To PP or not to PP.....

[Julianne]

I realize this is probably a very personal thing to decide, but at what point is it okay, or is it NEVER okay, to do NO post processing? I shot this flower as a jpeg yesterday and I just don't know if I want to touch it....anyone care to comment????

[CindyTykie]

I think it's beautiful the way it is

[capitanandrew]

While this is an EXCELENT photo, it might be worth your time to at lease play around with it in PP to see how different (better or worse) you can make it look. It's a great way to become more familiar with the software you're using, as well as understand how in the future you can make great shots like this even better. I for one always load my photos into aperture, and at least play with the exposure, saturation, brightnest and contrast, just to see if it will help any.

[Evil Toad]

I always say play with it. If you like the results, then it was worth it. If you don't, oh well, you still have the original. In fact, here is just one way of playing with it. This is the etheral glow action applied to the image at 30% opacity.
Toad

[John_B]

Julianne,
I found its beautiful the way it is :)
If it was mine I would try the photo again with smaller aperture (give it more DOF).

Evil Toad,
Sorry but you didn't help the photo at all to my eyes :(

[Julianne]

Thanks for the kind, confidence boosting comments...:D I was quite astounded when I pulled it up on my pc..

Capitan...what do you mean "load it into aperture"?
JohnB... I will try the smaller aperture next time, thanks!

[Dale Siscoe]

Sometimes, less is way more, and too many people rely on Post production tricks to make up what is lacking in a photgraph beit skill or equiptment or both. just my pennies.
Oh yeah, beautiful Hibiscus , nice job, but would be better without the shadow from the pistol.

[Julianne]

Sometimes, less is way more, and too many people rely on Post production tricks to make up what is lacking in a photgraph beit skill or equiptment or both. just my pennies.
Oh yeah, beautiful Hibiscus , nice job, but would be better without the shadow from the pistol.

I can't rely on Post production, because I haven't figured out how to do it very well yet.... guess that's why I liked this shot so much!

I was intrigued by the pistol's shadow though...... to try and paint this WITH the shadow would be horrendous.... but in a photo it somehow 'works'...

[capitanandrew]

when i say "load it into aperture" i mean importing it into the library for editing, sorry for the confusion

[totalbeginner]

I agree that it's an excellent picture and doesn't require any PP. As it's a JPEG, some processing has already taken place in camera. Next time, try shooting in RAW. Believe me, you won't want to go back! :D

My only comment, regarding the image itself, would be as John B said, to increase the DOF. I only say this because it's a shame that the stamen are OOF.

[goforphoto]

Only pp I would do is saturation and maybe sharpening

[Julianne]

I agree that it's an excellent picture and doesn't require any PP. As it's a JPEG, some processing has already taken place in camera. Next time, try shooting in RAW. Believe me, you won't want to go back! :D

My only comment, regarding the image itself, would be as John B said, to increase the DOF. I only say this because it's a shame that the stamen are OOF.


Thanks... I actually was out taking pics in RAW and didn't realize that if you put it on any of the "creative zones" it automatically reverted to jpeg......I'm still learning the RAW processing thing, and I would love to have that attitude that I don't want to go back...! Feels like I'm missing something! :confused:

[Julianne]

when i say "load it into aperture" i mean importing it into the library for editing, sorry for the confusion

you mean like in photoshop or dpp? sorry.........still didn't make sense to this complete novice....but bear with me, I'm learning!!!!!:D

[capitanandrew]

haha, no problem, Aperture is a software title made by Apple Inc. that is a professional photo editing program. It's what i use to do my PP

[Roach711]

Many times after I've Pshopped the dickens out of a pic I find I like the original best. Other times with a little work I've rescued a second-best pic.

Like the others said, give it a shot. You can always go back to your original. The original looks good as do the tweaked ones. It's just a matter of taste. No post processing is always an option.

[Julianne]

Thanks Capitan.... are there like a zillion software programs for editing digital or what????:)

[capitanandrew]

yeah, there are TONS, you just have to find the one that works for you