I Have To Ask: Hello all, Being new on the forum I really don't want to stir up a hornet's nest but I have to ask; Post Processing, yes or no? If yes, what program(s) do you use. If...

ncammack Loc: American Southwest (Lots of beach, no ocean)

Hello all,

Being new on the forum I really don't want to stir up a hornet's nest but I have to ask; Post Processing, yes or no? If yes, what program(s) do you use. If no, I'm curious as to why not. To be honest, I do some post processing using GIMP, Dark Table, and Luminance HDR. Not always, but when I feel that a little punch up will turn a good shot into a great one.

Charlie'smom

Yes. I shoot in RAW and process in Photoshop Elements.

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

There is no “no” answer. Did you ever shoot film? If so, did you get your film developed and printed?

That’s all post processing is.

Yes, some people overdo the treatments, making their images look like Peter Max posters. But if you’re going to share, print, and make the most of your images, it’s a skill set you need to learn.

Andy

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

Absolutely yes.
Start with Lightroom/Photoshop.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

I shoot Raw. Process in Photoshop CS6. Raw files must be processed unless you want them to look like ****.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

AndyH wrote:

There is no “no” answer. Did you ever shoot film? If so, did you get your film developed and printed?

That’s all post processing is.

Yes, some people overdo the treatments, making their images look like Peter Max posters. But if you’re going to share, print, and make the most of your images, it’s a skill set you need to learn.

Andy

Good point beyond even the firm answer I gave.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

ncammack wrote:

Hello all,

Being new on the forum I really don't want to stir up a hornet's nest but I have to ask; Post Processing, yes or no? If yes, what program(s) do you use. If no, I'm curious as to why not. To be honest, I do some post processing using GIMP, Dark Table, and Luminance HDR. Not always, but when I feel that a little punch up will turn a good shot into a great one.

Post processing is a time honored skill and art for creative photographers, but not for documentary ones. Personally, I have never seen an image that could not been improved upon by some post processing. I will admit that PP is a dangerous thing - many take it well beyond what is reasonable and come up with some very garish and truly awful interpretations, that are far from being even remotely artistic.

All of my work is post processed. I would never think of handing anything to a client that wasn't.

AndyH Loc: Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Gene51 wrote:

Post processing is a time honored skill and art for creative photographers, but not for documentary...

I’m relatively certain that HCB, Nat Geo, and Life all had darkrooms and used them. 😎

Andy

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Coming from a very different place than Gene51, I am just a happy amateur who got hooked on "playful pp" - including the use of textures - a few years ago, thanks to several UHH members. Some of my older postings on UHH I'm still in love with, some newer postings I am already wondering what was I thinking

For me, experimenting and exploring is part of joy of the hobby.

PS Elements
Nik Collection
Topaz Simplify
Topaz Detail

Welcome to the forum! Be sure to check "all sections" at the bottom of this page to discover many specialty forums.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Photoshop CC 2018 and Lightroom Classic is the way to go. No doubt.

BebuLamar

I always do post processing on every image whether it's film or digital but most of the time very little is done.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I post process all that I am going to print or post. Some require very little processing, some more.
I'll not pass up the opportunity to see if I can make it look a little better.
I use Canon DPP, Photo Impact Pro, and Elements 14.

Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

So what is the alternative--pre-processing?

Mac Loc: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia now Hernando Co. Fl.

ncammack wrote:

Hello all,

Being new on the forum I really don't want to stir up a hornet's nest but I have to ask; Post Processing, yes or no? If yes, what program(s) do you use. If no, I'm curious as to why not. To be honest, I do some post processing using GIMP, Dark Table, and Luminance HDR. Not always, but when I feel that a little punch up will turn a good shot into a great one.

I shoot in RAW and process in Photos for macOS, Luminar and Affinity Photo.

Photocraig

AndyH wrote:

There is no “no” answer. Did you ever shoot film? If so, did you get your film developed and printed?

That’s all post processing is.

Yes, some people overdo the treatments, making their images look like Peter Max posters. But if you’re going to share, print, and make the most of your images, it’s a skill set you need to learn.

Andy

Andy,
You make a good observation. The machine developer/printer systems for COlor Prints (C41) actually adjusted exposure and some color balance. We do that in camera with the Camera Picture Style parameters. Or we capture RAW files and make adjustments "as we see fit" using our favorite PP software.

In the film days, people walked out of the drug store, or wherever, with "processed images." As they should have. A photo without processing is like a burger without seasoning. Incomplete, and unnecessarily so. Photography always was and still is a process. Part in camera and part in final production (developing) and printing. Just as film could be over processed, so, too can Digital--only it is easier. But because somebody makes photos that look like (i'm told) they're on an Acid Trip doesn't mean that Post Processing is bad. ALL photos are processed. Today, we have an easy, clean, and less smelly way to do it ourselves. Neglecting to do so means neglecting to finish the job.
C