Is Photoshopping reaallyyyy that important?

[mingosteen]

hi all i was just thinking is it reaaaalllyyy really important to be a real wizard with photoshop to be a good photographer? i just started getting serious with photography and realised the auto-fix feature in Photoshop Album SE works wonders on my shots haha.

then i did a bit of research in the library and found out that the modern digital photographer's concern is not only out there but back in the computer room as well! ay i feel lazy to start digital image editing can someone either comfort me or go ahead and splash some cold water.

heh.

 

[incubus]

for me its abt the results. how u get to the end result may differ with others. some have been taught with good photography skills, some have good PS skills. im sort of a photographic artist rather den a photographer or artist. dun get me wrong, im not 100% the "click click click first, edit in PS kinda guy. but rather i see thru the viewfinder with PS in mind. i know roughly wat can be achieved and wat cant be achieved, with or without PS.
ive not yet dabbled wif the art of film development but i think its kinda the same only its alot more convenient.
juz my thots

 

[mingosteen]

haha oh yea i've heard about people shooting with the capabilites of image editing in mind i think thats farrrr out! i'd like to attain that level haha but *sigh* just not enuff time to sit down and really experiment with any good image editing software.

my canon came with Arcsoft photostudio but ive not touched it. how do you guys even start off with PS? read read read?

 

[kijer]

hehe. i 2 lazy to ps much. aniwae i not usign dslr mah.

 

[drumma]

my friend taught how to enchance a photo simply.. like saturations, curves, sharpening, etc.. and also read up on digital photography when they have tutorials like changing a daylight photo to a night photo, and alot more 'tricks' to name. me not too good at DI. so i only tweak some adjustments here and there to suit my liking. yup..

basically alot of reading and surfing around the net done to teach myself some of the stuffs in PS. i am not a pro.. just giving some suggestions.

 

[mingosteen]

my friend taught how to enchance a photo simply.. like saturations, curves, sharpening, etc.. and also read up on digital photography when they have tutorials like changing a daylight photo to a night photo, and alot more 'tricks' to name. me not too good at DI. so i only tweak some adjustments here and there to suit my liking. yup..

basically alot of reading and surfing around the net done to teach myself some of the stuffs in PS. i am not a pro.. just giving some suggestions.

arh i see isee i learned reading forums and reviews are good too. .where on earth do you guys get the $$$$$ to buy the software?? ouch!

 

[jopel]

hehehe me have 43 computers, download the free trial each comp can use the free trial for 30 days before i can finish the free trial on all 43 comps new version PSCS3 will be out for free trial again:bsmilie:

 

[igpenguin]

yeah, i agree w/ incubus that it's about what results you have in mind. you just do whatever is need. if PS is not your cup of tea, then you basically excluded a means lor. nothing right or wrong with that.

since you have not really tried out PS who knows how it may or may not be integral to your process..

i learned Photoshop 3.0 from a book years ago and ended up my practical application then was just to do auto-levels to scans i have learned more tricks through trial and error, reading books and surfing the net since then. i still consider myself a lazy photoshopper.

sitting for prolonged periods in front of the screen can be straining for me so i don't do CGI, gave up video-editing, and do just enough PSing to enhance images.

 

[Clown]

photoshop(ping) is basically what the fella does at the lab machine when u send film in for printing. so it's just who is doing the color corrections.
to take it one step further, any b/w purists will tell u that the darkroom is the traditional photoshop. it's all just a matter of where and how you want to process your image. nothing is new under the sun.

 

[Misery]

photoshop (or any other form of post processing) is essential. you could let the camera do it for you (if you shoot with jpg and other functions), but id rather handle it myself. it is really hard, very unlikely, that an amazing shot will come out of the camera being amazing.

 

[mingosteen]

hehehe me have 43 computers, download the free trial each comp can use the free trial for 30 days before i can finish the free trial on all 43 comps new version PSCS3 will be out for free trial again:bsmilie:

hahahha YOU my friend, are unbelievable :bsmilie:

 

[LittleWolf]

hi all i was just thinking is it reaaaalllyyy really important to be a real wizard with photoshop to be a good photographer?

Photoshop "wizards" can create images out of almost nothing. I think for most photographers it isn't necessary to achieve that level.

The revelation of electronic image processing for me is that I, not someone in a service lab (or even some automated machine) decide how my pictures will look like. This brings the control of the image back into the hands of the photographer, where it belongs. Before, one would need to spend a lot more time in the darkroom, messing around with chemicals that aren't entirely healthy & tend to oxidise/expire faster than one can typically use them in an amateur setting, and facing problems on how to get rid of the chemical waste generated. Also, digital image processing allows to perform operations with ease that can be extremely cumbersome and costly in a traditional darkroom.

One doesn't have to do this step and can leave all the adjustments to an external lab, like it used to be - but typically with the same mediocre prints.

 

[mingosteen]

Photoshop "wizards" can create images out of almost nothing. I think for most photographers it isn't necessary to achieve that level.

The revelation of electronic image processing for me is that I, not someone in a service lab (or even some automated machine) decide how my pictures will look like. This brings the control of the image back into the hands of the photographer, where it belongs. Before, one would need to spend a lot more time in the darkroom, messing around with chemicals that aren't entirely healthy & tend to oxidise/expire faster than one can typically use them in an amateur setting, and facing problems on how to get rid of the chemical waste generated. Also, digital image processing allows to perform operations with ease that can be extremely cumbersome and costly in a traditional darkroom.

One doesn't have to do this step and can leave all the adjustments to an external lab, like it used to be - but typically with the same mediocre prints.

ay ok thanks for the info ya i heard that the traditional filmies really had their work cut out for them in the dark room. dun want to even imagine how amateurs started out man *shudders* are there any good photoshop classes around in SG?

 

[jopel]

for a start you can add your name for this PS Workshop http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=128401&page=16

 

[mingosteen]

for a start you can add your name for this PS Workshop http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthread.php?t=128401&page=16

oh oh thannks much for the info but sadly i'll be on holiday till mid next week. woops but thanks!

 

[Slim]

I guess it's all about learning and going with flow of new technologies. However, the basics of photography must be there. PS just to enhance the picture.

For me, I always try to get the shots right so that the pictures are the most original. But I must agree that good photos which have been enhanced make it even better (provided the colours are not too unnatural). I only use the brightness/contrast and crop tools in PS.

 

[mingosteen]

I guess it's all about learning and going with flow of new technologies. However, the basics of photography must be there. PS just to enhance the picture.

For me, I always try to get the shots right so that the pictures are the most original. But I must agree that good photos which have been enhanced make it even better (provided the colours are not too unnatural). I only use the brightness/contrast and crop tools in PS.

my only love for it right now is making borders haha. or should i rephrase: thats all i know :bsmilie:

 

[Sion]

arh i see isee i learned reading forums and reviews are good too. .where on earth do you guys get the $$$$$ to buy the software?? ouch!

We normally post a thread like "when do you sleep?" and find out the convenient hour to break in someone's house to steal any software we need to enhance whatever we want to enhance in this enhanceable world.

 

[mingosteen]

We normally post a thread like "when do you sleep?" and find out the convenient hour to break in someone's house to steal any software we need to enhance whatever we want to enhance in this enhanceable world.

=X hahaha HOKAY Sion! thats advice :lovegrin:

 

[Zplus]

Nah... photoshop is not really important...

But I use it to remove the occational zit or stray hair from the person's face. Or to whiten teeth, brighten eyes or perform a littel nip and tuck. Makes whoever in the picture happy! You could say its the virtual plastic surgeon's ultimate tool... hahaha!

Most other times, I get the shot right and save myself lots of time by NOT editing it.