Adobe Photoshop CS
Discussion
Depends on what you need it for 
Photoshop is quite powerful, and a good value tool for everybody who earns money by using it.
However, if you need it for private professional use, I recommend you give TheGimp www.gimp.org a try first.
TheGimp is a professional open source image editing application, that has many of the functions of Photoshop (& some not, but some others additionally). You can download and then use it for free via the above link. There are no costs (other than having to download it) or adware/spyware etc. attached, because the source code is available for everyone to read and/or to enhance.
Many of the functions are self-explainable, but there is as well an excellent documentation around: http://gimp-savvy.com
Here is one example of an image I edited with TheGimp:
If you discover that TheGimp does not do it for you, you can always buy a copy of Photoshop
Photoshop is quite powerful, and a good value tool for everybody who earns money by using it.
However, if you need it for private professional use, I recommend you give TheGimp www.gimp.org a try first.
TheGimp is a professional open source image editing application, that has many of the functions of Photoshop (& some not, but some others additionally). You can download and then use it for free via the above link. There are no costs (other than having to download it) or adware/spyware etc. attached, because the source code is available for everyone to read and/or to enhance.
Many of the functions are self-explainable, but there is as well an excellent documentation around: http://gimp-savvy.com
Here is one example of an image I edited with TheGimp:
If you discover that TheGimp does not do it for you, you can always buy a copy of Photoshop
I haven't seen it in action yet but I think one of the big pluses for the CS over the 6.01 I use is the 'anti shadow filter...ie it can bring up subjects that are darker compared to the overall pic...how it does this I havent a clue but would certainly take away some of the guess factor(educated) when photographing in bright conditions and having to factor in exposure compensation try to compensate for the cameras metering system
Steve
Steve
Scooby_snax said:
I haven't seen it in action yet but I think one of the big pluses for the CS over the 6.01 I use is the 'anti shadow filter...ie it can bring up subjects that are darker compared to the overall pic...
I think you'll find several similar functions in PS6 but under different headings.
Photoshop Cs (8) is a fantastic program, which is by far the most powerful of all the editing packages available to the home photo editor.
The shadows/highlights adjustment tool is a welcome addition and if you can shoot in RAW the features available are expanded even further.
It's not the easiest program to master though, if you want quick and simple go towards Elements 2.
I've been using CS for a month now after moving on from 7.01, I'd not consider going back just for the extra abilty to handle RAW images.
The shadows/highlights adjustment tool is a welcome addition and if you can shoot in RAW the features available are expanded even further.
It's not the easiest program to master though, if you want quick and simple go towards Elements 2.
I've been using CS for a month now after moving on from 7.01, I'd not consider going back just for the extra abilty to handle RAW images.
Simpo...cheers mate...I knew about the manual ways of bringing up a shadow but I believe in CS it does it automatically. Nighthawk perhaps you could confirm or otherwise...I believe it detects what part of the pic is in shadow and adjusts it. Also is this a Plug in or an integral part of the programme.
Tonight downloaded a 30day trial of a 'shadow reduction plugin' but so far it on a couple of test pix it has brought up the whole image even though the blurb suggests it is selective it only costs $17.
Here is the link if anyone is interested www.fixerlabs.com/pages/shadowfixer.html
Steve
Tonight downloaded a 30day trial of a 'shadow reduction plugin' but so far it on a couple of test pix it has brought up the whole image even though the blurb suggests it is selective it only costs $17.
Here is the link if anyone is interested www.fixerlabs.com/pages/shadowfixer.html
Steve
Scooby_snax said:
Simpo...cheers mate...I knew about the manual ways of bringing up a shadow but I believe in CS it does it automatically.
Ah well you see PS6/7 is a hairy-chested program where real men do things manually by sweating and grunting (aka TVR!). I thought I'd seen a black level adjustment but couldn't find it when I went to look. Brightness/Contrast is also a good one to use, though it will affect the whole picture.
Cs has an option for shadows and highlights
IMAGE-> ADJUSTMENTS-> SHADOWS/HIGHLIGHTS
which will bring up a box with 2 sliders,as you can imagine one does the shadows and the other....well, you get the idea
Another good thing to do in 6 and 7 and elements is to set you own white and black points by using the LEVELS option and the litte droppers in the LR corner of the dialogue box.
there are some great tutorials on the web covering this sort of process. I also recommend the CD-roms supplied with DIGITAL PHOTO magazine for high quality easy to understand tutorials.
IMAGE-> ADJUSTMENTS-> SHADOWS/HIGHLIGHTS
which will bring up a box with 2 sliders,as you can imagine one does the shadows and the other....well, you get the idea
Another good thing to do in 6 and 7 and elements is to set you own white and black points by using the LEVELS option and the litte droppers in the LR corner of the dialogue box.
there are some great tutorials on the web covering this sort of process. I also recommend the CD-roms supplied with DIGITAL PHOTO magazine for high quality easy to understand tutorials.
Cheers Nighthawk
The photography I do is yachting photography so as you cam imagine with the sun bouncing off white sails and predominantly white hulls getting the exposure balance correct so you get clear definition of the yachters faces is a bit tricky. I suppose it is similar to taking a pic of a snow skier. Anyway I usually dial in some exposure correction of +1 to +1.7 on my Nikon F5 and they usually does the trick....but as I am about to go digital I did think this bit of trickery in Photoshop would be quite useful.
If you are in WH Smiths have a look at Yachts & Yachting I have 5 pages in this weeks issue following my trip to Aruba in November
The photography I do is yachting photography so as you cam imagine with the sun bouncing off white sails and predominantly white hulls getting the exposure balance correct so you get clear definition of the yachters faces is a bit tricky. I suppose it is similar to taking a pic of a snow skier. Anyway I usually dial in some exposure correction of +1 to +1.7 on my Nikon F5 and they usually does the trick....but as I am about to go digital I did think this bit of trickery in Photoshop would be quite useful.
If you are in WH Smiths have a look at Yachts & Yachting I have 5 pages in this weeks issue following my trip to Aruba in November
getcarter said:
Scooby - If you stay with Nikon when you move to Digi (SLR), you can still dial in the exposure compensation on the camera
I guess that it's still best to get the original exposure right if poss, rather than rely on PS to fix it later. Just as with film, if the detail isn't there you can't put it back! (though digital is much more accommodating of course)
Steve (getcarter)...must say you have some impressive shots on your website.
I was going to have a look at the D2H as it sounds like the D2X is not going to be released this year.
As a total aside I blasted up the A9 Inverness to Thurso over Christmas...different to the West Coast but nevertheless rather enjoyable
Steve
I was going to have a look at the D2H as it sounds like the D2X is not going to be released this year.
As a total aside I blasted up the A9 Inverness to Thurso over Christmas...different to the West Coast but nevertheless rather enjoyable
Steve
Scooby snax
If I remember correctly Nikon have a new lower price Dslr due out soon to do battle with the Canon300d.
In tricky shots like those you describe, I set my camera to bracket to ensure I get a result
Also if you choose to shoot in RAW format, CS will give you the abilty to add or subtract a couple of stops either way. This gives a helpful boost when needed.
Getcarter
some fantastic shots on your site m8, but it seems to have stopped working for me now
(just showing a load of garbled text
If I remember correctly Nikon have a new lower price Dslr due out soon to do battle with the Canon300d.
In tricky shots like those you describe, I set my camera to bracket to ensure I get a result
Also if you choose to shoot in RAW format, CS will give you the abilty to add or subtract a couple of stops either way. This gives a helpful boost when needed.
Getcarter
some fantastic shots on your site m8, but it seems to have stopped working for me now
(just showing a load of garbled text
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