So what do you use to process your photos?

[RandomGuy]

I have Photoshop, light room, etc everything, but now that I'm finally learning the features on the camera I suck at processing...

Heres a pic i randomly snapped monday night downtown.....
canon rebel xsi

I'm curious what you guys would do to it... I did nothing to the pic other than make it smaller.

If possible give a very brief explanation of what you did/used.

Basically the pic is a little rough, but I'm sure it can be refined using the various software out there.


http://www.g54b.com/rebelxsi/mon11-09-09.jpg

[sleepys4]

I would start with a better picture.

[WhiteAccord]

I would start with a better picture.

Definently. Less blurry.

[RandomGuy]

Definently. Less blurry.if it wasn't blurry then I wouldnt need to photoshop it lol


I'm basically wanting to see whats possible with a notso great picture...

[Kamikaze]

I didn't write down what I did, but yeah...

http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/5451/12833589.jpg

Clearer pic and different framing would have helped.

[CHADbee]

you cant really fix blurry in photoshop. in that situation its best to use a tripod. 2nd choice is crank the ISO up and use a noise reduction software to get rid of the "grain"

i use photoshop CS4. people keep telling me i need to get lightroom, but i havent cause well i just haveent seen proof it would benefit me.

before and after images of mine.....

http://chadbeephotography.com/blog/2009/11/07/trying-to-save-a-p-o-s/

http://chadbeephotography.com/blog/2009/10/14/before-and-after-rig-shot-of-my-blazer/

http://chadbeephotography.com/blog/2009/08/02/some-before-and-after-images/




and a step by step edit with screen shots of 99% of the process.....

http://chadbeephotography.com/blog/2009/07/04/its-still-a-neon-rig-shot-image-build/

[A.A]

I use the eos digital photo pro software that comes with the camera to process RAW then on to cs3 for further refinements. Canon's digital photo pro has a "transfer to Photoshop" tool that is amazing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v459/kurtscarpics/DPP-SS.jpg

[A.A]

if it wasn't blurry then I wouldnt need to photoshop it lol


I'm basically wanting to see whats possible with a notso great picture...


Filter > Smart sharpen > 2 oclock motion blur > 2 pixels or so... then fix that funky white balance (which I used color balance because you already were in a jpg...in RAW white balance it is easy to fix)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v459/kurtscarpics/fj618cob.jpg

[.blank cd]

Why dont you start with learning the resize button?

[blondebabe36]

http://i578.photobucket.com/albums/ss228/JDMPrettyNPink/mon11-09-09.jpg?t=1258065879

[Revmaynard]

Some of you cleaned that picture up very well!

[TRDwasiq]

i tried :(

[dtmcnamara]

hassan...u my friend fail. just get a new set of glass and a new camera.

[james]

hassan...u my friend fail. just get a new set of glass and a new camera.


fail.

how about learn how to use what he's got:rolleyes:

[eViLMunkey]

I use Adobe LightRoom 2.4 for my processing but yeah work on taking steady shots, makes things alot easier

[Tarzanman]

Were you using the kit lens with your Xsi? It isn't a 'fast' enough lens to give you good hand-held photos in low light.

As others have said, a tripod would have been needed for a long exposure to make that photo turn out better.

Low light stuff with street lamps all over the place can get tricky

[87 Turbo II]

Chad.... I really need you to do a rig shot for me sometime, those just look too awesome.

[SouthrnStyle]

I try to use Cs3 lol

[HiRide]

All I have is Photoshop Elements 2 ... I know from like 10 years ago and its only elements...
This is what I got...
Still feels blurred to me though.... oh I dont have smart sharpen

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g89/argera/mon11-09-09.jpg

[A.A]

All I have is Photoshop Elements 2 ... I know from like 10 years ago and its only elements...
This is what I got...
Still feels blurred to me though.... oh I dont have smart sharpen



ya elements is a stripped down program but it will get the job done, and at $100 compared to $700+ for CS4 it is a bargain. It lacks most filters (smart sharpen), and layer effects... also it does not handle RAW image file formats which you will want to move up to someday... but it allows you the most basic functions of PS and it is catching up to the pro software with each newer release. I don't know if the new elements handles RAW yet but wouldn't be surprised if it did.

In your other picture thread it looks like you have a good understanding of brushes, layers, and warp tools. Did you take a class or was it self taught?




original post: use a tripod get it right the first time, and post processing times will be brought to a minimum... I know at first, processing 500 images from a fun day of playing photographer might be fun to you... but I like to cut my post shoot times down to as short as possible because I like to be behind the camera not the computer. This is why we buy expensive cameras, lenses and strobes.

[HiRide]

ya elements is a stripped down program but it will get the job done, and at $100 compared to $700+ for CS4 it is a bargain. It lacks most filters (smart sharpen), and layer effects... also it does not handle RAW image file formats which you will want to move up to someday... but it allows you the most basic functions of PS and it is catching up to the pro software with each newer release. I don't know if the new elements handles RAW yet but wouldn't be surprised if it did.

In your other picture thread it looks like you have a good understanding of brushes, layers, and warp tools. Did you take a class or was it self taught?




original post: use a tripod get it right the first time, and post processing times will be brought to a minimum... I know at first, processing 500 images from a fun day of playing photographer might be fun to you... but I like to cut my post shoot times down to as short as possible because I like to be behind the camera not the computer. This is why we buy expensive cameras, lenses and strobes.


Self taught if you can call it that...I try to press every button and see what happens :D . Like I didnt know how to skew and perspective an image so I just started playing with it until it made sense (the cityscape with my art in it, learned that last night). The I realized to use the horizon and perspectives in the image to skew the art onto the wall... took me like an hour to figure that out. Still wasnt perfect...

I did take a photography class in highschool back in 1998 but all I remember from what was the rule of thirds. I actually like working with elements... because its stripped down I have less to worry about. I spend more time with brushes, layers, skewing, and stuff than I do with filters. I do feel like my eye for exposure is off, and that I am missing out on a lot of tools from PSE that can enhance my images without over editing which I can do very easily. I would like to get away from using too many effects at once... blurred BG, monotone BG.

Also, I dont know why but I cant stop playing with the lighting levels.. I adjust them for 99.99% of images I take... am I over using that feature? (the one with the 3 pointed sliders below what looks like a histogram).

[A.A]

I do feel like my eye for exposure is off, and that I am missing out on a lot of tools from PSE that can enhance my images without over editing which I can do very easily. I would like to get away from using too many effects at once... blurred BG, monotone BG.

Also, I dont know why but I cant stop playing with the lighting levels.. I adjust them for 99.99% of images I take... am I over using that feature? (the one with the 3 pointed sliders below what looks like a histogram).


Lighting and exposure... as well as saturation... I feel are personal preferences. for instance wedding photographers tend to overexpose to make things look bright and airy. I say play with that lighting as much as you want til you get tired of it (then try that lighting adjustment on the camera settings). Post shoot I tend to crank up the color saturation and color temp... that is just me.

[HiRide]

Lighting and exposure... as well as saturation... I feel are personal preferences. for instance wedding photographers tend to overexpose to make things look bright and airy. I say play with that lighting as much as you want til you get tired of it (then try that lighting adjustment on the camera settings). Post shoot I tend to crank up the color saturation and color temp... that is just me.


Cool thanks! I am working on doing as much as possible during the shoot but I also feel like the real world still needs a little something extra :D

[A.A]

Cool thanks! I am working on doing as much as possible during the shoot but I also feel like the real world still needs a little something extra :D


me too... :goodjob: vivid colors and tan people post processing :)

[CasadeWaffle]

I would start with a better picture.

x2