User ID

The "conversational tone" in posts favoring "natural look" varies from matter of fact to defensive. So apparently some cant handle much PP and some can. No surprises there. The "tone" in each post tells you whos who.

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

There is a post active right now by a regular asking for just that, but when you start to question her, it turns out she has a 6.something version of Lightroom and Photoshop CS5. She has "always had trouble understanding layers" and does mostly just global edits. How does someone who has the latest versions of Photoshop and is daily using the newest tools and methods respond to that? I haven't used CS5 in 22 years. I'm supposed to try to remember how I did something in that ancient program that long ago?

I've lately been skipping the "help me edit" threads since I realized that most people here use only Lightroom 6.** or some old, unsupported, out-of-print version of "Acme Pixel Wizard Photo Editor and JPEG Converter." They wouldn't understand what I was saying anyway, and someone else will always come by with bad advice which will then be widely acclaimed as brilliance.

I recently saw someone say "just use the flood tool." The what??

Retired CPO Loc: Travel full time in an RV

I do feel comfortable backed into a corner with my back to the walls when I'm expecting an assault! I was pleasantly surprised not to need it. Usually, when I take a stand on my reluctance to get into post processing, I get slammed! Especially when I admit that Picasa is my only post processing software. And, you're right. It's no one's business but mine!

24Megapixseal Loc: Kansas

I edit to a far lesser degree than most (I think)... I try to focus on getting it as right as I can straight out of the camera... SOOC is where it's at "for me"....When I do get the camera adjusted right and the photos are near perfect, THAT is where I get most of my satisfaction from this hobby... But a little "dodge or burn" here and there if it'll help the photo out, I'm there!!

Mostly, I don't want to spend time editing, I want to spend time outside, behind the camera, trying to get the most out of that time....

I'll probably NEVER get the "award winning" finished product, but as others have said, "If I'm stoked with it, that's all that matters!"

I also tend to study other's pictures that I do like, and try to figure out if I have the skills to capture something similar.... Many times tho, I figure out that "x" photo is either a stacked or composition photo, and there's no way I'll ever get one to look like that.... But I'm totally good with that, but I'll still TRY to get as close as I can SOOC then tweak it a little, and I'm happy...Cuz I know that I do not have the computer skills to duplicate... No biggie!

Speaking of SOOC, that is probably something I don't see enough of here at UHH, and that is people sharing their camera settings of their spectacular photos.... I'm in a learning phase constantly, trying to improve my photography, and often wonder how people got "that shot"... And being computer illiterate, I probably just don't know how to get the metadata for a picture posted here...there's Instagram photographers that I follow that post their camera settings for every photo they post, and I love that! It's a data collecting thing for me, I guess...

Anyway, that's my long response.... I'm just a "tweaker"...not a big swinger, home run hitter.... Lolol

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

👍👍👍

R.G. Loc: Scotland

It's very commendable that you put a lot of effort into getting as good a capture as you can, but it doesn't have to stop there. The capture is just one stage of the larger process of ending up with a usable image. A lot of people put a lot of effort into learning and applying PP skills so that they can make their images as good as they can be. If an image has been given inferior PP or not as much PP as it could have been given then that image has not been optimised.

The best shooters are driven by a desire to get the best results that they can and they'll put time and effort into making it so and learning how to make it so. They apply that approach to both the capturing and the editing, and they know that if their efforts are deficient in either of those areas the resulting images will not be as good as they could have been. Some are driven by such a desire, some aren't....

What's not so commendable is the way some people try to justify their minimal use of PP by claiming that the reason is something other than laziness. If we want our results to be as good as they can be, the only option is to put in the required effort. If that means spending time learning how to PP properly, then that's what we need to do. The answer is NOT to make up lame justifications (which fool very few people).

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

That's a good position, but only if you can trust the walls.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Thanks for the slam, Larry. Not everyone is rich!

leftj Loc: Texas

Subtle

terryMc Loc: Arizona's White Mountains

That was not intended as a slam, Kathy, only to point out the difficulty of "helping" someone who has different software, a different skill level and perhaps a different understanding of what "editing" is supposed to do, or even can do. I'm sorry you took it that way.

I'm not rich. I live on a pension and Social Security, but I can afford $10 a month for Photoshop, which I use every day.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

I prefer to match my edits to my vision and expectations of the end results. As a result that may mean a few subtle edits or it may mean very extreme ones depending on my goals for the image. I don't limit myself. To get the best from your images during editing means understanding how to get the results you want from your software.

Most of the poorly done and/or severely overcooked images I've seen are from people that are either new to editing, don't have a handle on how to get the best from their software, or have not yet developed an eye to differentiate between well processed and poorly processed or overprocessed images.

ackvil Loc: Delray Beach, FL

Exactly. I like natural-looking photos. A friend likes to "enhance" his photos sometimes to an extreme level It is always interesting to see our photos side-by-side since we will take a photo of the same object.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

That would be interesting indeed. Kind of like why I enjoy themes so much - seeing how other interpret the same assignment.

dino21 Loc: McAllen, TX

Totally agree.

dino21 Loc: McAllen, TX

Yes children....get out your coloring crayons. How disappointing when someone posts a really colorful landscape shot and then you go there expecting these vibrant colors only to see drab colors that dont come close to the oversaturated photos people put out now. FAKE..