Post Processing Info

[smb2]

I am pretty much computer illiterate. That is partly a generational thing and partly a film hold over. Clearly there are lots of ways to improve our digital images and I am looking for tips.
When people post pictures I am curious as to what else has been done to the image. What program, cropping, sharpening, any add ons for color or sharpening. Perhaps this info can be included with the camera stats. Or, if somebody has some great tips, show us the before and after shots.
The best images start in the camera and I don't want to spend hours on a screen processing one shot, (I'd rather be underwater). UPG it a great source for getting those perfect images and this sight is about photography, not digitography but I am interested in what I am missing.

[Zig]

I agree with you that a great photo starts in the camera, underwater. For post processing, I use Adobe Lightroom 3.0. Typically I may crop a bit, adjust the clarity, recover some highlights, and adjust the contrast a bit. That's it. It usually takes less than 30 seconds.

I've never taken a photo to Photoshop after using LR, but, like you, I prefer to try to get it right underwater. And, I'm not a professional.

I bought a book on LR, and learned the basics, and it's been working great for me, especially the organizational power of the program.

Hope that helps.

Zig

[scottg]

great idea Stanley, I'll try to do some before and after features / posts using photoshop, and I'll encourage others to do the same also.

[smb2]

I don't want to get away from the photo aspects but we do live in the digital world.
Maybe a new category on the Board Index moderated by your computer whizzes to answer questions.

For instance, I always see promos for add on programs to improve sharpness. Are they worth it?, do they work?, certainly one can over do it. I think these are considerations we have to make when trying to decide what is a good "image" and this can be a great forum to discuss these issues in UW imaging.

[smb2]

Thanks Zig. I use Aperture 2. My Nikon D2x is set without much sharpening or tonal correction
so the RAWs are a little bland.
Sharpening, increase vibrancy and some minor clone stamping to get rid of a little back scatter.
About 11/2 minutes. I could crop it in closer but I like the framing rocks.

[Critternut]

My Motto is, and always has been, treat your shots like your shooting film. With the advent of Digital a few things have happened, First it has allowed us to shoot multiple frames of a single animal with complete disregard to how much film remains.
The second is the darkroom has been given back to the photographer.
Some of history's best photographers did their finest work in the darkroom, not creating but enhancing.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with running pics through a cleaning process to enhance your photos. If your shooting RAW then you have too. Sharpening, bumping the contrast, cleaning up the backscatter are all in a days work. These skills should be looked at as essential skills and part of the whole picture.

I use lightroom 1.4 and elements 8, between the two i have the ability to import RAW files and work with them. Composing and recomposing on my monitor helps me to compose shots in my mind, For the next time i am out shooting. Using these tools has helped me to become a better photographer.

Good luck and remember to always have fun!

[bvanant]

I don't want to get away from the photo aspects but we do live in the digital world.
Maybe a new category on the Board Index moderated by your computer whizzes to answer questions.

For instance, I always see promos for add on programs to improve sharpness. Are they worth it?, do they work?, certainly one can over do it. I think these are considerations we have to make when trying to decide what is a good "image" and this can be a great forum to discuss these issues in UW imaging.

There are several sharpening tools that can help you generate better pictures and several add ons that I think are essential. I use Noise Ninja quite a bit if I am shooting at high ISO and want to get better blacks. Similarly I use NIK sharpener pro for sharpening. I try to only sharpen photos where crispness is really a feature but when I do use it, NIK is great and give (to me) a much more natural look than PS smart sharpen although if you play around enough with smart sharpen you can learn it well.

Bill

[smb2]

Thanks Bill, that is what I was searching for. I will look into them in the AM; see if they are Mac compatible etc.
Hopefully other readers will add to this list.

[bvanant]

Thanks Bill, that is what I was searching for. I will look into them in the AM; see if they are Mac compatible etc.
Hopefully other readers will add to this list.

They certainly are mac compatible since that is all i use.
Bill