Here is one photograph from yesterday and six from today. We went for a walk with the wife. It was a snowy day, once again, and the blue moment after sunset was once again quite special.
I got comments to the "worst photograph" posting, here is a quote from Sven W's: 'Post-process your photos to improve them (minor changes, don't attempt a "rescue mission"). The process of thinking through the edits should improve subsequent photos.'
I don't know why but I got a shuddering feeling when reading this - "yäk" is the word in Finnish, I guess "yuck" in English. And then I started thinking why it is so? Maybe it is that I just have too little skills of using iPhoto, Photoshop, LightZone, and the like. But I have spent some time with these programs, during the years, and can do stuff - I just don't want to.
Maybe the explanation is that I have fun when taking photographs, and I don't have fun when doing stuff to them on the computer. One reason for this is the exercise: I go for a walk (or skiing or ...) and take photographs on the go. And this you can't do while using the computer. I guess I just need to get out and get physical.
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Pine Coppices
2 hours ago
6 comments:
I am glad you enjoy what you do. I enjoy seeing your photographs - they have a look about them that I find interesting.
I rarely take a photograph without doing something to in post processing. I could describe it as massaging the shot into shape.
If I have a specific objective in mind, then I follow the 'rules' when I am working on the computer.
But if I am just relaxing - perhaps I am thinking about something - then I just let my hands do things in Photoshop while I am half-there.
That is sometimes the best and most enjoyable for me,
The best of all though is to put a lot of concentration into getting the shot. Usually it is a case of applying what i know - and taking the time to do it.
@David: I guess it is the act of seeing which I find valuable, not so much what happens afterwards.
But once in a while there are indeed photographs one has the temptation to try to tweak - but my aversion to computers (because of overdose of using them) is often an obstacle.
I agree with you. If you spend you're day on the computer, the thought of processing loads of photos in the evening is not a particularly enticing one!
I only do it occasionally, if there is a picture that I really like and there's something obviously really wrong with it. A bit like the occasional chocolate when you're on a diet.
"I guess it is the act of seeing which I find valuable, not so much what happens afterwards."
I like the whole process: the camera as an object, using a camera, seeing, the "first draft" image on the memory card, basic edits [to better realise what I saw], presenting the image, [occasional] feedback.
Juha, the fact you maintain a photo-blog with comments tells me you have interests down-stream from the "seeing" step! ;-)
I should also point out my editing is pretty basic ... straighten, correct lens distortion, correct tilt distortion, crop, white-balance, some tonal adjustments (to aid composition), spot fixes (e.g remove small distractions), sharpen. Not a major re-working of the image like the Photoshop whiz Andreas Manessinger!
Another thought: As I mentioned in a previous comment, by keeping down the number of shots I take I also reduce the amount of editing I need to do.
For you basic editing you might check out Lightroom which has certainly made this side of things more fun for me. You can quickly do the cropping, and other various adjustments with the software and never touch Photoshop.
@Richard: Maybe I should try diet once in a while - only take one photograph in a day or something like that.
@Sven W: Indeed. You seem to be always able to hit on something which I need to think about a bit.
@Alan: Thanks for the tip. Today I realized that the new version of iPhoto has also some tools which I was not familiar with. In case I need to start post-processing in earnest...
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