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Filters or no filters? How do you feel about post-processing tools shaping your final image?
Jan 28, 2024 11:50:16 #
What is truly "boring" is this continual argument about post-processing, realism vs. impressionism, filters, or no filters, etc..
Photography was not invented yesterday. "Processg" was always part of the equation. You exposed a film or a plane and you had to chemically PROCESS it to create an image. Serious, technically competent, and artistically inclined photograhers manipulate the images in development and/or printing to tweak the quality or apply a special effect. In a well-crafted image, from film or digital imaging. is produced in such a way that the manipulation or special effects do not call attention to themselves. A poorly crafted image will show the glitches!
As for color saturation? Years ago photographer shot Kodachrome and underexpss 1/2 a stop to increase saturation. Others shot Ecktachrome for a more realistic or neutral effect. Yet, some sho tSuper Anschrochrome and overexposed slightly for a pastel and grain effect. It's' a matter of TASTE and not everyone SEES things the same way.
Whatever you opted to do , you had to plan, select a film and process and follow through. Nowadays yo can just shoot and in post-process, you can make all sorts of alterations with a tweak of a slider and some folks SLIDE a bit much- but that is up to them! Some beginners tend to do that (it's fun) until they practice and gain more precise control.
Photography is a creative endeavor so why create LAWS or false ethics as to how folks should express THEIR visions and imaginations? All photogahy is not documentation and journalism. If you want your images to be as realistic as possibe- have at it. I do it every day in commercial work. If you want or need to change gears and do someth crazy or different, why not? Experiment, and if you don't like the results- it didn't cost you film, chemistry and paper. You don't even have to tear up the print and throw it in the garbage. You just click "delete" and it goes off to photo-purgatory, never again to be seen.
In post-processing, even the word "filter" is kind of a misnomer. In the olden days of film, you had to place a glass filter on your lens and undated HOW it is "filtering" out or minimizing certain colors and emphasizing others or how it affects the panchromatic renditions in monochromatic work. The presets or so-called filters in many software programs are just various moods and permutations so you just pick and choose- again, a personal choice.
Rant over
, now as they say on TV talent contests- "let the battles begin"!
Photography was not invented yesterday. "Processg" was always part of the equation. You exposed a film or a plane and you had to chemically PROCESS it to create an image. Serious, technically competent, and artistically inclined photograhers manipulate the images in development and/or printing to tweak the quality or apply a special effect. In a well-crafted image, from film or digital imaging. is produced in such a way that the manipulation or special effects do not call attention to themselves. A poorly crafted image will show the glitches!
As for color saturation? Years ago photographer shot Kodachrome and underexpss 1/2 a stop to increase saturation. Others shot Ecktachrome for a more realistic or neutral effect. Yet, some sho tSuper Anschrochrome and overexposed slightly for a pastel and grain effect. It's' a matter of TASTE and not everyone SEES things the same way.
Whatever you opted to do , you had to plan, select a film and process and follow through. Nowadays yo can just shoot and in post-process, you can make all sorts of alterations with a tweak of a slider and some folks SLIDE a bit much- but that is up to them! Some beginners tend to do that (it's fun) until they practice and gain more precise control.
Photography is a creative endeavor so why create LAWS or false ethics as to how folks should express THEIR visions and imaginations? All photogahy is not documentation and journalism. If you want your images to be as realistic as possibe- have at it. I do it every day in commercial work. If you want or need to change gears and do someth crazy or different, why not? Experiment, and if you don't like the results- it didn't cost you film, chemistry and paper. You don't even have to tear up the print and throw it in the garbage. You just click "delete" and it goes off to photo-purgatory, never again to be seen.
In post-processing, even the word "filter" is kind of a misnomer. In the olden days of film, you had to place a glass filter on your lens and undated HOW it is "filtering" out or minimizing certain colors and emphasizing others or how it affects the panchromatic renditions in monochromatic work. The presets or so-called filters in many software programs are just various moods and permutations so you just pick and choose- again, a personal choice.
Rant over
, now as they say on TV talent contests- "let the battles begin"!Jan 28, 2024 11:57:15 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
An ounce of prevention is worth more than a three pounds of hope.
The scales of injustice.
Jan 28, 2024 12:06:01 #
wdross wrote:
Headzup ! Youve gone waaaay off topic there.In this digital age, I only use polarizers. If I wanted more filters, they would be neutral density filters. Otherwise, it is post processing. Yes, it is still useful to use filters on a digital camera, but it is not necessary like in the film days. And post processing saves one money and travel weight of any and all the additional filters other than polarizers.
Appears that youve just posted your kneejerk response to the word "filters". Do you keep it on file ... see word, paste text, post reply ?
Does your use of PP ever include the filters that the OP is asking about ? Hes not asking about your polarizer.
Check out Panorama section of our forum.
Jan 28, 2024 12:08:19 #
wdross wrote:
In this digital age, I only use polarizers. If I wanted more filters, they would be neutral density filters. Otherwise, it is post processing. Yes, it is still useful to use filters on a digital camera, but it is not necessary like in the film days. And post processing saves one money and travel weight of any and all the additional filters other than polarizers.
Wrong "filters".
Jan 28, 2024 12:15:30 #
Jan 28, 2024 12:17:19 #
Depends. Sometimes I just want to finish the photo with simple adjustments to exposure, contrast, etc. Other times I feel like experimenting. If the experiments don't look good to me, I discard them.
Jan 28, 2024 12:20:49 #
User ID wrote:
Triggered by pavlovian keyword ?
Nah, just multiple definitions, he simply picked the wrong one.
Maybe he doesn't use the term "filters" for those phone thingies.
Check out Drone Video and Photography Forum section of our forum.
Jan 28, 2024 12:24:55 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
Even the "free" LR presets aren't worth the money you pay for them.
I don't use presets, I change what I want when I want.
After all, presets are made (set up/configured) by someone else.....
Jan 28, 2024 12:27:49 #
JZA B1 wrote:
I guess there is a difference between adjusting wh... (show quote)
There's no rule that photography must be "realistic". Since the invention of photography there have been those photographers whose goal was as realistic a depiction of the scene photographed as possible, and those photographers who make the images from their cameras a starting point for a personal artistic vision. Composite photos, adding or removing objects, swapping skies were all done in the darkroom long before digital photography was imagined. Such things are just easier and available to more people now with digital. But I have never seen photographers who have a personal artistic vision claim that all photographers should treat their imagery in the same way. But I have seen those who are in the "realist" camp claim that photography should stick to that, and manipulated photographs are no longer photographs. My view is that images which are the result of the action of light on a light sensitive material are photographs, no matter how much manipulation is done.
Jan 28, 2024 12:31:07 #
JohnSwanda wrote:
There's no rule that photography must be "rea... (show quote)
There are realists and there are envisionaries.
And people in-between.
Jan 28, 2024 12:33:09 #
Longshadow wrote:
Nah, just multiple definitions, he simply picked the wrong one.
Maybe he doesn't use the term "filters" for those phone thingies.
Maybe he doesn't use the term "filters" for those phone thingies.
"Phone thingies" ?!?
Its perfickly clear that the OP is NOT asking about lens accessories. I still go with Pavlov. Specific keyword reliably triggers drooling in thoroughly conditioned subjects.
Check out Video for DSLR and Point and Shoot Cameras section of our forum.
Jan 28, 2024 12:45:20 #
User ID wrote:
"Phone thingies" ?!?
Its perfickly clear that the OP is NOT asking about lens accessories. I still go with Pavlov. Specific keyword reliably triggers drooling in thoroughly conditioned subjects.
Its perfickly clear that the OP is NOT asking about lens accessories. I still go with Pavlov. Specific keyword reliably triggers drooling in thoroughly conditioned subjects.
Yup. Phone image editors that put "filters" on the images -
Bug-eyes, bunny/cat ears, nose, ...
THOSE "filters".
Yea, give it another year or so (if not now) and editor functions will all be called filters.......
Jan 28, 2024 12:59:31 #
In my view the answer is, it is not worth worrying about.
There is no single right way to do creative work.
If you are taking evidence photos there are protocols that must be followed but that is not "creative work"
Digital photography begat sliders while most of us would agree that "Sliders can be over done" there will be no agreement on exactly "How much is Too Much"
If you want advice, I would say look within, What do you think? How do you want our pictures to look? What "Looks Right" to you?
Because in the end the picture stands on its own. If you do work that you are proud of, That's a Win.
If you are not proud of your pictures, find work by a photographer that you do like, then you have a target.
We all learn first by imitation, and then develop our own "Look"
Finally ALL post processing software filters begin with someone pushing sliders. They can all be recreated by pushing sliders....... in fact that is not a bad way to learn to use an application----- find a "Preset" you like, then start over and figure out how it was done. Then make your own Presets.
Because no matter how bad or good your picture is, some folks will like it, some won't. But if you focus on being true to what YOU like, you are on a good path.
There is no single right way to do creative work.
If you are taking evidence photos there are protocols that must be followed but that is not "creative work"
Digital photography begat sliders while most of us would agree that "Sliders can be over done" there will be no agreement on exactly "How much is Too Much"
If you want advice, I would say look within, What do you think? How do you want our pictures to look? What "Looks Right" to you?
Because in the end the picture stands on its own. If you do work that you are proud of, That's a Win.
If you are not proud of your pictures, find work by a photographer that you do like, then you have a target.
We all learn first by imitation, and then develop our own "Look"
Finally ALL post processing software filters begin with someone pushing sliders. They can all be recreated by pushing sliders....... in fact that is not a bad way to learn to use an application----- find a "Preset" you like, then start over and figure out how it was done. Then make your own Presets.
Because no matter how bad or good your picture is, some folks will like it, some won't. But if you focus on being true to what YOU like, you are on a good path.
Jan 28, 2024 13:02:55 #
MJPerini wrote:
In my view the answer is, it is not worth worrying about.
There is no single right way to do creative work.
...
...
There is no single right way to do creative work.
...
...
Yup, it's an individual volition.
Jan 28, 2024 13:12:23 #
JZA B1 wrote:
I guess there is a difference between adjusting wh... (show quote)
I'm committed to minimal post processing! Always have been, always will be! I use Picasa only. I can crop, adjust light levels, minimum sharpening, very little color balance. That's about it. If I can't get what I want without sitting in front of the computer all day, I delete it and try again. I'm a photographer, NOT a computer graphics guy.
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