06 Opinioni

The future of digital photography

Reflections on the years to come, manufacturers in crisis, and brands that will explode, and how this will affect our images.

00:31:53 Opinioni

Camera RAW profiles

A topic incredibly interesting and useless for colorists. We’ll see together what Camera RAW and Lightroom profiles are, and how they works.

00:42:15 Workflow

One last opinion before Lr VS Ps

Some more thoughts about our prejudices about the differences between Lr & Ps, and why these are so difficult to overcome.

00:33:45 Opinioni

8bit VS 16bit

With profiles, one of the oldest questions around regarding workflows. Is it important at all? It could be, and we will test both to be sure.

00:35:39 Workflow

Blend modes: Difference

In the least of blend modes, Difference is the most important for analysis and testing. With numerical references the only way to gather absolute answers.

00:17:07 Analisi

The problem with marketing

Two examples of how much marketing, for better or worse, manipulates information in color correction trying to affect the choices we make about softwares.

00:33:24 Updates

Dehaze

Let’s try to understand how to analyze a tool with such an essential design, but with complex results.

00:22:07 Analisi

Apple Silicon updates

My opinions on Apple’s latest keynote, and the new Macs that sports Apple’s new M1 chip. What does this means for us, and our workflows.

00:29:19 Opinioni

Lack of contrast

While not a very common issue, it is important to be able to spot it and know how to deal with it. Also, a great chance to talk about histograms.

00:26:37 Analisi

Do we need wide gamut displays?

A very important question for someone that needs to buy a display. Let’s try to answer this question while avoiding common marketing statements.

00:24:41 Opinioni

Why do we need color management

From a simple question to the complexity of the systems we use daily. Before we even start talking about what is color management, let’s see why we need it.

00:27:59 Le Basi

Adobe’s October 2020 Update

Let’s review the latest updates in the Lightroom Classic, Camera RAW and Photoshop apps. Plus a quick introduction to artificial intelligence.

00:38:21 Opinioni

Greeneries

An important color to measure, and one that we can usually interpret. We’ll see what is its numerical range, and how much important it is in a correction.

00:33:24 Analisi

Skintones

The second most important numeric reference, after neutrals, but by far the one that can saves so many images.

00:33:04 Analisi

Marketing and compression

A strange case of an award winning image, that was incredibly bad.

00:17:46 Opinioni

The analysis

The step where this method shines: reading the scene and measure its elements to chose the best path to correct the photo.

00:36:44 Analisi

Lab advantages over RGB

Thoughts about the reasons why we need to use Lab, instead of the default RGB, if we want to use “Color by the numbers”.

00:18:01 Analisi

What are memory colors?

An interesting, almost unrelated to color correction, topic. But incredibly important to demonstrate that the “color by the numbers” works.

00:09:23 Analisi

The camera system

A list of issues that regards the camera, the lens and the sensor. Dead pixels, dust on the sensor, chromatic aberration, distortion, light falloff, moire and blooming.

00:44:42 Analisi

Introducing the Issues video series

A set of videos listing in depth all issues we can find in un-retouched images. Using multiple examples we will understand hot to spot issues, and how to get rid of them.

00:02:26 Analisi

Introduction

A quick intro about a core component of our discipline. In color correction, we need to couple relative and aesthetics, with absolute and correct. Numbers are the best foundation to achieve this.

00:14:36 Analisi

Double color cast

Examples and solution for images that presents multiple lighting sources, and multiple white balances.

00:33:50 Analisi

Background color replacement

Differences between photographies and graphics, real case study, and how to find a solution to a complex problem.

00:29:22 Case Studies

Lack of color

Let’s talk about a difficult to identify, and not that common, problem. We will try to understand when we have a lack of saturation, and why.

00:42:01 Analisi

Lack of dynamic range

One of the most overlooked issues at the analysis stage. We’ll also talk about trust, sources and marketing.

00:29:08 Analisi

Overexposure

A similar, but different, issue to underexposure. Difficult for many to evaluate, and often misidentified with lost details in the highlights.

00:33:30 Analisi

The Mosaic

Another real case study about collaborating on a weird project, with weird issues. Still in the spotlight all the aspects regarding collaborating with new clients.

00:30:50 Updates

The Statue

Brief recap of a consulting I did yesterday. Ho to solve it, and to deal with a new Client for the first time.

00:26:57 Case Studies

Underexposure

One of the most common, often on purpose, photographic mistakes. Let’s see how to classify, and the hidden challenges that lurks in the shadows.

00:40:38 Analisi

Color cast

The most basic, and common, issue we can find in almost any original. What is a color cast, and how to face it.

00:33:47 Analisi

Tool Review: Split Toning

A tool that was created with a precise goal in mind, but that can be very helpful for colorists, in specific cases.

00:22:07 Lightroom

The Fader: the best plugin for LrC

The Fader, available at this link, is an incredibly useful and effective. An extension worthy of its name.

00:20:51 Lightroom

Tool Reviews: Snapshots

A simple yet essential tool for Lightroom & Camera RAW. Let’s talk about how it works, and why this is a canary in a coal mine for colorists.

00:20:48 Lightroom

Tool Review: Hue Adjustment

An in-depth analysis of the new tool presented by Adobe in the 2020 June update. Also a few comments about the official press release you can find at this link.

00:35:14 Lightroom

Apple’s CPU migration

My point of view about the just announced Apple Mac’s line-up migration from Intel to ARM.

00:17:30 Opinioni

Adobe June 2020 Update

My opinions about Adobe’s June 2020 updates for Photoshop, Lightroom and Camera RAW.

00:31:00 Opinioni

Tool Review Trail Introduction

We will isolate the tools we have in Lightroom and Photoshop, to be able to break up our workflows to improve them. We will search for the best, most efficient and easiest to use tools to do the job.

00:02:37 Le Basi

Introducing the Sharpening trail

A few opinions and warnings about the sharpening’s history and role. Before we start learning tools and techniques.

00:15:05 Correzione

Introducing: Trails!

A new conceptual approach to Codex’s content publishing, that will arrive in the next weeks.

00:12:56 Updates

Tool Review: Calculations

A video that will disappoint many, about a tool that has no more a place in a professional workflow.

00:11:07 Photoshop

Tool Review: Apply image

A staple of the old school, one of the most used tools ever in color correction, let’s see together if it can still be useful today.

00:23:02 Photoshop

Worst mistake for a pro

In my opinion this is the worst misstep for a professional colorist, let’s see how to avoid this.

00:09:15 Pro Series

Becoming a Pro

A quick introduction to a new series of Codexes about how to become a professional.

00:17:00 Pro Series

Early 2020 Update

Some development news, and a new tool: Time Machine!

00:09:37 Updates

How do I get that style

I’ve been asked about how to replicate someone else’s style. Please note: my screencasting application failed to record audio from my mic, this is the backup, not as good, but usable.

00:31:33 Analisi

Controlling Lightroom via hardware

Introduction and analysis to three different systems to control Lightroom via physical buttons and knobs. Upsides, shortcomings, and marvels for solutions we are forced to look for from third party developers.

00:47:49 Opinioni

Case Study: an impossible Range Mask?

How to approach, a real life example, the complex removal of a shadow from a black and white.

00:17:54 Case Studies

Tool Review: White balance

The easiest, and most common tool in any RAW workflow.

00:16:11 Lightroom

Black and White in Lightroom

Strategies and tools to correct a black and white in a RAW environment.

00:36:47 Lightroom

Problem solving in Photoshop

Guidelines to solve an issue, or an unpredictable behaviour, in Photoshop or Lightroom.

00:17:19 Analisi

Tool Review: Selective Color

Another ancient tool in Photoshop, that was replaced by the new ones in Camera RAW and Lightroom. Deeply interconnected with Channel Mixer, but much easier to use and understand.

00:22:30 Photoshop

Tool Review: Channel Mixer

An almost forgotten tool, that may be still relevant for some professionals, that agree to invest time on channels.

00:32:05 Photoshop

The problem with a good original

One of the most common with good originals, what exactly should we improve?

00:14:02 Analisi

Classify an original

A simple system that can help a professional in several stages, from defining a budget to set expectations for results.

00:25:23 Analisi

Tool Review: Curves

A tool, and a philosophy, at the very core of Photoshop build and development. Plus a tiny adventure in CMYK.

00:36:21 Photoshop

Tool Review: Range Mask

An in depth analysis that focus on the best tool Adobe introduced for colorists in the last two decades.

00:45:59 Lightroom

Buying an Apple machine

My opinion on the most recommended systems for color correction professionals. Advices on how to face and plan the investment.

00:31:18 Opinioni

Understanding quality

An introduction to the problems, and solutions, to apply quality standards to our work.

00:22:45 Le Basi

Tool Review: Blend if

A complete analysis of one of the most important, and powerful, tools in Photoshop. From the basic usage t in-depth real world cases.

01:01:15 Photoshop

Roadmap: Photoshop

A quick introduction to the beginner’s video for Photoshop.

00:10:00 Photoshop

Roadmap: Lightroom

A quick introduction to the beginner’s video for Lightroom.

00:09:07 Lightroom

Roadmap: Color Correction

A quick introduction to the beginner’s video for Color Correction.

00:12:36 Correzione

Update: November & December

A quick update about the direction Color Duels will take in the coming months.

00:09:42 Updates

Developing an eye for detail

Few rules to improve how we approach a project, from both a professional and creative side.

00:33:28 Analisi

Photoshop 2020 news and Photoshop for iPad

Within Adobe MAX 2019 released a new major version of Photoshop (21.0.0), and introduced, for the first time Photoshop for iPad. “All that glitters is not gold”.

00:28:12 Photoshop

The problem with tools

Some necessary words of advice before we start listing all the numerous tools we have at our disposition, and the way they interact with each other.

00:18:12 Le Basi

Should my photos have a look?

We start talking about aesthetics and styles. When it is possible to label post-productions as “looks” and the role of photography.

00:40:57 Analisi

Introduction to quality

A necessary introduction to set the foundations to learn image analysis.

00:28:12 Analisi

Introduction to color correction

Where we start talking about the color correction discipline and the job of the colorist. Thoughts about the teaching, about the market and how these two interact with our job.

00:39:08 introduction

Working with severely underexposed images

There are common elements to all images that are excessively underexposed. But, noise is rarely the most important, or most challenging to solve. In this video we will evaluate different cases, tests, and we’ll work an image from start to end, comparing then the result with the versions from the Workshop.

00:55:39 Case Studies

Introduction to Softwares

It’s not easy to pick the first software to learn and use. In this video we’ll introduce Photoshop and Lightroom and we’ll define the differences.

00:31:43 Le Basi

Unpopular opinions on photography

My opinions and comments about the post “What Is Your Unpopular Photography Opinion? Here Are 29 From Industry Pros

00:31:48 Opinioni

The digital photography transition

By analysing analogies and differences with two other medias, books and music, we’ll evaluate how the transition to the digital system affected the way we experience photography and why it made post-production an inevitable necessity.

00:35:56 Le Basi

My Workflow for video production

A complete and detailed walkthrough about how I designed the workflow to record videos like this. From design to recording all the thoughts behind improving and refining a production experience.

00:49:55 Workflow

Workflow introduction

An introduction to the Workflow category. What, who, when, why and where to use one. Essential definitions, five rules, and five issues, to evaluate when designing or revisioning one.

00:15:08 Workflow

Backup strategies

All the info you need to sketch, execute and deploy a simple, cost-effective and efficient backup strategy. In this video we will go back to digital photography’s beginnings to evaluate how devices, softwares and formats affected how we handle files.

00:35:56 Le Basi

The Contrast Luminosity relationship

The important link between luminosity and contrast in an image

00:09:25 Le Basi

Switch colors with LAB

LAB’s unmatched advantages when we need to intervene on the chromatic component

00:16:43 Photoshop

Shadow and Highlights

A good tool to fine tune the general contrast of an image

00:10:44 Photoshop

How a Digital Image is made

A digital image genesis, and why it is important to know this data flow

00:08:59 Le Basi

Digital Imaging Introduction

A quick introduction to digital imaging and all the related terms

00:03:17 Le Basi

Some Advices

What’s Codex purpose, and how it’s different from all other video courses?
The Color Codex is a complete videocourse in development about color correction. My goal is not to teach you about softwares basics and tools. I want to help you improving your images. Photoshop doesn’t makes you photos better, you do! This course is being developed, produced, and published by me.

This little (huge) difference allows me to update, extend and swap key videos anytime I will find a better solution to achieve something, or a new software, or hardware, will came up. Finally, managing all operations, from support to publishing, I can answer to your question with a video, if necessary, in quite a short time.

How do I know the topics are of my interest?
In this page you can see the nine main categories, plus the last codexes that were published, or are being produced.

I don’t really trust crowdfundings!
I totally understand, me neither! That’s why, in any day, at any time, you can see in real time how many videos, ho many hours, their topics, I already published. And then evaluate if this is worthy for you.

Are training videos the best way to learn color correction?
No. The most efficient way is practice. This is why many years ago I created the Color Correction online Workshop. If you agree that practice is more important for you, maybe you’re right. Maybe you’re not sure, this is why I built the free trial so that it is the same for both the Codex and the Workshop. Please note: for all Workshop members the Codex is free.

I still have doubts!
Inquisitive mind! Have a spin with the trial, it is free, no credit card, it last a month. And if it is still not enough you can always write me!

Register

If you’re interested in the Codex you have to choices, to apply for the free trial, or to subscribe. The free trial allows you to watch the last six Codexes published, and to check out the Workshop.

If you think you’re ready to join, you can subscribe here. This membership doesn’t have a specific length, it will give you access until the three projects will be completed plus an extra year. It will last, in any case, at least three years, and it will not renew. The price is 99$, one time.

Reserch & Development

Evaluation, classification, and indexing of all resources. Articles, papers, and books. Topics and fields blueprinting.

2013
  • Theory
  • Practice
  • Color
  • Perception
  • Workflow

Development

Categories separation. Tools selection, begin alpha code development, systems integration. Workflow selection and simulation.

2016

Crowdfunding Stage

All tools, hardware, software and beta code ready. First three projects draft, and content production. First feedbacks evaluation.

2018

Contenut Publishing

The first of three project is completed. Re-evaluation and course-correction of all systems.

2019

Projects completion

Publishing and update of the first three projects. Definition and draft of the next three. The Codex is no complete and ready for its final stage.

2020

Codex Is Live

The Color Codex is live and its last stage. Main work now it’s to extend and update.

2021