One of My Favorite Things

by Linda

 

 

When I got my first DSLR, I did so with no knowledge or expectation that I would need any kind of software to edit my pictures. I thought Photoshop was the only software and it was for professionals. 

So as I was happily snapping away, I started to want my pictures to look better or different or to have a little something extra. I began to learn about editing and started with Picasa. I wanted to do more and got Photoshop Elements. I knew it was a powerful editing software but it was not user friendly. I fumbled my way through it but was not going in the direction I wanted. Then I learned about Photoshop Lightroom. I got it and ever since, every picture I take goes into Lightroom's catalog, whether I edit it or not. Just being able to catalog the pictures by date and keyword is wonderful. I was happily using Lightroom 3 when Lightroom 4 came out. It had many changes that I felt were worth the upgrade, so I got it. I was happily using Lightroom 4 when Lightroom 5 came out. I resisted upgrading because I felt there was not that much difference between Lightroom 5 and what I had and did not want to spend the money to upgrade.

Anyway, I became aware of a wonderful new to Lightroom 5 feature that I had to have. I couldn't upgrade fast enough once I learned about it. The feature I had to have was the radial filter. Let me show you what you can do with it.

If you have ever used a graduated filter, you will appreciate how it can lighten or darken areas of your picture. I have used a graduated filter to bring back detail in the sky on a picture that was taken outside where the subject is properly lit but the sky is blown out. Too bad our cameras can't see light as well as our eyes. Thank goodness we can compensate for that in editing.

The radial filter in Lightroom 5 is located in the develop module, in the little toolbar right below the histogram, where the crop overlay, spot removal tool, red eye correction, graduated filter, and adjustment brush are located, (it is the circle between the graduated filter and adjustment brush)  It can lighten or darken any area on your picture but instead of diagonal or horizontal lines, like the graduated filter, the radial filter is a circle or oval as big or small as you want. Amazing.

One day I wanted to open up my grandmothers cabinet sewing machine and take some pictures of it. I put it in front of a window where I get good light. I wanted to focus on the detail of the machine. The lovely decorative work in the machine. I wanted the picture to look a little old and nostalgic.



Here is the picture SOOC.

Into Lightroom where I enable lens profile, auto-tone and add a preset-kk_gentle.

Then the fun began with the radial filter. I positioned it with the center of the circle at the top front of the machine. I decreased exposure, increased contrast, decreased highlights, increased shadows, decreased clarity, decreased saturation. All these adjustments affected everything outside the circle.
(when using the radial filter, you can invert the mask and your changes will affect only the area inside your circle)

Then I added a little grain.

Then a little split toning-a little lavender in the shadows and grey in the highlights.

Done.

I was very happy with the results. I liked the way the radial filter makes it look like the light is on, on this very vintage machine.

Do you have a favorite software or edit you do to your pictures? I'd love to hear about your favorite things! Share a picture in the flickr gallery or on facebook, and list your edit process with it!

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Lightroom, Photoshop,and PS Elements are available as a free 30 day trial and can be purchased individually or as part of Adobe's Creative Cloud. For more information check out Adobe's site.

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One Photo, Three Ways

by Kelly

To process, or not to process...that is the question.

I thought today I would bring up a topic that is near and dear to my heart...post-processing. In addition to pursuing photography, it has been a really fun, creative journey. Well, OK sometimes it has been a little frustrating...I'll admit it.  But like so many things, as I have grown in one area, it seems to have had an inspirational affect on the other. And I LOVE that.

Now in today's post, I am specifically referring to digital photo processing.  Because although I do possess a film camera, I have never spent one minute in an actual darkroom.  And before I discuss any actual post-processing techniques, I would like to share with you my thoughts on post-processing in general.  Just so we're all on the same page.

1. Post-processing is optional.  Completely optional.  It's totally a matter of personal preference.  And in the same context, there is no right or wrong way to do it.
2. I am a firm believer that no amount of post-processing can turn a bad photo into a good photo.  Yes, I guess there are times, especially in tricky lighting situations, that a little post-processing can make a big difference.  But for the most part, my personal goal is to try to take well-exposed and well-composed photographs.
3. Like I said previously, post-processing is for me a creative outlet.  And my main reason for using it is to help convey a mood or evoke an emotion. 
4. Similarly, just as with my photography, post-processing has helped me to find my style if you will. Through my practice in photography and post-processing, I am finally able to produce what I see from behind the lens...what I see in my mind's eye...how it feels in my heart.

OK...enough about that.  

So for starters, I use Lightroom 4 for most of my post-processing.  In the beginning I started out with Photoshop Elements, but now i use LR almost exclusively.  And I just love it.  It's awesome for its organizational aspects and equally awesome for creating fun, artistic effects.  

One of the great things about post-processing is the ability to create many different looks, or vibes, with a single photograph.  And that's what I thought I might demonstrate in today's post ~ one photo, three different looks.  And so to start with, I have this shot I took of my neighbor's fence this past Friday afternoon.

What I love most about it is the bright green bokeh in the background. But I also love the pop of color from the red berries, the great pointed shape of leaves, and the blurred lines of the iron fence created by the shallow depth of field. I would say that overall, this shot is pretty well exposed...no major blown highlights or shadows. It might be a teeny bit overexposed, but I did that intentionally to account for the fairly strong backlight.  

So here is what I will call a 'basic edit'.  And that consisted of reducing the highlights, increasing the blacks a little, adding a very slight boost in contrast and clarity, and finally adding a touch of sharpening (sharpening being something just about every digital photo can use). 

It's a subtle difference, but it gives it some pop, if you will.  And for those of you who use Photoshop, it's analogous to doing a 'levels bump' I think.  

Next, for the first look, what I like to call an 'Enhanced Natural' effect, what I did is modify the tone curve to give this photo a matte finish.  Then I added a slight vignette.  I do these two things on just about every one of my photos.  And finally, as a finishing touch, I played around a bit with split toning to enhance the highlights and the shadows.

This edit is still what I consider to be somewhat subtle and natural, but yet adds just a little more punch and vibrance to the shot. Plus a little bit of polish in my opinion.  And this edit pretty well captures how I remember standing there on the sidewalk on a gloriously warm and sunny, late-winter afternoon.  

Now if I take that edit and really boost the saturation, clarity, and contrast, what I come up with is something more like this.

I like to think of this as sort of a gritty/urban/vintage look.  It is deeply saturated and has almost a cross-processed feel which I achieved by adjusting the red and blue channels in the tone curve.  I really like this look...the story it tells and vibe it gives off. 

And then finally, I went to the opposite end of the spectrum and created softer, more faded version of this shot.

To achieve this look, I decreased the saturation a fair bit. Plus I also adjusted the highlights and shadows for a cooler feel.  This type of look isn't something that you'll see too much of in my work, but I have to admit that it has a lovely calming affect.  Like a breath of fresh air almost.

Isn't it amazing the different looks you can achieve with just a few sliders?

If you are interested in more information about Lightroom, there are some great resources out there on the web.  In addition, I can highly recommend this book by Scott Kelby.  Plus I have also learned some great tips from Lightroom Killer Tips.  And then probably most beneficial has been this class with our friend Kim Klassen.  I personally think she is THE authority for beautiful, artistic Lightroom edits.

So now I would like to turn this blog post over to you and start a conversation...Do you do much in the way of post-processing?  And if so, what is your photo-editing software of choice?  Do you have a go-to style? And finally, is this something you would be interested in seeing more of in the future?

Before I sign off I would like to add just one more thing...because of our particular blog design, it does not allow us to respond to your comments individually.  But I want you to know that we so appreciate you spending part of your day with us and we read every. single. comment.  So please, let us know what's on your mind.  We love to hear from you!

Until next time, 

Kelly