Answered before?

digdon1

This may be redundant but, are the vast majority of pix posters experienced users of post-production tools (ex. Photoshop, Corel Pro, etc.?) It would seem that you don't stand a chance of doing credible work unless you have your degree in post-pro. BTW, I'm band new to this forum and feel way behind on the tricks of the trade, so to speak.

:dunno
Digdon1

Andy

digdon1 wrote:

This may be redundant but, are the vast majority of pix posters experienced users of post-production tools (ex. Photoshop, Corel Pro, etc.?) It would seem that you don't stand a chance of doing credible work unless you have your degree in post-pro. BTW, I'm band new to this forum and feel way behind on the tricks of the trade, so to speak.


Digdon1

Hi Digdon! Welcome to Dgrin

I think you'll find that many folks here are pretty good with Photoshop. But they're even better with their cameras There are plenty of ways to set up your camera to produce out-of-camera jpgs that don't need any photoshop work at all. What sort of gear do you have? We can help.

Mike Lane

I used to think that 1/125th of a second in a camera plus 3 hours of work in a computer equalled a good picture. I've slowly (too slowly perhaps) realized that is far less than realistic. Ideally minimal photoshopping is necessary IMHO. In special circumstances photoshop comes in handy and more work is necessary. I've got lots of pics of subjects that far exceed the dynamic range of my 20D. For those I have to combine 2 or more images to make them turn out right. But other than that, I do a smidge of LAB treatement to make the images pop if needed, sharpen them, and generally some straightening since I've got shaky hands, I put in the IPTC info and I save it. Most of it is actually a series of actions that I do.

No degree required. Now doing graphics is a different ball of wax entirely.

digdon1

Andy wrote:

Hi Digdon! Welcome to Dgrin

I think you'll find that many folks here are pretty good with Photoshop. But they're even better with their cameras There are plenty of ways to set up your camera to produce out-of-camera jpgs that don't need any photoshop work at all. What sort of gear do you have? We can help.

Thanks Andy. I've had a Fuji FinePix A340 P & S for about a year. Recently purchased a NikonD50 which is a blast! I also just bought the Adobe Elements 4.0 software for post work. I'm going slow with the Elements as it is one powerful tool. I can't imagine what "the real" Photoshop must be like.
Thanks again,
Digdon!

digdon1

Mike Lane wrote:

I used to think that 1/125th of a second in a camera plus 3 hours of work in a computer equalled a good picture. I've slowly (too slowly perhaps) realized that is far less than realistic. Ideally minimal photoshopping is necessary IMHO. In special circumstances photoshop comes in handy and more work is necessary. I've got lots of pics of subjects that far exceed the dynamic range of my 20D. For those I have to combine 2 or more images to make them turn out right. But other than that, I do a smidge of LAB treatement to make the images pop if needed, sharpen them, and generally some straightening since I've got shaky hands, I put in the IPTC info and I save it. Most of it is actually a series of actions that I do.

No degree required. Now doing graphics is a different ball of wax entirely.

Thanks for your comments Mike. I'm anxious to check out your work!
Digdon1

wxwax

Dig, Photoshop et al can really help your shots. But I think you'll find that to a person, shooters here would like to get a perfect shot out of their camera, a shot that requires no manipulation. That's the real challenge, and for many of us it's a tough one!

That being said, some kinds of shooting mandate some degree of post-processing. For example, folks who shoot in RAW pretty much have to apply some sharpening, curves and saturation - in other words, do the work that the camera sensor would typically apply to a jpeg, but not to a RAW, before saving it.

Andy

digdon1 wrote:

Thanks Andy. I've had a Fuji FinePix A340 P & S for about a year. Recently purchased a NikonD50 which is a blast! I also just bought the Adobe Elements 4.0 software for post work. I'm going slow with the Elements as it is one powerful tool. I can't imagine what "the real" Photoshop must be like.
Thanks again,
Digdon!

Make a post in the Cameras forum, and ask how you can set your D50 for optimal out-of-camera jpgs

Mike Lane

Andy wrote:

Make a post in the Cameras forum, and ask how you can set your D50 for optimal out-of-camera jpgs

Hmmm, I should do that for my 20D too:D