Do you like shooting but dread processing?

frugivore wrote in post #17045441
I like shooting, I hate culling, I like processing. In most cases, I'm using single shot so I don't have five similar pictures to have to choose from.

But I really do like processing, probably because I'm still learning and it's somewhat of a challenge for me.

I probably should have been a bit clearer in my title and first post... I really meant culling and processing, which to me are all part of the same exercise. The only bit of it I really enjoy is finding and working on my very best shots - the top 0.1% which make me go *wow*. The rest starts to feel like a chore, although I do become very absorbed in it and will sometimes sit at the computer for hours despite feeling cold, hungry, thirsty etc. I keep thinking "just one more shot, one more tweak..".

I also don't do much heavy manipulation of images, and mainly use LR rather than Photoshop (I only have Elements anyway). But since I still have a lot to learn about processing I'll experiment with the various sliders etc just to see what's possible with different combinations. Then I'll watch another tutorial and want to try something new... it all eats up lots of time

I have done enough of editing, while I was part-time computer graphics artist at begining of nineties.
Now I'm not using Photoshop, waste of my private time. I use old LR version to modify/adjust my RAWs from DSLRS and TIFFs from film scanner.
With DSLRs I use L lenses to get high IQ SOOC, with only few adjustments needed in PP. Pictures must be taken under correct light for it, of course

But If I want fancy picture I use iPhone applications to get tweaked picture. They are worth only to post them on the Internet anyway.

Savethemoment wrote in post #17045463
I also don't do much heavy manipulation of images, and mainly use LR rather than Photoshop (I only have Elements anyway). But since I still have a lot to learn about processing I'll experiment with the various sliders etc just to see what's possible with different combinations. Then I'll watch another tutorial and want to try something new... it all eats up lots of time

Well this is baffling to me. If you're not making heavy adjustments to your images, then you shouldn't be spending a great deal of time in LR. If you're watching tutorials and learning how to use new LR tools, then that will indeed take up some time, but learning IS fun. If you don't agree with that, then watch tutorials to improve your photography so that you don't have to as much development.

I suppose you could upgrade to LR5 which allows you to Black Flag images for deleting with the stroke of one key (X). That might improve your culling efficiency.

put me in the "shoot tons, but delete many" camp too.

I really enjoy processing, but I hate batch-editing. I could (and have) spend 10+ hours on one really cool image, but when it's a whole set of 500+ images that all have a problem that has to be fixed on ALL of them, it gets very annoying. I'm dealing with that right now with some auto-x pans I shot yesterday that all have bad dust spots in the sky since I was using a borrowed lens that I didn't realize wasn't cleaned properly.

If I could afford to pay a processor, I would rarely sit down at the computer. I don't mind culling and cropping, but the rest of it is a PITA.

airfrogusmc wrote in post #17043533
I expose for the way I am going to process so I always approach post processing as part two or step two of the process. Taking the photograph and getting that right to the way I'm going to process is only the first part. The second part is then processing that image to what I saw in my minds eye at the moment of exposure and then there's making the print. All of those parts are all equally important for me to get my vision fully captured.

+2 to this. Until recently it was +1 as I shot and then processed. Recently I got into printing which adds and extra layer.

Me too. And I actually like post.

I love experimenting in LR and PS. My former life (before going back to the family business) was as a graphic designer so I used digital editing software everyday and this is an even better extension of that where I get to create first with the shots and then embellish with processing.

Dan Marchant wrote in post #17045087
I enjoy the PP but I cull heavily, process the star photos and leave the rest.

I almost always throw a movie or TV show on my second monitor while I'm editing pictures. Brainless action movies are the best since I don't have to pay attention to them. It helps the process go easier for me.

I don't know how seriously I should take this thread, so I guess I'll just "respond" but not say anything meaningful!

I enjoy post processing. To me it is finishing the job (i'm a bit OCD about finishing photo projects) and getting to really look at what I captured. It becomes exciting when you are happy with what you got. I have had disappointments and yea, I hate processing those where I messed up on a shoot.

TTUShooter wrote in post #17045996
put me in the "shoot tons, but delete many" camp too.

I delete a lot but good processing makes a good photo better

airfrogusmc wrote in post #17043533
I expose for the way I am going to process so I always approach post processing as part two or step two of the process. Taking the photograph and getting that right to the way I'm going to process is only the first part. The second part is then processing that image to what I saw in my minds eye at the moment of exposure and then there's making the print. All of those parts are all equally important for me to get my vision fully captured.

I share the same philosophy as you.

For me processing is part of the photographic process. It's part of the fun of being a photographer. Processing allows me to bring my images to life. Processing allows me to put my personal touches on my images and gives me more of a photographic voice.

To me, shooting is half the fun and editing brings it closer to my vision. I just fire up my music player and edit away.

If SOOC is all you need, don't let anyone convince you otherwise. We all have our own way of doing things

Finding a good shot means not just being in the right place at the right time, but also having the vision to see a photo opportunity, if you can't find inspiration in your neighborhood you won't find it elsewhere, you'll just come back with tourism-grade photos.
Getting a good shot just means I was skilled enough to use my equipment properly, this is the most boring part of photography.
Processing is where I interpret what the camera saw into what I wanted to see at the time, cameras are terrible at this, which is where stuff like Photoshop comes in. It doesn't mean that everything needs to have filters or crazy color changes, but a bunch of small tweaks to a good photo can make it great, even if they doesn't necessarily make the photo look significantly different from the original.