Post Processing

[zac08]

How important is this these days?

Do we need to learn how to do this properly? Should we have courses or lessons on how to achieve the correct effect or to prevent overdoing it?

Let's discuss.

[catchlights]

Post Processing is like spices, add a little just to bring out the favor..

adding too much is killing your taste bud for good food.

[ortega]

Originally Posted by zac08 How important is this these days? Do we need to learn how to do this properly? Should we have courses or lessons on how to achieve the correct effect or to prevent overdoing it? Let's discuss.

it can make or break a photo

[geraldkhoo]

I personally find that post processing is important. Though I shoot to minimize post processing, I find that I still need to do a bit of it, e.g. cropping, brightness, colors, red-eye, etc. Because I shoot in AdobeRGB, I'll need to do post processing and export it so that the colors when printed or seen by others are more vivid.

I believe there are many different areas of post processing, and I am a newbie to it. I have a friend who would advise me things like adjusting the colors, contrast, etc. A course would be nice, but many such software are expensive, e.g. Photoshop, Aperture, etc.

[night86mare]

i always post process

until digital can reach the dynamic range, etc of film
why not


as to how to do it properly, a lot of experimentation goes a long way - but there is no one true way to do it, it depends on the sort of mood, idea you intend to convey that is sometimes not that present in the scene but you wish to present it anyways

i don't think need courses or lessons, frankly - just a good book on ps cs 2's functions would do, and once again, of course experimentation

[zac08]

Originally Posted by night86mare i always post process until digital can reach the dynamic range, etc of film why not as to how to do it properly, a lot of experimentation goes a long way - but there is no one true way to do it, it depends on the sort of mood, idea you intend to convey that is sometimes not that present in the scene but you wish to present it anyways i don't think need courses or lessons, frankly - just a good book on ps cs 2's functions would do, and once again, of course experimentation

Even with books, I guess there are still people who are not sure how to use them in conjunction with other features...

As my GF has mentioned the other day, she has the idea that magazines will allow better learning as they show you a photo (before processing and then after) and they show you how YOU can achieve such effects step by step. What you learn from books are individual steps and not how they can be used in tandem or conjuction with each other.

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by zac08 Even with books, I guess there are still people who are not sure how to use them in conjunction with other features... As my GF has mentioned the other day, she has the idea that magazines will allow better learning as they show you a photo (before processing and then after) and they show you how YOU can achieve such effects step by step. What you learn from books are individual steps and not how they can be used in tandem or conjuction with each other.

there are magazines for those, though must say singapore photog magazines are pathetic, i don't like photovideoi

and of course, asking people to share their workflow will give you a good idea as well =)

[zac08]

Originally Posted by night86mare there are magazines for those, though must say singapore photog magazines are pathetic, i don't like photovideoi and of course, asking people to share their workflow will give you a good idea as well =)

Thus my idea of having some courses on basic PP, esp. for those who just started out shooting on digital and dun have a workflow yet.

[boredphuck]

Originally Posted by zac08 Even with books, I guess there are still people who are not sure how to use them in conjunction with other features... As my GF has mentioned the other day, she has the idea that magazines will allow better learning as they show you a photo (before processing and then after) and they show you how YOU can achieve such effects step by step. What you learn from books are individual steps and not how they can be used in tandem or conjuction with each other.

Then have to buy alot of magazines.

I got one the other day. found it very useful. too bad it comes out too late in the mth and its almost 20 bucks a copy.

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by zac08 Thus my idea of having some courses on basic PP, esp. for those who just started out shooting on digital and dun have a workflow yet.

but this will not really help, i think

perhaps you could attend a course that teaches the tools of ps cs 2, and perhaps the recommended order in which you apply them (for example, i always sharpen my pictures last)
but as to the "right way" to apply all of them
i think only you can decide

and as to how much is too much, only you can decide as well

[namespace]

For me, I'm using Adobe Lightroom. I brought a book to understand the different features in Lightroom and with step by step guide. Attending course is good if you can remember it or take down detail notes. However in my case it is not really useful as I tends to forget. So having a book, I can always flip back or mark an important section.

I also compare my post-processed photos with similar photos (from the same outing) posted in CS. Not much from the critique since most of them concentrate on composition and lighting which can't be help in post-processing.

[zac08]

Originally Posted by boredphuck Then have to buy alot of magazines. I got one the other day. found it very useful. too bad it comes out too late in the mth and its almost 20 bucks a copy.

Tell me about it... I keep getting Practical Photography.

[zac08]

Originally Posted by night86mare but this will not really help, i think perhaps you could attend a course that teaches the tools of ps cs 2, and perhaps the recommended order in which you apply them (for example, i always sharpen my pictures last) but as to the "right way" to apply all of them i think only you can decide and as to how much is too much, only you can decide as well

Very true... there is no ONE right way, but more on how to use them to the right effect.

Originally Posted by namespace For me, I'm using Adobe Lightroom. I brought a book to understand the different features in Lightroom and with step by step guide. Attending course is good if you can remember it or take down detail notes. However in my case it is not really useful as I tends to forget. So having a book, I can always flip back or mark an important section. I also compare my post-processed photos with similar photos (from the same outing) posted in CS. Not much from the critique since most of them concentrate on composition and lighting which can't be help in post-processing.

Hmmmmm... I guess it's hard to critique on such post processing unless we can see obvious flaws...

[boredphuck]

Originally Posted by zac08 Tell me about it... I keep getting Practical Photography.

i find photography monthly from uk very useful.

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by boredphuck i find photography monthly from uk very useful.

there are many, many, many magazines here with regards to photography in london
when i stepped into a newstand yesterday to buy one to get change
was thoroughly spoilt for choice, price is on the high side but i guess almost the same as getting from sg
also, there are cheaper ones than what we see, i think the ones i see in sg newstands are like, around 5 pounds
here i see a lot of 3-4 pound mags, quite good as well
if there is one thing we should complain about singapore it is the lack of photography magazines, hrmph

or good solid ones anyways, perhaps the market is not large enough? but then got all sorts of weird magazines so hrm

i'm sure if get some xmm shooters to post a regular column will sell like hotcakes anyways

[boredphuck]

Originally Posted by night86mare there are many, many, many magazines here with regards to photography in london when i stepped into a newstand yesterday to buy one to get change was thoroughly spoilt for choice, price is on the high side but i guess almost the same as getting from sg also, there are cheaper ones than what we see, i think the ones i see in sg newstands are like, around 5 pounds here i see a lot of 3-4 pound mags, quite good as well if there is one thing we should complain about singapore it is the lack of photography magazines, hrmph or good solid ones anyways, perhaps the market is not large enough? but then got all sorts of weird magazines so hrm i'm sure if get some xmm shooters to post a regular column will sell like hotcakes anyways

u in london already? sex sells especially well in sgp so if u wanna start a photog mag, just dump lots of barely legal girls in barely clothed poses and u got a hot seller.

[LittleWolf]

Originally Posted by zac08 How important is this these days? Do we need to learn how to do this properly? Should we have courses or lessons on how to achieve the correct effect or to prevent overdoing it?

1) Processing the image after exposure (i.e. post-processing) is very important. Even "out of camera" pictures are heavily processed (unless you're shooting raw). The only fundamental difference between doing it in camera and on the PC is the location where the processing is done. The computer just gives you more options and a better user interface.

2) What do you mean by "correct effect"? There are personal preferences, i.e. it's a matter of taste. Are you suggesting that individual taste should be killed, and pictures be standardized to a cookie-cutter norm? And if the result is not "correct" in that it doesn't correspond to the doctrine, the Clubsnap inquisition will burn the offender at the stake?

It greatly helps to know your tools for a number of reasons. But noone should be prescribed what to use them for.

[zac08]

I dun mean that individual taste should be killed but at least there should be some decent standards like in controlling the blown highlights, shadows, a lil decent contrast, decent saturation for the norms...

If there is a need for special effects or a different post-processing method, then it's a whole new ball game.

What I want to say is, we should at least be able to know how to get the right effect first before we deviate away to new or different things..

Kinda like, learn how to walk before we run...

[Sion]

Originally Posted by zac08 How important is this these days? Do we need to learn how to do this properly? Should we have courses or lessons on how to achieve the correct effect or to prevent overdoing it? Let's discuss.

Depends what you want to use it for.

You should have your personal vision.

[zac08]

Originally Posted by Sion Depends what you want to use it for. You should have your personal vision.

Just wanna discuss about using too little of it or too much.

Some dun know how to apply it, some on the other hand apply too much that as in another post mentioned, looks like those posters in Little India.