lesv Loc: warren pa

any ideas on how to improve this???please dont suggest photoshop elements, im a newbe and that program just about made me give away my new camera. WOW, its too complcated for me.....thanks i love you forum

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

Okay, I won't suggest Elements, but how about Photoshop CS5 or Lightroom. LOL!! Seriously, if you want to improve your pictures you must embrace some kind of post processing software. Don't be afraid of it, everyone starts where you are. Even the great Ansel Adams did post processing. He just used chemicals instead of digital pixels. I took the liberty of tweaking your photo to my taste using Photoshop CS5 and Nik Software.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

If you want a non-threatening free class on using elements check out Kim Klaussen's I think you do a lesson a day. It is basically to teach you how to use her textures, but she teaches you so much more in a step by step fashion. I just downloaded the video, open my Photoshop elements and just went back and forth between the two. Pausing the video to do what she had just shown me.
She got me over my fear of using it.

http://www.kimklassencafe.com/photoshopecourses/

dansparks Loc: georgia

Try google's PICASA... it's simple and it works

tilde531 Loc: Seaford Delaware

I second Picasa for someone new to processing and who doesn't want to spend a lot of time or money.
Free... simple (with many options pre-set so it's a simple matter of choosing the offending element to tweak and hitting the button.

And if you don't like the preset level, there are options to manually adjust.

(And NO, I don't get any kickbacks for suggesting it lol)

Also: I you have a pc... Microsoft Office Picture Manager is a fab pre-built alternative to do minor tweaking like what I'll mention below. It's very likely you already have it installed on your computer.
______________________________

Your florals are lovely as they are and wouldn't require much to make them pop a little better. They are just a little flat and an exposure/fill light, slight sharpening and contrast tweak would likely do it.

I might have cropped the stuff at the top of the first one out a little more, myself... to bring focus more on the flowers, but maybe you left it there on purpose to provide a backdrop?

lesv Loc: warren pa

thanks for your comments, it makes want to learn more. my fist camera is a nikon s9100 im going back and forth from the owners manual to the camera. im glad i retired cause it takes me a long time learn this new hobby

Millismote Loc: Massachusetts

I like the composition, I like to darken slightly and some sharpening.

lesv Loc: warren pa

thanks millismote, tell me what you used and how do it

Millismote Loc: Massachusetts

I have program called Digital Photo Professional that came with my Canon camera. Its very easy to use. I find that darkening the pictures usually tend to enrich the color and I always sharpen a little. I also dialed back the contrast a little before I darkened it. I took this one at sunset on the island of Kona in 2000, That is a small cruise ship leaving the island.