Who likes to Photoshop?

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_larky

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The reason I ask is because, frankly, I don't like working on my own pictures. Hunting Google for street inspiration, I find shots I like which are very simple, and I like them I think because of the B&W conversions. I'm rubbish at this, so I wonder, does anybody love doing this so much they'd want to work on other people's pictures?

If so, shout :D
 
after 30 years in a wet darkroom i now much prefer computer generated changes to my images but not enough to want to do others' work...very sorry!

i would however recommend that you 'keep it simple' when using photoshop...i crop, use levels and unsharp mask on my images...takes a few minutes per shot...
 
It's not that bad, just think S shape or Z shape, put a node in the middle, drag to get the mid-tone density where you want it then pull the top or bottom of the line to sort out the contrast.

Colour, well, that gets a bit more difficult.
 
I've been using photoshop for about 14 years now. :eek:

Once you learn your way around and find the means of doing things that appeal to you, it is not that difficult.

For example, when I started out I used Image > Mode > Greyscale to make black and white images from colour. That was until I figured out the channel mixer...works much better and isn't too complicated.

I can't recommend buying a good book enough. You will learn so much, so quickly. For the $50 or so dollars you spend, you will be repaid many times over.

It seems that black and white conversions are difficult for people because I do see a lot of bad ones. But with a book in hand, some tips, and a bit of practice you'll be flying along in no time.
 
I've used Photoshop professionally for 15+ years.
However, for my own work, I only use it for spotting out neg scans. For everything else I use Lightroom. I find it a far quicker and more intuitive for editing my images. Again I don't edit my images heavily, just B&W conversions, levels, exposure, crops etc.
 
I've used the GIMP (freeware - gimp.org) for many years now. I only do very basic things like cropping etc. but it is a fairly powerful photo manipulation program...the best thing about it is it is free!
 
OK, let me be a little more honest. I am also a professional Photoshop user, since version 3, and I've done more photo work than I care to remember. I lectured in it for 7 years whilst doing my PHD. So, I can use Photoshop fine.

My problem is I don't like working on my own images. That's the thing I have trouble with, I just can't be bothered. I find it odd that when it comes to doing conversions on my own stuff it always looks horrible, but doing other peoples is fine.

I've also found Lightroom presets on other peoples work look good, on mine I can't stand them. Maybe I have a brain disease or my photos are simply that rubbish :D
 
I prefer Photoshop to a wet darkroom but, I much prefer Lightroom for it's speed. I use Lightroom 95% of the time. Jim
 
_larky said:
OK, let me be a little more honest. I am also a professional Photoshop user, since version 3, and I've done more photo work than I care to remember. I lectured in it for 7 years whilst doing my PHD. So, I can use Photoshop fine.

My problem is I don't like working on my own images. That's the thing I have trouble with, I just can't be bothered. I find it odd that when it comes to doing conversions on my own stuff it always looks horrible, but doing other peoples is fine.

I've also found Lightroom presets on other peoples work look good, on mine I can't stand them. Maybe I have a brain disease or my photos are simply that rubbish :D
Click to expand...

Have you tried leaving the pictures for a month or three, or longer, then coming back to them? Gives you a different perspective. I wonder if you could find someone who is in the same boat with you and just trade, and edit each others' images? Not me, I've barely enough time to edit my own, but maybe someone else.
 
ACDSee Pro is my prefered choice ... I find the interface really easy to understand though Lightroom seems to use less of my computer's rather limited recources to do the same tasks.
 
I use GIMP seldom to do basic corrections. I hate photoshop generated manipulated photography I see in the magazines...
 
I do love post processing. (I actually use Corel's Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 more than Photoshop as it is much cheaper than the full PS but with enough of its features to meet the needs of the most aggressive "photoshopping" photographer. It also has a number of wizards etc that make it much easier and more intuitive to use than PS. But its main processes are basically the same (levels, curves, selections, layers etc) Once you work out how these funcion they give great control over your images. Although I must admit I like the convenience of some plugins that speed up the process.

I do actually enjoy doing the work. Perhaps its the end result I enjoy most of all. I know that by "photoshopping" (in the same sense that the English "hoover" their carpet) I can produce much better images than I can ever get straight from my camera. Occasionally iits frustrating, but part of the enjoyment is in the mental challenge of working out what corrections are needed and to what extent, and then seeing the final image emerge before your eyes. (I have heard similar comments from those who work on film in a darkroom.) In short, for me its an important and enjoyable part of the creative process.

I do not believe I could ever be happy with photos that are not "photoshopped."
 
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