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Thread: Photoshop or Lightroom - What are you using?

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    Default Photoshop or Lightroom - What are you using?

    Hello.

    I thinks loads of - if not all - photographers nowadays using these tools to enhance their digital images. I don't want to start a discussion on which is better and why. I, personally, know the capabilities and differences of PS and LR.
    As for myself, I'm a purist and tend to use Lightroom for some minor tweaks such as colours, saturation, shadows, highlights and stuff. I'm not a fan of heavy Photoshop editing.

    I think nothing can beat good knowledge about colour, light, composition and so on, as well as the relation between ISO, shutter speed and aperture. As a photographer you need to have a sound understanding of these things. Otherwise you can't take good pictures. These are just my thoughts on that.

    Anyway. I would like to know what tools you guys are using here. And, even more importantly, what kind of processing you apply to your images. Minor tweaks like I do or some more stuff? And WHY?

    I'm looking forward to some insights and maybe some tips and tricks.

    Paula.

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    BPN Member Don Lacy's Avatar
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    I use either ACR or DPP to convert my Raw images and PS to finish processing them. As far as the amount of processing goes it all depends on the image and subjects for avian and wildlife I spend about ten to thirty minuets on an image doing what I consider minor tweaks and sharpening for the web. For my landscapes I am often hand blending two or more images using luminosity mask and then further processing using a variety of adjustment layers and mask they often take hours to process. If you're shooting Raw you have to process your images and it is the processing of the image that brings it to its full potential so as far as I am concern it's a combination of both a understanding of all the things you mention as well as a strong foundation in post processing that separates the best photographers from everyone else.
    Don Lacy
    You don't take a photograph, you make it - Ansel Adams
    There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs - Ansel Adams
    http://www.witnessnature.net/
    https://500px.com/lacy

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    BPN Member Don Lacy's Avatar
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    Here are two examples a simple avian images that I spent about 15 minutes on the first is the image from the Raw converter and the second is the images after processing the final image had 5 adjustment layers with mask and I used a two stage downsizing and sharpening action for web presentation. Now the difference between them are subtle and the first image is fine but is still not were I want it. The second image has had the eye lighten the highlights on the beak and chest lowered and a touch of contrast added. then I ran NR on the BG only using a mask as well as selectively sharpening both the Cormorant and then the eye only. For the landscape the first image is the base image I used I then hand blended a lighter image that had detail in the rocks and a darker image that had the sky properly exposed the rest of the processing would take way to long to go into but I included a screen shot of the layer pallet to give you an ideal. Processing is the finale step even for a simple image like the Cormorant or a more complex one like the landscape image so yes post processing is as important as anything you do in the field.
    Don Lacy
    You don't take a photograph, you make it - Ansel Adams
    There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs - Ansel Adams
    http://www.witnessnature.net/
    https://500px.com/lacy

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    Thank you for the replies. It's always interesting to get to know other peoples techniques and work-flow. Hopefully some more will join in.

    I really like the sunset shot. It's a big difference. Especially the details on the rocks. They're all missing in the unprocessed shot.

    Paula.

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