Re: Workflow and Histograms

[Todd Flashner <tflash@earthlink.net>]

> An alternative to 16bits is stacking
> adjustment layers.

This has been a topic of contention before which I would love some clarity
on.  One concept I've heard that all the adjustment layers are calculated
together and then applied as one major adjustment on the file. I've also
heard that the adjustment layers are simple applied successively to the
image from the bottom up. I believe the latter to be the case for a least
these reasons: 1) Changing the stacking order affects their affect on the
image. 2) Flattening all my adjustment layers and applying that singular
layer to my image does not look the same as when they are stacked. 3) Those
who advocate creating 8-bit adjustment layers (presumably with local
selections), and loading them onto the otherwise identical 16-bit images,
describe doing them on at a time, instead of apply a merged/flattened group.
4) I really don't think it would be possible to calculate stacked blending
options, layer masks, apply modes, etc, into one singular correction.

So, I'm of the belief that adjustment layers are protective of data in the
sense that you can tweak them around, back and forth, try different things
with them before applying them. But once they are applied, like on the way
to print, in a mode conversion, via flattening, etc., they are applied one
by one from the bottom up.

Todd Flashner

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