kja Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 I've noticed that there's some confusion about what out of camera (OOC or SOOC if you add the "straight") leads to as some people think that if you get your exposure correct the image is done. Photography is rarely that simple. Here's two images shot seconds apart today - I moved my shooting angle by only inches. Both frames are SOOC, just popped together before saving for the web You can see the colour tones change pretty dramatically. In real world shooting conditions there's simply no way you have time to reset that in camera (the ease of doing this post-shoot is one reason why shooting in RAW is so awesome). Both frames are exposed how I want them so in theory both should be useable. And maybe they would be if they were individual prints, but no way could I have these anywhere near each other. Two second Lightroom fix (or your editing software of choice) + a sharpen for web (another 2 seconds) Now I can show these images close to each other in frames, on the wall, in a book, on a blog, wherever and we aren't distracted by the change in colour tone that was evident in the original SOOC images. Why am I posting this here? Because I think it's important that no one is scared of post processing and that camera users take back control of their images. I also think it's important that post processing isn't ridiculed and demonized, as so many seem eager to do lately. Post processing is not a dirty term, it's just as much a part of every photographer's kit as the glass and body you put in your hand. And the skill to wield PP powers is just as important as being able to tell your camera what you want it to do to capture the image in the first place. Everything is entwined. Those with a some or a lot of experience are probably comfortable working with their images in a way that makes them happy or at least on a path that will make them happy; just like every other aspect of photography, it's an evolution. So many new camera users fear post processing for no good reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huga Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 Just like film is processed, I believe digital needs to be too - especially if you shoot RAW. I don't care what people say about processing, to me, it is necessary. Of course, things can always be taken too far (and they often are!) and I could be accused of over processing, but that is my style and I will stick with it :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_meg Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 completely agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tess32 Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 I can't count the number of posts I've seen on forums proclaiming proudly their image is straight out of the camera and it's crap and could do with some editing. At the end of the day I'd rather have a great final image. I can't imagine anyone who does zoo photography like I do could get away with no editing anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda K Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 completely agree - there are some things you should fix afterwards, but some things (like composition, cloning etc, that a few seconds fixing first (eg getting gunk out of animals eye, smoothing wrinkles, moving that branch off the ground etc), - that removing afterwards is a pain, but others, like correcting tones etc as shown above, that do really enhance the image. You are right Huga that some do take post processing too far, and usually as a cover for a badly exposed image, and then try to pass it off as style, but generally that is people who have first discovered processing software, and super saturate everything, or have discovered a new technique (like cross processing etc), and apply it to everything, whether it suits the image or not. Thankfully most that go through that stage soon stop doing it, and perfect their own style. I guess what I really trying to say in my usual rambling way is there are some things I prefer to be doing in photoshop, and some that I certainly don;'t that a bit more care taken before the button was pushed, would have saved, and life is too short to waste on stuff like that!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubiton Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 If I've got the exposure right on the day (and that's the target since I came through the world of film cameras so you had to get it right or the shot was ruined) I just crop if needed and thats it straight out of the camera. Obviously for orders if there is something like flies or mnure that can be removed easily (ie 10 seconds) I'll do i but mostly its just a small crop to centre and thats it. I don't have time to edit 1000 or more shots after being out all day. Bit different from studio/portrait or somethign like weddings where they expect the photos to look more than just freezing the action at that moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charjas Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 What does RAW mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 What does RAW mean? :p more trouble, more work, more space taken up on your computer :p BUT , it is a format used when taking photos, whereby LOTS of detail/information is contained within an image , and which many dedicated/pro photographers use to produce top quality images. these images keep all the detail etc when being processed on a computer ... (many folks produce excellent images without it, too :) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted April 29, 2012 Author Share Posted April 29, 2012 (edited) LOL there's no more work with RAW, really. My workflow is so much faster now and my images are better because I understand how to make the images I want. Shooting jpeg I never really needed to know and just took a punt - usually it worked, sometimes it didn't. The best thing I ever did was switch and still regret that I didn't switch sooner even though the compact camera I was shooting back then offered RAW. I bought into all the scary stories RAW simply means the camera records all the data and does not throw stuff out so if you want to work on any bits, you have more data to work on. It is also lossless when you work in your chosen converter (Lightroom, ACR, DPP etc) Jpeg means that you have chosen to let the camera make certain editing choices for you before you take the photo and it discards data. Sometimes jpeg works just fine but you cannot recover data once it's gone so if you flub or if you feel like tweaking certain things or if you just want to change your mind, you do not have all the data to work with so you will face more limitations. Those who truly use jpeg well know their cameras so well that they absolutely KNOW what result their settings will produce and that is what they want. In effect, they've learned the "tweaks" normally associated with post processing that their camera is capable of and make the camera do those heavy lifting chores! Many small cameras do not even offer RAW so it's not an issue or a choice - you just learn what each mode does to your images and try to choose the best option for what you are shooting. None of my current little cameras have RAW so I have to learn how each deals with different scenes and try to choose the best I can. Works pretty well for my happy snappies! Many dslrs do very well in many situations so shooting jpeg is a viable way to go sometimes - especially in "standard" scenes where there's plenty of light and not a huge range between the really bright and the really dark. Some people know they are never going to do more than hit the button and share online etc and that's why many cameras have RAW & jpeg - the user can choose what is right for herself/himself in that particular moment. Jpegs can be tweaked and manipulated in software, just like RAWs. Their downfall is that they are inherently missing data so you can't recover highlights as well, you can't work shadows as well and sometimes overall the colours are just a bit off because the camera has chucked stuff you actually would have liked to have. Either either or both - choose what works for you and makes you happy, as in all things! But just like this thread is "don't be afraid of post processing" and "post processing is not an evil thing", "jpeg isn't evil, but DON'T be afraid of RAW"! Edited April 29, 2012 by kja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 "don't be afraid of post processing" and "post processing is not an evil thing", "jpeg isn't evil, but DON'T be afraid of RAW"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juddabug Whippets Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 I've only just started shooting RAW... Not sure of the difference in photo quality yet... But yet to really play with it in editing software! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huga Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 You won't see much of a difference, if anything it will look worse (colour a bit flat, and they look quite soft) - RAW needs processing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juddabug Whippets Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 Oooh thanks for that tidbit Huga! I was always happy with my jpeg shots... But thought I should try RAW to see what all the fuss is about! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huga Posted April 29, 2012 Share Posted April 29, 2012 No worries. I always thought I was doing something wrong because my RAW images were so much softer than my jpegs Like kja said, they retain more information, so there is more room to adjust things within the image whilst retaining the quality. Eg Shooting a bride in a white dress on a sunny day and recovering the highlights. There's not much room for error in a situation like that. That's why I shoot in RAW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tess32 Posted May 1, 2012 Share Posted May 1, 2012 I did an article a while back about post processing too: http://www.animusphotography.com/the-photoshop-debate/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 I dont do much processing, but only because I dont know how. I sharpen all of my photos and try to correct exposure, WB etc, or sometimes deliberately alter WB, I straighten ones that need it and occasionally clone stuff out, but as for giving them a signature effect, I dont have one. One day I might get an editing program and figure out how to use it :laugh: . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 Saw this today and thought of this thread. Can't tell you how happy I am not to have to work exclusively in a chemical based darkroom :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I dont understand what all the scribble means. Is it something to do with how much exposure he gives each part of the photo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 (edited) Yes, they are all instructions on what needs to be done to get the thing printed :) It was pretty cool - sometimes they'd project a big image up on the wall and the editors/togs/printers etc would get their markers out and mark it all out with their notes. Then off it'd go to the printer. And if it wasn't quite right, they'd do it again. Extremely time consuming, expensive and frustrating. The people who did this stuff well were amazing. Edited August 23, 2012 by kja Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 (edited) gee, it would have been so much easier for them if someone had invented photoshop back then :laugh: Edited August 23, 2012 by Kirislin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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