RAW vs JPg, Adobe vs Rgb, expose to the right, expose to the left.....

[AginKajun]

Am I the only one or have some of you other guys read and studied so much on not just these subjects but about photography in general that you just throw out what you've read and just do what works for you? I find myself becoming frustrated trying to think of all the ways I could take, compose, and post process my shots. Am I the only one. Do I need a shrink? Will this pass.

[breal101]

You are not alone, do what you want to. I see people here crowing about shooting only one way and wonder why they are so rigid. I do what works for me at the time, life is too short for rules. laissez le bon temps rouler!!! BTW are you in La. or a transplanted cajun?

[AginKajun]

Originally Posted by breal101

You are not alone, do what you want to. I see people here crowing about shooting only one way and wonder why they are so rigid. I do what works for me at the time, life is too short for rules. laissez le bon temps rouler!!! BTW are you in La. or a transplanted cajun?

I'm transplanted to Oklahoma in 1981. Still have webs between my toes and high water marks on my ankles though, and I can look at an acre of rice and tell you to the cup how much gravy it will take to cover it all. (Inside joke for all you non cajuns)

[breal101]

Sorry to hear you have to be away from the crawfish, they are good this year too. I'll bet you have some good Boudreax jokes.

[AginKajun]

[ I'll bet you have some good Boudreax jokes.[/quote]

Could start a new catagory on the forums with em.

[Wilt]

Originally Posted by AginKajun

Am I the only one or have some of you other guys read and studied so much on not just these subjects but about photography in general that you just throw out what you've read and just do what works for you? I find myself becoming frustrated trying to think of all the ways I could take, compose, and post process my shots.

There is no single, universally appropriate way to shoot ALL shots...different shots may require different techniques to get 'the best' from that shot. The skill is knowing when which technique is best for which shot.

That isn't the same as simply ignoring the rules and shooting according to 'what works for you'. It is using the appropriate 'rule' for the appropriate situation.

Examples...1. 'shoot to the right' applies when there is highlight detail that you need to keep, and the total range of brightness in the scene will all fit!
2. But it is useless to follow that rule if the tonal range is too great to fit, and you need to preserve shadow detail!
3. And, if you need to retain tonal accuracy (shooting for fashion or textile industry), 'shoot to the right' will get you into a lot of trouble with your client if you do not also take suitable steps to bring back tonal accuracy!

[coreypolis]

Originally Posted by Wilt

There is no single, universally appropriate way to shoot ALL shots...different shots may require different techniques to get 'the best' from that shot. The skill is knowing when which technique is best for which shot.

That isn't the same as simply ignoring the rules and shooting according to 'what works for you'. It is using the appropriate 'rule' for the appropriate situation.

Examples...1. 'shoot to the right' applies when there is highlight detail that you need to keep, and the total range of brightness in the scene will all fit!
2. But it is useless to follow that rule if the tonal range is too great to fit, and you need to preserve shadow detail!
3. And, if you need to retain tonal accuracy (shooting for fashion or textile industry), 'shoot to the right' will get you into a lot of trouble with your client if you do not also take suitable steps to bring back tonal accuracy!

yes, but (and I know you already know this) the algorithm that digital uses is linear and more detail is stored in the highlights than the shadows, so adjusting an image is much easier to do "darkening it" in PS than trying to "lighten it"

So its more than just for highlight detail shots, it really applies to all shots, as long as you know what to do with it later on. This also helps reduce noise

[Wilt]

Gee, Corey, if only I had stated the point that you followed up with...I would have all the rules of digital exposure captured into the Four Rules of Exposure!

[AginKajun]

Thanks to all. I understand the principles ok I guess I'm just venting my frustration at the overload of information I have tried to assimilate in the short time I have been back into photography. It's like my brain doesn't have enough RAM to process everything fast enough for me and I get brain lock in some situations. I seems to me that no matter how much knowledge I gather there is going to be no substitute for experience. Again thanks to all who contribute such a vast pool of good information to draw from.

[breal101]

Wilt, I wasn't saying to ignore the laws of physics. What I meant was to ignore the people who make up rules. The ones who say I only shoot in manual, I only shoot in RAW( I do, but everyone doesn't have to), I never crop, I never use the P mode and so on.

[Wilt]

Originally Posted by breal101

Wilt, I wasn't saying to ignore the laws of physics. What I meant was to ignore the people who make up rules. The ones who say I only shoot in manual, I only shoot in RAW( I do, but everyone doesn't have to), I never crop, I never use the P mode and so on.

Oh, all of those other people who shoot to one rule! Like...

"Never use a filter if you don't need to" vs "Always use a filter"

"Never bother with shooting RAW and JPEG together"

"Never shoot a portrait photo with anything less than an L" vs "Shoot all female portraits with a soft focus filter or postprocess to give the same effect"

"Never have more than one catchlight in the eyes of the portrait sitter"

"Always use the same light modifier for all your flash photos"

"With a histogram, don't bother to own an incident light meter"

[- Pebble -]

there is just you, the camera and the sbuject in front of you.
do what you have to, to create what you want.
exploit all the resources you have.

[Technophile]

someone should make a song out of the title of this thread. its catchy.

[AginKajun]

Originally Posted by Wilt

Oh, all of those other people who shoot to one rule! Like...

"Never use a filter if you don't need to" vs "Always use a filter"

"Never bother with shooting RAW and JPEG together"

"Never shoot a portrait photo with anything less than an L" vs "Shoot all female portraits with a soft focus filter or postprocess to give the same effect"

"Never have more than one catchlight in the eyes of the portrait sitter"

"Always use the same light modifier for all your flash photos"

"With a histogram, don't bother to own an incident light meter"

Yea Wilt, now you're catching my original frustrations. Be careful it might be contageous.

[breal101]

Well said Pebble. Wilt, maybe ignore was too strong a word, but obsessing over one element of photography can rob the spontanaity and creativity from the shot. Just shoot pictures, the "rules" are a guide not a law.