How to visualize dust spots on scanned neg in PS without using ACR or LR

[Peter De Smidt]

Glad to help! Learning about viewing layers has been the biggest improvement in my PS skills over the last couple of years.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Yep, I played with it today and using additional techniques it works pretty good. Will try it out tonight on a photo I am currently still de-spotting and de-dusting. (not real words)

[Greg]

Have been restoring vintage glass plate images for our town's museum for probably the past 15 years. Few years ago even taught a college level course in image restoration. Textbook was Digital Restoration From Start to Finish by CTEIN. To be honest we only covered/used maybe 10% of the total text. Book is well worth getting. He if only for his info on cleaning up dust and scratches. I import the image into PS. Make a duplicate layer labeling it "retouching". Then simply start in the upper left hand corner and really zoom in. Retouch that part of the image then move over to the right with overlapping the first part of the image. Proceed all the way over to the right side then go down, always with some overlapping of the previous images. Zig zag back and forth across the image then always go down. I use a large WACOM and a mouse, choice is which one works best for which tool I am using. Never drink a caffeinated beverage or liquid. Always have music by Kitaro or classical music playing in the background. Definitely take a break ever half hour or so. Wearing reading glasses (for me) really relieves eye strain. Image>Adjustments>Threshold constantly go to to "enhance" the image, lots of times it indicates "very weak" spots or areas that I have overlooked. Patience is must mindset to have.

[SergeyT]

I see no value in doing the 'healing" on a separate layer. If I, by working on the base layer, made a mistake I would Ctrl-Z (undo) and try to make it right this time. The extra layer just eats the RAM when open and HDD space when saved. I never wanted nor had the need to so far, but if I ever want to see my scan with the "original' dust spots that I previously removed on my PSD I will open the original TIFF.

[Mark Sawyer]

"How to visualize dust spots..."

In large format, it's traditional to pre-visualize your dust spots...

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I see no value in doing the 'healing" on a separate layer. If I, by working on the base layer, made a mistake I would Ctrl-Z (undo) and try to make it right this time. The extra layer just eats the RAM when open and HDD space when saved. I never wanted nor had the need to so far, but if I ever want to see my scan with the "original' dust spots that I previously removed on my PSD I will open the original TIFF.

It is a non destructive edit and if I get 10 layers deep and hours into editing an image I can go back to this layer and fix something or do final dust edits etc. I have often needed that at some point. Also, if I do as you say, then if I get several layers deep into an image and find more to edit out and do that on the current layer I destructively alter image and it may prevent me from being able to go back to a previous adj. layer.

But if it works for you then I am all for it.

I just prefer to be able to go back to any point in time and change anything I want and have it work for entire image and even move sideways in time on my edits. Ctl Z just simply undoes a step and then you may have to go back to beginning undoing hours of work.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Have been restoring vintage glass plate images for our town's museum for probably the past 15 years. Few years ago even taught a college level course in image restoration. Textbook was Digital Restoration From Start to Finish by CTEIN. To be honest we only covered/used maybe 10% of the total text. Book is well worth getting. He if only for his info on cleaning up dust and scratches. I import the image into PS. Make a duplicate layer labeling it "retouching". Then simply start in the upper left hand corner and really zoom in. Retouch that part of the image then move over to the right with overlapping the first part of the image. Proceed all the way over to the right side then go down, always with some overlapping of the previous images. Zig zag back and forth across the image then always go down. I use a large WACOM and a mouse, choice is which one works best for which tool I am using. Never drink a caffeinated beverage or liquid. Always have music by Kitaro or classical music playing in the background. Definitely take a break ever half hour or so. Wearing reading glasses (for me) really relieves eye strain. Image>Adjustments>Threshold constantly go to to "enhance" the image, lots of times it indicates "very weak" spots or areas that I have overlooked. Patience is must mindset to have.

Exactly what I do. Although I listen to Metallica or have History Channel on in background. Kinda adhd.

[Alan Klein]

How do you select visualize spots? I'm using LR 6.14 purchased version.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Ckick the healing clone brush at top. Then I believe just above bottom right you will see a selection box for visualize dust or similar with a slider. Check that box and move slider to right. As for the selection below to show mask, uncheck that box so the little circles do not show. This will make the clean up easier. Also you can choose between healing and cloning I, typically use healing, sometimes I you clone.

[Alan Klein]

Ckick the healing clone brush at top. Then I believe just above bottom right you will see a selection box for visualize dust or similar with a slider. Check that box and move slider to right. As for the selection below to show mask, uncheck that box so the little circles do not show. This will make the clean up easier. Also you can choose between healing and cloning I, typically use healing, sometimes I you clone.

I don't see any selection box for visualize dust. I'm using the purchased version not the CC version.