"How" to process photos

PoleStar

Having been fiddling with different softwares over the last couple of years, I am fairly comfortable with the basic ideas of adjusting exposure, curves, saturation, noise etc.

And I guess, whatever program you use, the controls are essentially the same.

There are plenty of tutorials on the net about how to adjust the above.

However, whenever you see a pro do it, the finished product always seems a bit different (better different) to what I would come up with using the same program.

Are there any books or tutorials out there that focus more on how the approach to processing a photo (rather than on the practicalities of editing curves/exposure etc)?

This is something I feel I need to improve. I know practice helps, but would love some pro tips.

eas

Sounds like this may be along the lines of what you're looking for

http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Kelbys-7-Point-System-Photoshop/dp/0321501926

I have it & think it's good.

Paulw

Excellent stuff from Guy Gowan - http://www.guygowan.com/

Fajitas!

Best pro tip, start with an end in mind. Don't fiddle with sliders and bars unless you have to. Feel free to experiment, but experiment with an aim.

Don't bother with 'photoshop courses', if you can find a specific professional, detailed post production course, it'll do you far better. Don't concentrate on fads and gimmicks and get your basics such as your contrast, colour, toning, etc perfect and you'll be off to a flying start.

I wouldn't put too much regard into Guy Gowan. He's got some techniques that suit him grand, and could suit you grand, but I think there's a lot of guff associated with it and the actions. Learn to DIY and you'll have far better control and results.

CabanSail

I use Guy Gowan's techniques too. Have actually just come back from a three day seminar he ran in Brisbane. To get the most out of what he teaches you do need to get a full understanding of the process and what you are trying to achieve. Loading an Action Set and pushing a few buttons will only get you part way there.

I also attended the free event for Camera Clubs that was run. It's the sort of event that many here would have done. Due to time constraints they do not get into the finer points of his processing and retouching methods.

Ballyman

PoleStar wrote: »

However, whenever you see a pro do it, the finished product always seems a bit different (better different) to what I would come up with using the same program.

Remember as well that a "pro" is more than likely starting out with a high quality image with good lighting, exposure and composition. No amount of photoshopping can fix an image that's poor to begin with. You need a proper photo to process to get good results.

Can you post an example of one of yours and one of a pros and someone will help you out where you are going wrong

Also interested in this, aswell.


Just looked at SquareBalloon's "Autumn Colours" thread, where a before/after was posted and, feck me, he/she knows his/her stuff!


Someone here should be organising something to teach this. Surely there's money to be made. Retarded Amateur Photographer Education. Or RAPE, for short.

Wouldn't buy a book on it (though I did pick up a copy of 'Digital Camera' magazine, where they're doing a 'Teach Yourself Photoshop' kinda thing each week. They include a CDRom and it has images on it. The magazine itself has a walkthrough on how to change the image. It's quite good (though I never heard of the magazine before, so I missed the first 5 CDRoms).

magicbastarder

Deleted User wrote: »

Just looked at SquareBalloon's "Autumn Colours" thread, where a before/after was posted and, feck me, he/she knows his/her stuff!

i suspect the only thing really needing correcting on the original image was contrast and brightness; fairly simple things can get you a long way.

Fajitas!

Deleted User wrote: »

Also interested in this, aswell.


Just looked at SquareBalloon's "Autumn Colours" thread, where a before/after was posted and, feck me, he/she knows his/her stuff!


Someone here should be organising something to teach this. Surely there's money to be made. Retarded Amateur Photographer Education. Or RAPE, for short.

When you get the photos right, the processing is rather simple tbh

Well how do you get the photo wrong?

Focus, choose your ISO/Aperture/Shutter, adjust your white balance if necessary, "click"?


Maybe I've just been unlucky and come across crappy lighting conditions a lot? Or due to me not photographing people much?

SB's photos just looks really crisp, clean, clear... I don't really know what word to describe it. Had i been standing beside him/her i'm certain my photos wouldn't have been as good.


Its something I've noticed in the Before & After thread, too. Someone posts a photo and I reckon "yeah, I could probably do that", then I see the after version and I'm stunned.

Paulw

Deleted User wrote: »

SB's photos just looks really crisp, clean, clear... I don't really know what word to describe it. Had i been standing beside him/her i'm certain my photos wouldn't have been as good.

SB is a female. Just FYI.

Post Processing is different from person to person. Some do a lot, some do a little. The outcome depends on what you want from the photo and what you have to start with.

RAW or jpg? In camera settings or pure PP settings. Actions/presets, etc can be used. It's purely down to taste.

oshead

All the above advice is good.

As EAS said, you could have a look at Scott Kelbys 7 Point System for Camera Raw.

ditpaintball

+1 on Guy Gowan also. Such simple techniques to process images in a nondestructive way.

hopelessOne

I'm reading Vision & Voice: Refining Your Vision in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom by David duChemin: .

I thought this might help me understand how to use Lightroom more effectively but actually I got far more out of his discussion on "vision". Why did you take this photo? What were you thinking at the time? How do you want the audience to feel? These are the questions that I now consider when taking photos and also when processing them. I like the idea of having a "vision" and using the camera and post-processing as the "voice" to express it.