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Control your Output in Capture One Pro 10

NOTE: This article discusses an outdated version of Capture One. To learn more about our latest version, click here.

Capture One Pro 10 now provides a whole new way of proofing the quality of your output. Until now, you have only been able to validate colors or zoom in and out of the image to see the quality of the file as it will appear if processed with no scaling changes.

Today’s cameras offer very high resolution. Therefore, exporting your file at maximum resolution is often unnecessary. You may want to deliver smaller JPEG files to your client for selection, or simply export images for your website.

But how do you insure your processed images have the right amount of sharpening, film grain or JPEG compression? With Recipe Proofing, new in Capture One 10, you can now view the image exactly as it will be processed, according to the selected Process Recipe.

Adjustments made to the image whilst Recipe Proofing is active are shown instantly. This means that you can deliver the exact the look and quality needed, even for a small file.

One can even see JPEG compression artifacts if processing out to JPEG.

Typically, the goal is to have as small of a JPEG file as possible, with the right quality for your need. Now, it is as straightforward as adjusting the JPEG quality slider in the Process Recipe, to immediately see the impact.

Images for Web Use

When I process images out of Capture One for the web, I still want the highest possible quality.

Before Capture One 10, I was processing out to a 50% size TIF file. Then, in Photoshop, I downsized the image to a width of typically 1600 pixels. The downsizing process actually makes the image look softer compared to the 100% view in Capture One. This is a logical consequence of downsizing. Therefore, I need to re-sharpen the file.

Finally, I save it as a JPEG file with a specific compression setting.

However, I still need to check the final, compressed JPEG quality for “ringing” artifacts and banding in smooth transitions.

Now, in Capture One 10, all these steps are made redundant by simply using the “Recipe Proofing” option.

Recipe Proofing

Recipe Proofing requires that a Process Recipe is first selected in the Process Recipe Tool. For this example, I have chosen a Process Recipe named “JPEG sRGB 1600 Pixels for web”.

The Recipe Processes to a JPEG file with Quality set to 50. The ICC Profile is sRGB and I have chosen a scaling of 1600 pixels on the long edge of the image.

Capture One 10’s new default workspace contains a shortcut on the toolbar to activate recipe proofing. A red circle above the image marks this.

Once activated, the selected image in the viewer shows a “Proofing” label (See above image).

In this mode, the viewer will display the image according to the recipe. So, now zooming to 100% means 100% of the output size. This way, I can see the file exactly as it will look when processed and I can also check the sharpness and the quality of the JPEG compression.

Output Sharpening

To compensate for lost sharpness, caused by the downsizing of the file, I could just add some more sharpening in the Sharpening tool. However, I would then need to change it again if I were to process the same image with different scaling. To deal with this issue, we have added another new Capture One 10 feature that allows you to add Output Sharping to a Recipe.

In the Adjustments tab for the selected Recipe, sharpening is set to “Output sharpening for Screen” with a Radius of 0.6 pixel and an Amount of 80. With Recipe Proofing active, dragging any of the sliders gives live feedback in the Capture One viewer. Image update speed during Recipe Proofing may be slower, as it requires more processing.

Setting the Right JPEG Compression

The following image is good to show JPEG compression artifacts as it has smooth tonale transitions as well as fine high contrast structures:

Underneath, it’s illustrated how I have zoomed in to 200% with Recipe Proofing mode activated. Normally, I recommend validating the file at 100% view, but in order to make it easier to see the differences when choosing different JPEG qualities, I use 200% view.

The image to the left uses JPEG Quality 0. In this image, the “ringing” artifacts around the antennas are obvious. The image in the middle uses Quality 50. Here, the ringing is much less noticeable. The image to the right uses Quality 100 and here no JPEG artifacts are visible.

The Process Summary Tool shows approximately how big the file will be. In the example above the file increases from 175kb to 245 kb to 1Mb. So, if you find that 50% quality works for you, then you will have a file that is four times smaller than using Quality 100. Consequently, the upload of files to a client, or Image loading on a webpage, will also be four times faster.

Film Grain

With Recipe Proofing, it has also become super easy to use Film Grain on scaled images as you can view the effect exactly as it will appear in the final image.

Recipe Proofing in Capture One 10 simply provides a much more efficient workflow with full control of the image quality whenever you need to resize images.

If you want to try out the proofing and sharpening, together with a lot other new features, you can download a free 30-day trial or visit our online software shop to upgrade, subscribe or buy a new license.

If you have any questions about the new Capture One Pro 10, please feel free to add a comment.

Niels,

The Image Quality Professor

Creating atmosphere with Color Grading

It was a cold and windy morning in Chicago, and the sun was just beginning to peak over the lake. I was more than 500 ft in the air, standing on the roof of the Hard Rock Hotel. I cleaned the sleep from my eyes while trying to decide the best angle to shoot from. I’m no stranger to heights, much of my work showcases the city of Chicago from high angles – but being on the ledge of a building 40 stories high is an unforgettable experience. I don’t often shoot the city at dawn, but have always enjoyed it when I do. It’s such a great time to take photos, as everything seems less chaotic and serene. The light on the buildings is noticeably different, and it’s a nice change from the norm.

Choice of equipment and settings

My equipment for this shoot was an XF IQ1 80MP. The lens was the Schneider Kreuznach LS 28mm f/4.5. I chose this lens because I wanted to capture the canyon of the street perfectly, and knew I needed something wide to do so. The wide angle also increases the feeling of vertigo, which worked perfectly in this scene. I wanted as little noise as possible, so I set my ISO to 35, which left me with a shutter speed of 1/40s.

Recreate your style

When it comes to grading, I tend to favor a more dramatic and emotional tone to my photos. With consistency, it gives my work a recognizable style, something that sets me apart from other photographers. In this blog post, I’ll show you three different variations of the same photo, and the steps to recreate it on your own.

Version 1: Deep and dramatic

In the first example, we’ll make the photo appear a little more dramatic with deep creamy shadows and neutral mid tones. This will be done by using Curve adjustments and the Color Balance Tool. Small adjustments to both can have a profound result to your photos. The photo straight out of the camera is a little green, and the first thing I want to do is to correct the white balance. I tend to edit my work on the cooler side, but it’s more of a personal preference than being technically accurate.

As you can see from my adjustments, I’ve made very minor changes using the Color Balance Tool, yet it has a nice effect on the colors of the photo. Perhaps the most important adjustment here is the shadows, which give a nice cool hue, combined with the Curve adjustments. I’ve also desaturated the blues in order to give the buildings a silver/grey look.

Creating a variation of a photo is an easy way to compare different edits of the same photo without losing your settings. To do this, simply right click the photo and select “New Variant” for a completely fresh variant without adjustments. Also, you can “Clone Variant” to make a variant copying the adjustments from the photo.

Version 2: Bright and clear

My next edit is similar, but with no adjustments to the exposure curve. By comparing this with the first picture, you can see how big a difference curves can have. I’ve also recovered the shadows and highlights to even out the exposure. After also cooling the White Balance down, I desaturated the blues a bit to give the buildings a grey/silver look.

Comparing this edit with the original and first edited version, everything seems brighter. The mood of the photo is less dramatic, and has more of a natural feel to the image. The buildings no longer emerge from the shadows of the streets, but are more pronounced and clearer. This image represents more closely to what the scene looked like that morning.

Version 3: Black & White

Lastly, let’s look into the Black and White tool built into Capture One. I kept the cooler White balance settings from the previous two photos, and then dropped the blues a little in the color sensitivity settings. This gives the photo a little more contrast. Moreover, I gave the shadows a slight blue hue under split tones to give the photo a little bit of a silver look to it. I’ve also copied the exposure curve adjustments from the first photo to again give the shadows a milky look to them.

Color versus B&W atmosphere

Choosing to edit in B&W is a choice that some photographers often struggle with. The most common question is: “When is it appropriate to do so?” Depending on who you talk to, the answer will vary to great lengths, but I always say that it depends on how the photographer views the scene. Personally, I think it provokes a different feel and mood altogether. The image, to me, is less distracting and more serene. It feels less busy. It’s hard to pull off B&W in architectural photography, but I think it works for this image.

The importance of Color Grading

Coloring your images can sometimes be an intimidating process. In a world where expensive filters and presets are becoming the norm, people seem to spend less time learning the tools at their disposal. Understanding how all of these tools fit together and change your images is almost an art in itself. Sometimes, you become a photographer and a painter at the same time, taking something straight from the camera and creating a whole new perspective on an image just through color grading it.

I hope you learned at least where to begin coloring your images, and explore other possibilities by putting your own spin on it. If you want to explore more of my work, you can visit my website.

Feel free to let me know which of the three versions fits your style the best, or maybe you have another suggestion?

Capture One Pro in the fashion industry

NOTE: This article discusses an outdated version of Capture One. To learn more about our latest version, click here.

My name is Nicklas Ingemann, and I’m a Danish fashion photographer located in Copenhagen.

One of the most important factors in my setup and workflow is flexibility. In my opinion, you need to be aware of what’s happening around you, and to be able to deal with fast changes. This is especially the case when you shoot fashion. You never know when tendencies switch or when the client wants to develop a new look. Moreover, you, as a photographer, evolve and move in new directions from time to time.

For this reason, I don’t own a studio. Instead, I rent studio, lighting gear and camera equipment from each production, to effectively match the client’s exact needs.

A focused but simplified shooting process

One of my most important tools is Capture One Pro. I always shoot tethered and it helps me to focus and concentrate on what’s important. As my lighting setups often get a bit advanced when the process advances, it’s very important for me to do a step-by-step buildup. When doing so, I can see the character of each light in each image.

When shooting with the Phase One XF Camera System, the built-in Profoto Air Tool makes it easy to adjust the power of every light or to control the model light. You or your assistant don’t need to struggle going from generator to generator when everything is available on the camera itself.

Shooting with a dual-screen setup

When I’m shooting, I always use a dual-screen setup. Sometimes, I include an iPad running Capture Pilot for extra reviewing possibilities during the shoot. I have two main reasons for using a dual-screen setup:

My assistant can keep an eye on the sharpness and exposure on the laptop and make sure everything is as it should be.
The client and the rest of the team can follow the images and details on a bigger monitor.

Usually, the iPad is only for me. I attach it to a small roller stand next to me, and use it as an extra, wireless reviewing option.

In the creative business, an important aspect about shooting tethered into Capture One is that you can grade the images during the shoot. The same look is instantly applied to every image, which effectively shows the client something close to the final result.

As a professional photographer, it provides endless joy when the client is excited about the images while still in the creative process. This Capture One factor is absolutely priceless, and it helps me bring my images to the highest level.

Few limitations, medium format, high quality

Speed and reliability are also important factors when shooting tethered. No one on set wants to wait a second or two for every image to appear on the screen, or even worse – suddenly lose the tethered connection.

Besides the Phase One equipment, I shoot with both Canon and Nikon. However, nothing beats the image transfer speed of the new Phase One XF IQ3 100MP Camera System. I was in love from the first time using it. Even though the files are 2-3 times bigger than those from Canon and Nikon, and the native depth is 16-bit, the transfer speed is still much faster and close to being instant.

When I talk to other photographers about shooting medium format, they often complain about the camera system being too slow and bulky. My experience with the XF 100MP Camera System is quite different. I find it fast enough to not limit me technically during my shoot. Also, the files exceed everything I could hope for when reviewing them in Capture One. If a client demands the highest quality available, that is my go-to setup.

That’s it for now. Underneath, you can find some of the final results from this shoot.

Feel free to let me know if you have any comments or questions.

Customize your workflow in Capture One Pro

NOTE: This article discusses an outdated version of Capture One. To learn more about our latest version, click here.

We’ve all heard it said, and we know it to be true; No two workflows are alike.

Photography is a craft and, like every craftsman (or craftswoman), it’s essential for continued success and continued growth to find an efficient way of working that suites your specific needs. Luckily, Capture One Pro offers seemingly endless possibilities to mold its tools to fit your needs.

Now, it should go without saying that I’m absolutely 100% biased. I work with Capture One every day and Phase One puts food on my table. But, if you knew me, I think it would be fair to say that I’m a rather straight to the point kind of guy. So, with that said, you can take my personal approach to Capture One with a grain of salt. I’m no way saying that I use it the best way, but over the years I’ve certainly found a workflow that fits best for me and my needs. I would hope only that in sharing that workflow you can find a tip or two that will help you to make Capture One uniquely your own and, to use an obscure parlance, fit better in your hand.

Fit to purpose workflow

With my position at Phase One, I find myself traveling quite a bit. Therefore, I need a workflow and workspace that accommodates remote operation. It needs to be efficient and rather complete as when I get back from traveling, there’s little (if any) time for me to properly sit down and continue editing my images. Capture One offers the complete package and allows the flexibility I need. To the uninitiated, I’ve heard it said that Capture One can seem rather intimidating at first glance. This intimidation needs to be neutralized so you can go on with being a creative photographer.

Simplifying

My workflow requirements are simple. Capture One needs to efficiently fit on a laptop, primarily use left hand shortcuts, and have a workspace that flows logically from left to right. My workspace and workflow are just that.

I start by removing plenty, leaving only the tools I need. Then, I’m retrofitting existing, or building new, Tool Tabs to reflect the tools I use most. I do away with all the tethered workflow Tools and Tabs as well as some of the supporting peripherals for professional on-set photo techs (See screenshot below). This is all I need, since it’s just me out there in the brave bold world.

I use Catalogs, which a keen-eyed observer notices. This is certainly not the norm with Capture One’s quick and simplified Session workflow. However, they’re a perfect solution for my needs of organization and constant backup/sync requirements when I return from traveling. I simply do a backup of the RAW files along with the catalog after every trip, and I’m all set. This also helps me to edit on the road, whether I do it from a cramped coach seat on my return flight or a crowded airport waiting area. There’s no need to have a mess of external cables and hard drives, or a few hundred GB’s of RAW files choking up my limited laptop space. Just one small catalog affords me the ability to edit nearly all aspects of the image, no matter where I am. Whenever I arrive home, I can easily backup those edits.

So, the setup is quite simple but not too simple. I have a large Viewer on white with none of the labeling or crowded tool bars. Immediately, I do away with everything I don’t need. A large proof margin surrounds my image, which ensures me that a tool or menus proximity doesn’t inhibit my cropping and composition. Moreover, I use a white background to ensure I don’t fall victim to images that are too dark and contrast-y. This is rather common when working only on a laptop.

Fast and simple Importing and Browsing

You may also notice a few things missing which you assume as necessary.

The Browser and Import Icon, just to explain a few, are not part of my primary workflow. Sure, I use the Browser, but that’s only to initially find and rate the images I wish to edit. That takes me 10 minutes and then I quickly hide it, which gives me sufficient space to edit the images (CMD+B).

When I import images too, I don’t need an icon to help me do that. In fact, I don’t use any Import command. Instead, I transfer my images from the CF card to the desired folder with Finder or Windows Explorer (yes I use both Mac and PC). Then I use the Right Click option to Sync a folder within the Catalog. It’s faster, it’s simpler and it requires far less clicking about with the Mouse I often don’t have with me.

Left to Right Workflow

So, the initial steps of my workflow post capture are simple; Transfer images from CF card to local HD folder via Finder, Add and Synchronize the folder in Capture One. Next, I browse the images and star rate those I wish to edit, hide the browser and get to work.

I never leave Capture One’s main Viewer window and I never have to slow down my workflow with the tedious clicking of small dropdown menus and “OK” buttons. Just to reiterate, my workflow requirements centralize around a single laptop with the use of a mouse rather infrequently. So, the more I can keep the actions based on Left Hand keyboard shortcuts (Copy, Paste, Right Click, etc.) the more efficient I’ll be.

With my images synchronized to the catalog and a few selects ready to go, I start by working Left to Right across my tool tab. First, I Filter by Star Rating to limit access only the images I wish to edit. With my Browser hidden however, to get from one image to the next, or previous, I’ve edited my Keyboard shortcuts to fit my Left hand. Now, Select Next and Select Previous helps you to respectively archive with CMD+1 and CMD+2. Why my left hand? Well, with that hand stationary on the Keyboard, and my right hand on the trackpad, I want to ensure every action I need to make can be achieved without moving or swapping those hand positions.

This philosophy is also reflected in how I copy and paste adjustments from one image to the next. Why do I use something different from Capture One? Well, the typical CMD+C and CMD+V is not possible in Capture One. However, another simple shortcut is: If you add SHIFT into the mix you easily have the ability to SHIFT+CMD+C to copy adjustments from one image and SHIFT+CMD+V to paste onto the next. Once again I don’t move or use my trackpad, I just click a few times on the keyboard.

Once I find an image I want to begin with, my very first step is to ensure Base Characteristics is properly set for the content. What is Base Characteristics? It’s crucial. It’s the primary settings in which all other tools will reference.

Set the base

When I shoot, I always expose to the right to ensure I get the most out of my Dynamic Range. With the IQ3’s Highlight Clip Warning tool I get consistent, accurate, and exquisite results. The resulting file is quite rich in highlights and you often see it as “High Key”, depending on the subject. That’s why proper control of the Base Characteristics is so important. First, using the correct ICC profile for the subject, in my case it’s almost always Outdoor Daylight, and then selecting the responsible curve of that ICC profile for the subject. As I’m often shooting with substantial Highlight information, selecting something like the Linear Response Curve is the difference between uniform/boring highlights across the board and dynamic subtle highlights where they belong.

It’s worth noting that if you select this, it requires more fine-tuning on your end. But, let’s face it, you didn’t start using Capture One so it could do all the work like an Instagram filter. You want to be in creative control and rest assured you certainly are. It’s also important to note that if you don’t expose ALL the way to the right when you capture the image, something like Linear Response isn’t likely to do you any favors. It flattens the image and can result in under exposed images if you’re not prepared for it.

White Balance and Exposure Tab

Now it’s onto White Balance. A perfect White Balance isn’t something you’re going to get first try – at least I don’t. But before you move forward with proper reference for the rest of the edits, it’s important to get a starting point. Again, using just my left hand on the Keyboard, a quick press of the W key and I have my white balance eye dropper. Click a neutral point in the image and you’re good to go.

From there, it’s onto Exposure Tab. I’ve skipped over one my custom tabs but we’ll get back to that in a moment. This tool tab is where the magic happens. With the result of my previous Base Characteristic adjustments, we can now bring a dull image to life with just a few simple tools.

You might notice that my standard Exposure Tool is collapsed and I have two Curves present. This is due to three reasons:

I avoid the Exposure Tool at all costs and only need it if I exposed incorrectly on capture.
Having a curve dedicated to RBG and another to Luma provides a quick and easy mix of the two. No need for tedious clicking, collapsing, switching, etc.
Having two curves just looks sexy.

I first adjust my High Dynamic Range sliders to ensure all the detail is well within the histogram. (Pro tip, if the highlight and shadow are approximately the same value, things tend to look more natural). I adjust my Levels tool to make my input values (on the bottom) the most efficient, and then I get to work with a contrast curve on my RGB Curve tool and a bit of “exposure” control on my Luma Curve tool.

Making Color Balance sexy

So far, we’ve made five adjustments and the bulk of the image is more/less done.

It’s at this point that I go back to that customized tool tab we skipped earlier. Yes, this goes against my ‘working Left to Right preaching’s’. However, as it’s a more detail oriented color control, I often toggle between the previous White Balance adjustment, this customized Color Balance tool and then some fine tuning of the curves once again. The back and forth isn’t efficient, sure, but the delicate control of the results is worth the tradeoff.

This custom tool tab is for the Color Balance. I’ve added the tool three times, with each of the independent options for Highlight, Shadow and Midtone dedicated to their own tool. Again, this eliminates the tedious back and forth clicking with my trackpad. Instead, I have a big target to select and can fine tune with ease between the three. The color gets a boost if I need to separate them ever so slightly, and I can even add contrast into the image in these tools as well. Once again, it’s pretty sexy.

A small sum-up

Just to summarize up until now…

First of all, I have limited my shortcuts to show/hide the browser or select an image. Second of all, i have made my tool use minimal but controlled. Third of all, I have set the contrast, luminance and color to use the most dynamic tools, in favor of the simplified sliders that would achieve a similar, yet less controllable, end result.

The only other tools I’ve used, but not explicitly mentioned, is the cursor options. For example, the Hand Cursor that allows me to quickly double-click to 100% on the image and check how I’m effecting the details. Again, a simple keyboard shortcut with H and you’ve got it.

From here, my workflow basically just repeats itself with the use of Local Adjustments. You’ll notice that the Local Adjustment tool has been simplified to mirror the setup of the other tool tabs. I’ve collapsed the tools I might use but rarely do, and featured two curves to easily access and control the contrast and luminosity of the local adjustment. In this case, I’ve adjusted the floor through a gradient mask using only curves. This gave me more contrast and cleared up some of the dull finish of the floor. This is certainly something that the Clarity tool could accomplish, but again, with less precision that I’m able to attain from curves.

Working with details

After my bulk adjustments and fine tuning with Local Adjustments, I get into the detail work, which is found in my modified Lens Tool Tab and Detail Tool Tab. In my Workspace I’ve combined the Crop Tool and Lens tool as I find them to be completely related.

Making adjustments to the rotation, crop, keystone, sharpening, etc., are really my final touches. If there was a glaring need for those adjustments in the beginning, I may start with them. But, if I’ve done my due diligence in the field, they’re more of a polish adjustment than a primary one. As an example, now that I’m fortunate enough to shoot with the XF IQ3 100MP system, I often find myself fine tuning and turning down the default sharpening. The amount of details that are being captured sometimes needs a bit less emphasis.

And that’s the whole Image Editing process in those tools. The remaining Tools and Tool Tabs are those which process, identify or sort the images. I have limited my Metadata Tool Tab to only metadata. This provides me access to enter the metadata I save in various user presets. My Output Tool Tab is essentially the same with some rather specific and customized Recipes. Also, I’ve finally built a custom tool tab to house my Keywords and Keyword Library tools. This is something I typically do after the thrill of editing an image is over with and I’m stuck with the pedantic task of organization.

Simple, Efficient, Effective

Backing up just a bit… When I mention the customized Recipes, it’s important for you to note just how customizable these are. As an example, each and every Recipe can have its own Sub Name and Sub Folder. This holds to the recipe itself and not the Catalog or Session. That being the case, each recipe in my workflow has its own specific destination for the processed file. Yet, I can direct the Catalog Output Location to a rather generic space, like the desktop. In this way, no matter what Catalog and recipe I’m using, the processed file will follow my customized and complex Sub Folder location, and always end up exactly where I expect it. Once this is done, it requires no tedious renaming, changing or setup for every processed file – it’s beautiful!

Notice, in the naming convention of the Sub Folder I can put actual folder names and separators in the location. If the folder exists, Capture One follows the path to save the processed file. If the folder doesn’t exist, it will be created. Simple. Efficient. Effective.

In summary, I concede whole heartedly that my workflow is not for everyone. There is an endless supply of tools and workflows in Capture One, many of which I rarely take advantage of. However, that’s the key to a successful workflow. Once you find the tools that you need to edit efficiently and effectively, the quality and consistency of your images increases drastically. Once you find a workflow that fits your needs and get comfortable with it, you can add or remove steps to improve your final image results.

Yes, I’m biased and it’s fair to say I’m a fanboy of Phase One. But, I’m also a photographer in what little free time the higher-ups at Phase One allow me to have, and I take tremendous pleasure in my love of photography. Any tool or workflow that allows you to spend more time on what you love and makes you proud of the results is priceless in today’s fast paced world. With a bit of time spent exploring the possibilities, I’m sure Capture One can fit comfortably into your workflow, providing you the opportunity to grow and improve in the craft you love.

Download my Mac Workspace

You can download the Mac workspace I’ve used to demonstrate my workflow here

It only works on Mac, as workspace files are platform dependent. To install it, follow these simple steps:

Close Capture One Pro (if open)
Open Finder
Open the ‘Go to Folder…’ dialog (CMD + Shift + G)
Insert path: ~/Library/Application Support/Capture One/
Click ‘Go’
- If you previously have created a custom workspace, go to ‘Workspaces’ folder.
- If not, create a new folder and name it ‘Workspaces’.
Copy workspace file (.plist) to this folder
Start Capture One Pro
Select the new workspace from Window -> Workspace…

That’s it for now. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Best regards,

Drew Altdoerffer