New Guy

[GENESXXX]

Hello All,
Just wanted to say hi, and introduce myself.

Name is Gene, I have a couple years exp. "playing" with film on my old Olympus OM-2, and have been useing a SONY Mavica for about a year now and decided to upgrade to something a little better. I ordered a EOS 10D (hope to get it this week) and was very happy to find a site like this. It's always nice to have access to a large data base of knowledge.
I really like the layout and all the pics, there are some very talented people here.

I was curious to know how many of you are using software (i.e. photoshop) to enhance their photos and how many of you are just really good with the camera.

Well, that's just a quicky for now.

Gene

[Bytephoto]

Hi gene, and welcome to BytePhoto.

I, like you, had an Olympus OM2n and loved it, but at the beginning of the year I took the jump to digital and will never look back.
Glad you like the site.... and I agree with you that there are some very talented photographers here.

To answer your question on software usage, I always use Photoshop to enhance my pics with levels, contrast and saturation. My Olympus E10 is set at 'normal' contrast and sharpness allowing better control in post processing.
Sometimes I use filters (or plug ins) which allow me to add a mystical or more dramatic look to my photos.

Look forward to seeing some shots from your 10D...

[budguinn]

Originally posted by GENESXXX
[
I was curious to know how many of you are using software (i.e. photoshop) to enhance their photos and how many of you are just really good with the camera.

Gene [/B]

Welcome Gene.......now that question is getting kind of personal.....I don't "show" anything without some PS involvement.....ususally just a little levels....and almost always necessary to sharpen a bit after downsizing for web.

bud

[richardmt68]

I was curious to know how many of you are using software (i.e. photoshop) to enhance their photos and how many of you are just really good with the camera.

Im not sure it has to be an either/or thing. Some people just take great photos, while others need software to 'fix' them.

Still there are those who take fantastic pics, and still like to help them out a bit with the computer.

To me, it is no longer doing the photograph and THEN working on the computer. Insead the entire procedure from turning on the camera all the way through finishing my last layer is part of the photography process, if that makes any sense.

Great choice on you digital you ordered. My dad got one of those a couple of weeks ago. That is a camera that should be able to do just about anything you ask of it.

[Bagsfan5]

We welcome you here to Bytephoto... You are right, there are some very talented people here. I dont think that JUST because one uses a Photo Editing Program, that they are NOT good with the Camera. You can only doctor up a picture so much, before you cant call it photography anymore. I believe that there are almost always, reasons why you could use a photo editing program for photos. I think it is a WONDERFUL tool that the Computer industry has provided us ALL.... I am very interested in seeing some of your work with the Canon EOS 10D. I have read so much about that camera... I use the Fuji 602 Z. I really like it alot....

[hpklahn]

Hello Gene - I am a new member like yourself. Great friendly site with many good photographers. Good choice of equipment. The SW you get with it will process your RAW format images as though they were still in the camera. Incredible tolerance of high ISO without noise/grain. Photoshop is the industry standard and a good reason to use it is to avail yourself of the incredible amount of information available to help you, as well as the many Actions you can download to it to speed up your processing. Steep learning curve to the full version. I started with PS Elements 2, as it is a simpler version easier to learn the basic tools. It will do most all you need to process photo images. I took a couple of classes to get started, but there are some available on the Web to get you to the same place. I will step up to the newest version, PS 8 when it is released at the end of the year. Looking forward to your images from your end of the world. Regards, Henry

[EdMac]

Hi Gene,
Welcome to the forum. What you will find is that it is the photographer and not the camera that makes the picture. Photoshop is a great software tool, but it can't make a picture. Yes, those skilled with Photoshop can enhance a poor picture and make it good. Come join us and share your talents. This is a very friendly group of people that share your hobby.

[GENESXXX]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome. I guess I may have worded my question wrong, or at least asked the wrong question due to my lack of knowledge on the subject. I never meant to imply that only a bad photographer would need to use PS. I guess I didn't realize that even a really good picture could use a little adjustment here and there.

I can't wait to get my camera and start shooting, I love the fact that I don't have to pay for a whole roll of film developing just to get one or two pictures out of it. Now I can shoot hundreds of pictures and print only the I want. I love it.

Thanks again for the warm welcome.

Gene

[Bagsfan5]

Hello, you are right about not having to get a whole roll of film developed for 1 or 2 pictures, BUT the thing I like VERY MUCH about the Digital Cameras, is that you can see ON SITE if your pictures turned out the way you wanted them to. How many times did you take photos on a special location, ( hoping that everything went well ) then after you wait hours or days for your pictures to get developed, BAM They are all not what you wanted ????????? I find myself learning alot more about photography with my Digital camera, because I can see right away what I did RIGHT and WRONG.... I also have learned with PORTRAIT photography ( this is IMPORTANT ) that when you are shooting portraits and you show the person you are taking the portraits of a few of the shots DURING the shooting, They are more relaxed and you can get better results..... THey see how good the shots are coming out.... Believe me, this works... I have done it many times....

[GENESXXX]

That's a great tip, thank you. I have been useing my cheap little mavica, and people in this part of the world who are not use to such wonderful technologies, are extremely happy to see their own pictures. I've never used my mavica for portrait taking, more for recording events and being able to e-mail to others.

Thanks again for that tip.
(I'm checking my mail box 4 times a day now, can't wait!)

Gene