Question...

[lambchop24]

Does everyone retouch their photos in photoshop after taking them with their digital cameras nowadays? I never have, but have started using the software now and see how it can be useful, making your photos look a lot nicer. I was just wondering if most people retouch their photos a little before posting them on this site.

[bigbad]

lambchop, you will probably find a wide range of opinions here on PBase. some people are purists and prefer their images straight from the camera, others will go for maybe a minor adjustment and a crop.

i myself think PS is fabulous and love to see what i can do. i think if i can make a good image even better, then why the heck not. other people take it even further making composite photos and/or works of art that are more works of art than photographs.

i think you have to decide what you like to do and what you want to get out of your photography. there is no right or wrong answer, and there are no rules other than the ones you impose upon yourself.

~a

[jcboyd]

Lambchop

Bigbad is correct about the number of opinions concerning altering images from the camera. I try to get all the information I can on my digital file. Because of this my images from the camera might be considered throw away by some. Normally I adjust the levels, contrast, and saturation and use unsharp mask. I think there is a fine line between tweaking an image and going to the special effects stage. I also do some of the special effects stuff and have included a new image here. The original, after adjustments was, I thought, good but by using PS I think I have created an image that is better than the original.

I know I will get in trouble for the next part but here I go. Ansel Adams, whose work I love, manipulated his images a great deal. The exposure was the first to be manipulated. Then came filters. Next, development of the film. And last, Adams was a darkroom wizard. Look at one of his most famous photos, “Moonrise” and see the various ways that he printed that negative through the years. Adams used whatever was needed, short of color, to get the image.

Just call me “Open mouth and insert foot”.

Mary

[bigbad]

excellent point about Ansel Adams, jc. Photoshop just moves the development to the computer from the darkroom.

but as long as the artist is happy with his/her work, that's the important thing.

[ukexpat]

Does everyone retouch their photos in photoshop after taking them with their digital cameras nowadays? I never have, but have started using the software now and see how it can be useful, making your photos look a lot nicer. I was just wondering if most people retouch their photos a little before posting them on this site.

I use a Canon 10D and shoot exclusively in RAW format. This means I can correct colour levels and apply USM and other PS tricks to get the best out of my images. I don't think it's a question of purist vs non-purist. As others have said we're just doing on the computer what darkroom guys have been doing for years.

[bigbad]

I don't think it's a question of purist vs non-purist. As others have said we re just doing on the computer what darkroom guys have been doing for years.

i use the word 'purist' loosely as thats really a matter of subjectivity as well. but i've heard it used in that same context in other similar discussions so thats how i used it as well.

ii agree that computer manipulation is simply a newer version of darkroom manipulation, but i have come across people who think that a "good" photographer should be able to get a "good" image out of the camera without having to edit it on the computer. though i personally think those same people like to "forget" that Ansel Adams manipulated all his images in the developing as well.

[lambchop24]

Thanks for all of your replies. I was mostly thinking about tweaking pictures there levels, contrast and the like. But, yah it kind of makes sense that people have been doing that in the darkroom for years too. And people apply filters to their cameras too. Anyways, I am glad for the responses. I am a very amature photographer and really haven't ever changed my images. But, now with the photoshop class I am taking I can see that you can make some bad images look better.

[lambchop24]

Thanks for all of your replies. I was mostly thinking about tweaking pictures there levels, contrast and the like. But, yah it kind of makes sense that people have been doing that in the darkroom for years too. And people apply filters to their cameras too. Anyways, I am glad for the responses. I am a very amature photographer and really haven't ever changed my images. But, now with the photoshop class I am taking I can see that you can make some bad images look better.