Post Processing - How Much, Or How Little Do You Do?

[joeb_uk]

I thought it might be interesting to see the variation in post processing we all do here! If we all post which programs we use, and what our typical workload is :)

Ok I mainly use nikon capture, to adjust the white balance, exposure if necessary, sometimes the contrast too! I usually have the sharpening set at high, so I dont usually do any sharpening post processing, as I find the results are more than satisfactory! I will also use photoshop to adjust levels, and finally tag my photos! Thats about all I do!

How about the rest of you?

[Vitahappy]

i use photoshop to fix colors, crop, and whatever i think will make the shot a bit better. i also use this lil great program called 'iview' if i just want to resize something, i pop that up.

[archman]

I use Photoshop for post-processing. Each shot is a little different, so it's hard to say what I do each and every time. I will say I love the new "exposure" setting on PS CS2...it can take a slightly overexposed picture and at least not make it so blown out. Works even better for underexposed shots.

[deliriouspixel]

i shoot large jpeg normal quality
(not high quality - normal is less compression resulting in smaller files)
sharpening +1 contrast +1 saturation +1
photoshop cs2
rotate and crop
in lab mode i correct for exposure problems with an levels adjustment layer
and with the shadows/highlight feature
adjust the saturation with an adjustment layer
sharpen with focalblade to taste
apply my watermark
save for web

most all is done with actions

[Gonja]

....SORRY...It posted twice..

[Gonja]

i shoot large jpeg normal quality
(not high quality - normal is less compression resulting in smaller files)

I dont understand?? Why do u shoot normal and not high? What is the benefit of this DP? What do you mean by less compression?

I was always told to shoot at the highest resolution and at the highest quality. Whatever the advantage of shooting in "normal" you think might be, do you think it would work for P&S or just DSLR's?

BTW...I use photoshop to crop and Batch Image Resizer to resize my images..

[deliriouspixel]

G its just a filesize advantage

from the canon page:


Large/Fine: Approx. 3.6 MB (3504x2336 pixels)
Large/Normal: Approx. 1.8 MB (3504x2336 pixels)


1.8mb vs 3.6mb

thats 556 shots vs 279 shots on a 1 gig card

when you compare the image quality between large fine and large normal you
can hardly see the difference
then when your endproduct is resized for web the difference is nil

i shoot a lot when i shoot so card capacity makes a difference to me
you would have to make the comparisons for your cam
and your style might not need it

[Gonja]

actually i do. I thought the difference was quite noticeable. Although I gotta admit, I never really tested it..BUT i can sure use an extra 200-300 shots on my 1gb card. DEFINETLY! The pixels stay the same tho..right? Not less pixels when you shoot "normal" huh?

[deliriouspixel]

right

the resolution stays the same (total number of pixels)
but the amount of jpeg compression is increased
going from fine down to normal
this adds more jpeg artifacts as less data is used to encode the image

[archman]

Wild. I always heard what Gonja said...highest quality.

Hearing is one thing, seeing is another. And we've all seen DP's results.

I'm going to "normal" mode!

[deliriouspixel]

candidBOB was the man to clue me in on this
back then the difference in quality between compressions off the 10D
were even less noticable
but it still is acceptable for the 20D and 350D

[LCSC]

I wish I knew how to use Photoshop. I just use a program called Microsoft Picture It. I usually use Unsharp Mask and maybe auto fix levels.

[sandman]

for myself, i take and post way too many shots to be doin any serious editin.
i use iphoto to do the basics. exposure, lightin colors and sometimes the sharpness. i than add my sig and that's about it.
sometimes i will use PS to do a little more changes but that's rare.

[Ambusher]

Just cropping and sometimes lightening if there's lots of shadow. Anything more than "move the little slider thing" is too complicated for me. I don't own PS.

[Ambusher]

Hey, somebody took my avatar! Where's my avatar! I want it back!

[Ambusher]

Oops, there she is.

[cmaster]

I don't post-process that much, but when I do - I use Photoshop CS2 for pretty much everything, except for RAW. I mostly use the Canon software for my RAW work.

[Gonja]

candidBOB was the man to clue me in on this
back then the difference in quality between compressions off the 10D
were even less noticable
but it still is acceptable for the 20D and 350D
HA! Candidbob was the dude who told me to use highest resolution and highest quality. Maybe cuz i used those cheap cameras back then.

[Deathtrot]

I'm glad I don't have a digital camera.

[blash]

I'd allways use highest quality raw+jpeg, just get a 4gb compact flash if you need more space. If you shoot really much then buy 2. ;) Well thats my words but im not really experienced in candids, yet i mainly use my dslr to shoot macros. :)

[Rogue Trooper]

I'm just on the process of learning what, why, how much and with what to do that post processing...

At the moment I use PS CS2 for levels and rotate/crop, sometimes even use that highlights/shadows tool. And because I have the notorious FZ-20 which is known for it's noisiness, I have this Neat Image noise reduction filter for PS.

Sometimes I tend to overuse some of those tools and pictures start to look unreal. I wish older and wiser of us would tell me what's enough.

[dopa73]

I use photoshop CS. Cropping, levels, shadows/highlights, clone stamp. It depends on the photo really. Sometimes all I do is use levels and saturation. Sometimes I need to get unwanted elements out and then I use the clone stamp. And I add my sig in Photoshop as well.

[dopa73]

Oh, I forgot, I shoot highest level jpegs and sometimes Raw files. Although I find jpegs easier to review on the camera's lcd screen. Raw files look blurry.
Jpegs also process faster so I can shoot faster. For Raw files I have Pixmantec rawshooter essentials but haven't used it much. I also have a Canon Raw converter.

[Master]

Everybody uses PS CS? I use my old PS 6 ;P