What do you think about this picture?

[.:Chris:.]

it's possible to make a picture look the way that one does without any post production... it's just not likely.

Yeah, that's why I said it's not likely. There are various reasons why photoshop should be used on every single shot IMO. For example, sharpening: See Sharpening 101

...most digital cameras employ what is known as an anti-aliasing filter--essentially a diffusion filter over the sensor. (The exception is the Kodak Pro 14n). Why? Because the Bayer pattern sampling used in digital cameras has a tendency to produce colored artifacts and moire patterns on small detail. By blurring the light slightly so that multiple photosites get some of the information from a particular detail, this lessens the chance that these hard-to-remove artifacts appear. Unfortunately, it also has a further tendency to make edges less distinct.
The method by which most digital photographs are "corrected" is to apply a sharpening "filter" using an image-editing program, such as Photoshop. What these filters do is to detect transitions (edges) and make them more pronounced.

There is no level of sharpening that fits every picture. Leaving camera sharpening at 0 and sharpening manually in photoshop is the way to go IMO. Take it for what you will.

If you do have photoshop, you should check out the sharpening tutorial/example on that page. It really enlightens the user on what sharpening is and how it does what it does. Interesting stuff.

[Figs]

Thanks for the help guys! I do have Photoshop 7 on my PC. I PS all the time but I haven't worked on actual Photo's yet as far as sharpening them and all that.

I'm going to read up on all that and start practicing. Seems like something I can do as a personal hobby.

My camera is just a "Point and Shoot". I have a Canon PowerShot A540 and a pretty tall Tripod. I'm going to start messing with it. I haven't even taken the time to learn the camera. I leave it at "Auto" and snap away.

I was told in a Photography forum on another message board:

"You'd be surprised with what the average P&S can produce in the right persons hands"

I just don't see myself buying a more expensive camera and equipment until I learn more about Photography.

[.:Chris:.]

"You'd be surprised with what the average P&S can produce in the right persons hands"

Absolutely, as I said in a thread yesterday: You can get great pictures from any camera under great conditions. Eventually you will want to upgrade so that you have a chance to capture good pictures in less than perfect conditions... but that's a ways off yet. Just have fun with your camera.

[DD.]

EVERY photographer Edits.

Ask any photographer from any magazine, or production company. Editing is a must in this industry. So if you gotta edit, then edit.

[oASHo]

EVERY photographer Edits.

Ask any photographer from any magazine, or production company. Editing is a must in this industry. So if you gotta edit, then edit.

+1. well said

[chillllll]

Can't you just look at the exif file to see if it was edited?

[.:Chris:.]

Can't you just look at the exif file to see if it was edited?

Yeah, unless the EXIF was edited as well. It's usually a pretty good place to start because editing EXIF data isn't common... but it's easy to do.

[DD.]

Why would some one go through all that?

I mean, If you have to edit a picture to make it look "better", then more power to ya. That just means your a bad ass editor and your editing skills pick up where your photography skills lack.

But sometimes, even if your good at photography you still have to edit a picture because of the circumstances.

[.:Chris:.]

It depends which line of thinking you follow. Some people are all about photography, other people do whatever it takes to get an image... and some people lie inbetween.

Not everything can be done with photography, and if you're not editing then you're selling yourself short IMO. You're only looking at half of the picture (no pun intended).

Here's an example from 2/10 Photos - powered by SmugMug


I would say that's an outstanding picture, but obviously it wasn't like that when it came from the camera. Should they have stayed with the original? I don't think so, maybe other people do. I wouldn't say their photography skills lack in this case, but their editing certainly makes the picture what it is... right?

[DD.]

Thats exactly what i was saying...

editing skills pick up where your photography skills lack.

IMO, editing makes for a better picture. I, 90% of the time, edit my pictures.

[oASHo]

me too.

[.:Chris:.]

Sorry, I misread/misunderstood what you wrote DareDevil. My statements still stand, but now we're shooting at the same goal.

[DD.]

Exactly.