Photoshop

[DWayne27]

So... I am relatively new to all this, but it seems to me like pretty much all of the really awesome pictures i am seeing, on this site and elsewhere, have had at least some time being touched up in some type of photoshop program. Am i wrong in assuming that or are my photography skills severly lacking?

For the first time really i was messing around with some of my pictures in a basic photoshop program that came with my camera and was able to bring out the colors a lot better than the original images. I was definitely pleased with how they are looking, but kinda feel like i am cheating. I have never done anything to my pictures before other than just cropping them. Are there any unwritten rules and what people will do in photoshop, or is it all fair game and i just need to get with the program to keep up with all these other awesome pictures?

[Redpb]

I know exactly what you mean...
Here's my feeling on it. I think it was Carpey that said something to the effect of 'it's all about what you want to present, it's your creativity' (i'll see if I can find it)
I view photoshop as another tool to use to present what we see in our mind of what the picture should be.

[asdf]

Try Adobe lightroom2, its a sick program for processing photos.

[Wild One]

I also know exactly how you feel.

All the pros will always say that no amount of Photoshop (or any other photo editing software) can make up for a lack in lighting techniques and composition. I couldn't agree more. But, what many of these same "pros" don't say is that every one of their shots has some form of editing.

I look at the same way I look at writing a paper for school, or a book for that matter. I think it's totally fair game to use whatever tools you have available to you to make your work the best it can be (in your eyes of course). Think back to your English class days in school. Not only was editing papers encouraged--it was required! I remember writing a thesis proposal in college (not the thesis itself, just the proposal for approval by a committee). This one work took up the entire semester of that class and went through countless editing sessions.

It isn't cheating to use PS or Picasa or whatever you want to use because everyone is using it. You're not cheating anyone out of anything else and you're not deceiving anyone. You could also look at it in the same light as a carpenter. Why expect him to turn out excellent furniture if it is 'cheating' to use a planer or sand paper?

As Redpb said, you're just making it look more like what it looks like in your head.

[CarpeyBiggs]

Good topic.

And the answer is yes, every picture is manipulated. How far you want to take it is up to you.

For instance, in the days of film, you had a variety of options when photographing a scene. You could shoot on Velvia, use a circular polarizer, shoot on Provia, whatever. Every type of film had different characteristics.

With digital, one thing that is really cool, is YOU determine the characteristics. Sometimes you can even do it AFTER you take the photo. For people who used to use film, it's quite a change in perspective.

I shoot RAW almost all the time, and if there is a photo that didn't look quite right, I just change the parameter up a bit. I rarely do much more than a raw adjustment though, just because it takes so much time.

The other thing to consider is that alot of manipulation can occur at the same time you take the photo. By adjusting your camera's white balance, or increasing the saturation in camera, or contrast, etc...

These things have always been manipulated. In fact, Ansel Adams is probably the most well know photographer, and his ability to manipulate a scene is unparalleled. He could manipulate before the photo (perhaps adding filters, composition, exposure), he could manipulate developing the negative, and then he could manipulate the print. He was a master every step of the way.

So don't feel like you are cheating. It's safe to feel like it is way easier now then it ever was before. But it isn't cheating. It's just easier.

[DWayne27]

Thanks for the input. I guess that is what i was hoping to hear.

I have been torn on the issue lately. Most the photography i do is while canyoneering or hiking, and obviously anyone who does any of that can relate to the feeling the even the best pictures never really do it justice, so why not do whatever i can to make it as amazing as possible. I guess i can still take comfort in the fact that it takes some skill and sweat to get there and take a picture to work with

[millsclimber]

I guess i can still take comfort in the fact that it takes some skill and sweat to get there and take a picture to work with

Exactly! :2thumbs:

Plus, in my opinion it's more important to me that I like the pictures and that they reflect my memory of the experience. That's the really important thing. I doubt many of us will be looking back saying - wow that photo got 500 comments on bogley. We'll probably be sitting in our rockers wishing we could still do things - but glad we got some cool shots that bring back awesome memories.

[DWayne27]

I have been using GIMP, paint.net, photoshop elements (i think it is v. 4.0) and some other programs that came with cameras/printers.

So what types of things are people doing with photoshop. I find myself doing the same thing to any picture that i mess with. Crop what is necessary, and then just adjust saturation, contrast, brightness, etc.

What other tips do people have? There are obviously tons of things that can be done with photoshop, i just dont know where to begin

[CarpeyBiggs]

I find myself doing the same thing to any picture that i mess with. Crop what is necessary, and then just adjust saturation, contrast, brightness, etc.

That's most of it right there for most pictures. The next step would be to start blending multiple exposures, or doing localized enhancements, like brightening a flower, or darkening the sky, etc...

[DWayne27]

That's most of it right there for most pictures. The next step would be to start blending multiple exposures, or doing localized enhancements, like brightening a flower, or darkening the sky, etc...

As far as the localized enhancements- i have thought about trying that. The best way i could think of is to make a duplicate layer and then kinda do the same thing as making a black and white layer sit on top of a color layer and erase part of the black and white layer so the color shows through (if that makes sense). Is that the best way to make changes to just part of an image? I am sure it depends on the program I am using.

So- what is the purpose of blending multiple exposures... and where can i find some more information on that?

By the way- i really appreciate all the feedback!!

[rockgremlin]

I just stumbled into paint.net the other day. I must say -- very impressive for freeware!! It's like an amped up combo of paint + photoshop elements. I needed something to not only doctor up images but something I could use to paint over photos with for the Where Is It contest, and Paint.net fit the bill nicely.

[DiscGo]

Gimp is a great free alternative but if you are going to use photoshop, this is a great site for learning it better:


http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/41-nicest-photoshop-photo-effects-photoshop-tutorials/