Should most or all pictures posted here be run through photoshop, or is it okay to just stick what the camera sees for the most part or even all the time (how's that for a run-on, convoluted sentence)?
I'd love to get to the point where I can take the photo I want in the camera without any help, but sometimes there are things that you just can't do without software editing. I often find myself tweaking a photo to bridge the gap between what my mind sees and what the camera is capable of. However, most of the time I just have a cool subject but no vision and so tinker with Photoshop until something takes my fancy - certainly not the preferred method but it works...sometimes.
Oh god! I just remembered an argument I had with a friend last year who was adamant that if you had to adjust the photo at all then it just wasn't photography!
I tried the argument that almost all of photoshops tools are based on darkroom techniques but he just wasn't convinced - I think his problem was that it was just too easy :)
I think Richard described it perfectly!
If you are fine with the photo, post it.
If your outcome was different than your creative mind, feel free to play.
Photography is about expression, interpretation, and vision...
at the end of the day the only person's opinion that matters is yours. this is your project, your pictures, your life. If you want to edit, do so. If you don't, don't. :) Just have fun with it and do what makes you happy!!!
First of all I dont buy the argument that if you photoshop your pic that its not photography. Even Ansel Adams manipulated his photos via dodging and burning. So if you have to tweak it a little bit I see nothing wrong with it. But thats just me.
I think it all depends, there is no right or wrong answer for that. It's your photo, you can do whatever you like to make you happy. Me personally, sometimes I use photoshop, sometimes I don't. The only thing I don't do is: staging. But again, that's just my personal perference, there are plenty of great photos that are staged yet amazing!
i was going to try not to use PS but then thought that i wanted to use this project to increase my creativity and using PS is partr of that, so will be using it not only for tweaks but for remixes too 1st one done this week http://365project.org/rg37/365/2010-02-03
I have photoshop and am pretty good on it but for this I post them as is, but thats just my personal preference. I enjoy trying to see what effects I can get with just my camera and I hope to improve my photography skills with this~ Plus for me this is also a challenge to test my creativity just using my surroundings.
It's up to you with what you want to get out of this process =)
Photoshop is a substitute darkroom (supermax!)... and I use it liberally on some images and don't use it at all on others. I worked with film, learned with film, developed and printed all my film (color, bw,both) and use photoshop as I used the darkroom. I also worked as a re-toucher on actual photos and film... made masks for slides so they could be printed well.. it's all there and for your use.
At the very least, clean up the scan... get rid of fuzz and other debris on the neg. :D Also photos being put up on the internet take a little different handling so it's good to know how to manage those too.
i wish i knew how to photoshop!!
i remember trying once, and it was just way over my head!
but then again, vanity is really the only reason i want to be able to photoshop - it'd be awesome to see myself with flawless skin and maybe i could get a sneak preview at what my tattoos will look like once finished!!
I think either using Photoshop or not depends on what you're trying to say with the picture. If you need some editing after the photo shoot to communicate your message, then go with it. If you think the photo output is already perfect, then go with that. There is no right and wrong here.
I shoot in RAW and use the Digital Photo Professor to enhance or correct almost all my images..I like high contrast photos. when i do feel the need to add textures or correct something i don't hesitate(though i use paint.net). there are some photos that i will leave as is, though.
As-is. To me Photoshop takes the skill out of photography. I remember learning to shot film in B/W and having to mess around with color filters and getting it right the first time.
Try going back to film for a week, and see if your pictures are as good as their digital counterparts. Film forces you to be careful with your pictures, as you only have 36 shots to get all the pictures you want, and you can't instantly view them to see if it worked out.
I see both sides of the argument and comply with both sides. I have tried to improve my photography by not adjusting much. My usual adjustments are to desaturate (B/W) and enhance contrast. Sometimes I increase/decrease tonal adjustments and sharpness, but beyond that, I don't believe photography is building a photo in some software.
Ansel Adams never had Photoshop, but the darkroom techniques used in film can enhance a truly dull photograph.
I like to experiment a bit with PP, but only the basics in Lightroom and perhaps a little cropping. Generally what comes out of the camera is 80%-85% ready for me.
all my shots so far have been "as is"....right now i don't have photoshop....even if i did, i would prolly just do minor editing like cropping or something....
I think you can do whatever you want in this matter, if you feel like posting the unedited image, you do so :) We all have our styles and touches. I use photoshop when editing photos, and I love it. I like to make the photos even more "me" :D
While photoshop does its job, I believe that natural photographs are the best. Although I must say, those who uses it amazingly with good photography composition are some of the most beautiful I've seen. But it's not as natural as the real thing.
It completely depends on your personal preferences. I know some people that are quite adamant that it's not photography if the photo is subjected to a lot of post processing, but photography for me is the whole package - taking the shot and post processing.
More often than not, I'll just use Photoshop for a contrast nudge, but I'm certainly not shy of all out processing!
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of course, the more you practice in photoshop, the more you will learn!
but it's certainly not required!!!
:)
There are some photos that I absolutely love as is and then there are some photos that just need a little tweak here and there...you know?
In the end I guess it doesn't really matter. Do whichever makes you feel good:)
I tried the argument that almost all of photoshops tools are based on darkroom techniques but he just wasn't convinced - I think his problem was that it was just too easy :)
If you are fine with the photo, post it.
If your outcome was different than your creative mind, feel free to play.
Photography is about expression, interpretation, and vision...
I think it depends on the person, I'm personally not a fan of it, but others are :)
It's up to you with what you want to get out of this process =)
At the very least, clean up the scan... get rid of fuzz and other debris on the neg. :D Also photos being put up on the internet take a little different handling so it's good to know how to manage those too.
i remember trying once, and it was just way over my head!
but then again, vanity is really the only reason i want to be able to photoshop - it'd be awesome to see myself with flawless skin and maybe i could get a sneak preview at what my tattoos will look like once finished!!
it just depends on your style.
Try going back to film for a week, and see if your pictures are as good as their digital counterparts. Film forces you to be careful with your pictures, as you only have 36 shots to get all the pictures you want, and you can't instantly view them to see if it worked out.
I see both sides of the argument and comply with both sides. I have tried to improve my photography by not adjusting much. My usual adjustments are to desaturate (B/W) and enhance contrast. Sometimes I increase/decrease tonal adjustments and sharpness, but beyond that, I don't believe photography is building a photo in some software.
Ansel Adams never had Photoshop, but the darkroom techniques used in film can enhance a truly dull photograph.
More often than not, I'll just use Photoshop for a contrast nudge, but I'm certainly not shy of all out processing!