The PhotoShop Process

[robhoffman]

I first started using PhotoShop because a professional photographer that I look up to told me that there is no shame in editing your pictures, and even Ansel Adams said, "The film is just the score; the print is your performance."

The photographer told me, "Be bold. Experiement. Go for it!" and so, here is my progression, and finally, me going for it.

Please tell me what you think.









http://www.pbase.com/robhoffman

[bobt54]

And Ansel Adams didn't have Photoshop either and look what he did. The fact is that everything you did here, could have been done in the darkroom. Your photographer friend was right. There is no shame in editing your pictures. I am curious. Why did you originally think that there was?

Whether you do your work, behind the lense, in the darkroom or behind the keyboard should make no difference. It's the image you create in the end that counts. Why shouldn't we use all the tools at our disposal to create our photographs?

If you want to join other people who are not ashamed of editing their photographs, join this forum:

http://www.innographx.com/forum/index.php

PS. I adjust every single one of my images for at least color, clarity and contrast before I post them.

[ukexpat]

And Ansel Adams didn't have Photoshop either and look what he did. The fact is that everything you did here, could have been done in the darkroom. Your photographer friend was right. There is no shame in editing your pictures. I am curious. Why did you originally think that there was?

Whether you do your work, behind the lense, in the darkroom or behind the keyboard should make no difference. It's the image you create in the end that counts. Why shouldn't we use all the tools at our disposal to create our photographs?

If you want to join other people who are not ashamed of editing their photographs, join this forum:

http://www.innographx.com/forum/index.php

PS. I adjust every single one of my images for at least color, clarity and contrast before I post them.

There is absolutely no shame in editing digital images. In fact if you shoot in RAW it is pretty much a necessity.

[jypsee]

I've done my own darkroom work for years and not one photo was EVER printed "as is." I always cropped, dodged, burned, heightened contrast....you name it. I do the same with my digital negatives...
You've maybe been reading too much of that Washington Post nutcase (Von Riper)who thinks PS will ruin "real" photos by making truth suspect.

jypsee in MI
http://www.pbase.com/jypsee/root

[matiasasun]

But of course we need to process our images. Maybe we have not realized that the cameras will give us an infite series of 1 and 0... That´s what the camera really "produce". In deed, those "purist" will probably have to argue that the people that need glasses does not see "the real deal". Discuss can go pretty far if we get really purist on these subjects.

As for me I think that it is a personal choice. A few weeks ago a girl decided to create his own gallery in 30 minutes (and it reach the top of populars). Some other that I have talk to say that "pictures are taken with the camera" (no fixing allowed)... and some of them have the most beautiful images here. I decided that reality is no enough so a lot of my pictures are complete modified. Glynndesmond is a real master in post production, and have developed his own style.

I´ve also seen discussion between friends that like Tae-Kwon-Do and friends that like Karate. Maybe that´s one of the reason why they are both called martial arts.

[dovey]

I liked the ps work you did on the sailboat/sunset (sunrise?). I'll have to agree with the others, adjusting the pics is just part of the experience. Photography itself is an art form... photoshop is just a tool the photographer uses to display an image to the world as he or she sees it... even if it is completely (or slightly) different than the original.

I photoshop'd a pic of a boat just for kicks this past weekend. It wasn't hard to do, but the end result conveys a totally different feel than the original.

Original:



After photoshop:


They're the same pic, but completely different. Neither are great shots, but I kinda like the second one more for some reason. Photoshop all you want.

[robhoffman]

I really like the black and white version. that's a really cool picture

[ukexpat]

I really like the black and white version. that's a really cool picture

I'll second that...

[pinemikey]

Considering it's condition that's also a really appropriate name for the ship.

[dovey]

Considering it's condition that's also a really appropriate name for the ship.

It's a "haunted riverboat" docked in Louisville Ky for Halloween.

You've maybe been reading too much of that Washington Post nutcase (Von Riper)who thinks PS will ruin "real" photos by making truth suspect.

jypsee in MI
http://www.pbase.com/jypsee/root

I would have loved to see that guy blow a gasket had he been alive when Picasso was painting. "Truth" should always be suspect as a rule, I think.