deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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Title are the words of Mike B 
What exactly do people do with CS4 (and other photo editing software) and their pics?
I got my camera for my birthday and have taken some quite nice shots, but they just don't compare to some peoples and I have a feeling they've been 'fettled' with on a photo editing software?
My pictures tend to look 'normal' where as some peoples are really crisp, sharp and vivid? How is this achieved?!
 
Take my avatar:
Show me what you'd do with your average photo in photoshop so I can compare. . .
[Edited on 19-01-2009 by deano87]
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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I use Lightroom - much better.
One thing I always try to do is still to higher F-stop numbers. Really helps with better colour pick-up. Other than that, lightroom does most of the work.
Sometimes just give it a tweak to the saturation or sharpness but not too much. Rarely use photoshop personally.
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Mike
Organiser: North West and North Wales
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Registered: 20th May 06
Location: nr. Skipton, North Yorkshire
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I thought that sounded familiar 
TBH, I shoot in RAW and most of my pics just go through the RAW conversion and that's it. Odd times I've cloned something out just to tidy it up a bit but that's generally if I've missed something when I've been taking the shot or if it was something unmoveable that I felt spoiled the shot in some way.
I've seen a few tutorials about post processing in photoshop for jpegs where you'll generally adjust levels, contrast/curves, saturation and sharpen it up a bit but that is essentially what you do when processing RAW files but RAW gives a far wider spectrum of choice regarding exposure, white balance, different colours can be emphasised or minimized depending on what effect you want or ie. the grass in a shot is a little washed out, adjust the green saturation, hue and luminance to really make it pop.
Being perfectly honest with you, the pics I posted after the comment you've quoted, when I saw them on the back of the camera, I thought I had 2 good shots and the rest I didn't like, after going through the RAW processing on them all, there were still a few I don't like, but I came out of it with 7 photos that I like.
Post processing in some cases really is essential, it can really change a picture. Don't get me wrong, the 2 shots I liked on the camera all I did in the RAW processing was sharpen them slightly, that's all they needed but other times a seemingly dull shot can be brought to life
I'll stop rambling on now anyway 
I'll admit tho, I'm a RAW for life man now, I was using it on my fuji before I got the 450 and I don't think I've took any pictures as just jpegs, I've got it set to RAW and jpeg but that's usually just to see how much of an improvement there is, if any
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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No no, that was really useful
I've read up about RAW and that you can literally change the image like you can on the camera.
I tend to try and get the desired effect on the camera with white balance etc. Colour saturation is what I haven't played about with
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Graham88
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Registered: 16th Apr 07
Location: South East Kent Drives: E46 M3
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Before:
After:
Not a massive difference on your photo, but on some photos sharpening an image makes a much more noticeable difference.
[Edited on 19-01-2009 by Graham88]
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
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 I can see it in the rear light.
thanks.
I'm sure it probably works better with a higher res image too.
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
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Anyone else?!
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Matt L
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Registered: 17th Apr 06
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in photoshop as i dont shoot raw i will tend to do the following.
-levels
-curves
-sharpen & sharpen edges
-possibly exposure (depending on what im after)
- hue and saturation (again depending what im after)
and very occasionally i will use photo filters
and obviously depending on the picture i may clone stuff and crop things out etc etc.
tbh i just play with photos until i like them
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Rob E
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Registered: 1st Jan 06
Location: Madeley, Stafford....I want to live back in Wales!
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The clarity tool is also a very good feature for sharpening up images. I have a before and after one but im not sure if the difference will show up on the web. u2u me your msn if you want and i will send them over
[Edited on 22-01-2009 by Rob E]
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deano87
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Registered: 21st Oct 06
Location: Bedfordshire Drives: Ford Fiesta
User status: Offline
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u2u'd
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Matt L
Member
Registered: 17th Apr 06
User status: Offline
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oo never used the clarity tool will have to have alook for it tonight could be of some use on a few pics lol.
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Whittie
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Registered: 11th Aug 06
Location: North Wales Drives: BMW, Corsa & Fiat
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